Watkins Glen is the fifth road course race of the season. Once upon a time, it was the second and final road course race there are still two more road course races after this weekend. With NASCARs change in direction, new stars have emerged but has the betting market adjusted?

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The payout isnt great, but it pays better than zero which is the likely result of picking another driver to win. Watkins Glen was cancelled last season, but in the last race at The Glen, Elliott led 80 of the 90 laps on his way to victory. He ran a mistake free stage 3 and held off one of the best, if not the best road course driver, in Martin Truex, Jr. In 2018, Elliott led 52 of 80 laps and just like the 2019 race, he made Truex the runner-up.

This season, Elliott has proved that he is the best road course driver in NASCAR and Truex will play second fiddle at the crooked courses. Elliott should have won the Daytona Road Course race in February, but a controversial caution flag in stage 3 cost him the win. However, the breaks went his way at COTA. He avoided wrecking in the monsoon and was leading when NASCAR decided to end the race early. He then went on to finish second at Sonoma behind a red host Kyle Larson. Finally, he won the inaugural Cup race at Road America by leading the most laps (24) after starting in 34th place. And for good measure, he has two wins at the Roval in Charlotte (2019 and 2020) and he won the first ever NASCAR Cup race at the Daytona Road Course (2020).

In the last race at The Glen, no one could get by Chase Elliott. Truex was the only driver that could run with him, but not by him. In stage 1 of that race, Byron was keeping pace with Chase Elliott, but then things fell apart. Kyle Busch dumped William Byron as payback for an incident earlier in the race, and Byrons then crew chief Chad Knaus ordered Byron to retaliate during the stage break. Byron complied, but in doing so, he destroyed the front end of his own race car and ended any chance he had of running up front. At Sonoma in 2019, Byron was a contender, but Chad Knaus chose to stage point race and forfeited track position twice. Byron earned a lot of points, but his 19th place finishing position does not reflect the quality of car or the talent of the driver. When mistakes are not made, Byron is easily a top 10 road course driver. The Hendrick Chevys have been dominant at road courses over the last several years, and especially this season. Byron is one late race caution and one wild restart heading into turn one, away from winning at The Glen.

Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $350 Engineer [$100K to 1st]

Its true that Chris Buescher's finishes at road courses are inflated by strategy, mainly pitting before the end of stages, but thats only half of it. Buescher doesnt pass his way to the front, but he also does not get passed when up front. As long as he doesnt wreck or suffer a mechanical failure, then hes a very safe pick to finish inside the top 20. All Buescher has to do is out race a handful of average drivers that are in weak equipment. Hes just as safe as the big team drivers, but with a lot better pay out. In the last 15 road course races, hes earned 15 top 20 finishes. Back when he won the Xfinity championship in 2015, one of his two wins was at a road course.

This is simple the SHR Fords are struggling this season and the RCR Chevys are fast. SHR could be focused on the Next Gen Car and the 2022 season or it could be personnel changes the SHR stable of drivers has been in flux over the last couple seasons and shop members have moved on to other jobs outside of NASCAR. Meanwhile, RCR is working hand in hand with Hendrick, and their Chevys are top-10 cars at every track. Dillon is not known as a road racer, but neither is Cole Custer. Over the last three road course races, Dillons worst finish is 13th. Custer finished 17th, 20th and 36th over that same span. This is not so much a driver pick, but an organization pick. Dillon is competitive because hes in great equipment. Custer hasnt figured out Cup ovals, let alone Cup road courses, but more importantly, his team is not consistently building fast race cars.

Place your NASCAR bets on DraftKings Sportsbook and bet online by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

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For sports betting, head over to DraftKings Sportsbook or download the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

All betting odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.

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NASCAR Best Bets: Motorsports Picks, Odds to Consider on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Go Bowling at The Glen - DraftKings Nation

Several top U.S. sportsbook operators announced plans this week that will help shape the next wave of legal sports betting markets. Here are some highlights from these companies second-quarter earnings report and what to expect next:

No company made a bigger splash this week than Penn National Gaming, which announced it had acquired Canadian sports and betting information giant theScore. The $2 billion deal follows Penns acquisition of Barstool Sports, bringing two major North American sports media companies under its corporate umbrella.

Penn National CEO Jay Snowden said this week theScore, which for years has been a leading sports content provider and had plans to launch of a sportsbook under its brand, would spearhead the companys efforts in Canada, much as Barstool has in the U.S. Snowden estimated theScore could capture a third of the Canadian market once single-game wagering goes live in late 2021 or early 2022.

Penn now becomes a major player in the 37-million-person Canadian market, but they will not be alone. DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said Friday they too expect to pursue Canada licensure and other top operators such as Caesars, which operates a casino in Windsor, will likely follow suit.

This weeks earnings calls reaffirmed significant interest in Arizona, which is on pace to launch its first mobile sportsbooks Sept. 9. The following sportsbooks had previously announced market access deals, and most if not all could launch by the go-live date:

Notably, MGM has not yet announced a market access deal for its BetMGM app and is not positioned to launch on the go-live date. BetMGM is live in 12 states plus Washington D.C. and expects to launch in seven additional states before the end of 2020.

Prospective Louisiana sportsbooks are lining up before a projected fall 2021 launch.

Caesars recently announced a multimillion-dollar branding deal for the Louisiana Super Dome and the renovation of its Harrahs New Orleans property into a new Caesars Palace. The company also recently formalized its integration of former William Hill sportsbooks under the Caesars Sportsbook name in more than a dozen existing markets nationwide.

The company expects to be among the most aggressive marketers in Louisiana once sports betting goes live. CEO Tom Reeg said Tuesday the company will spend more than $1 billion in nationwide customer acquisition over the next two years.

DraftKings and BetMGM also reaffirmed Louisiana market interest during this weeks earnings calls. Additional American market leaders including FanDuel, which is not publicly traded in the U.S., are also expected to apply for one of the 41 potential Louisiana sports betting licenses.

With the highest per capita income of any state, one of the nations highest education levels and multiple high-profile sports teams, Maryland is a major target for many U.S. sportsbooks. BetMGM and DraftKings, both of which already have market access deals, reiterated interest in the Old Line State this week.

They will be joined by FanDuel, PointsBet and a host of competitors that have likewise secured market access or intend to do so. Penn National, which operates a Maryland casino, will also launch its Barstool Sportsbook app in the state

Marylands 60 potential mobile licenses are the highest cap of any state in the country. This means other growing sportsbooks such as WynnBet, which said Monday it will amp up its investments around the upcoming football season and in markets with NFL teams, will likewise seek Maryland licensure.

DraftKings and FanDuel have already earned two of the three states mobile, retail and iGaming licenses. The third operator, which is expected to be announced later this month, will partner with the state lottery.

The lotterys partner can not be directly affiliated with an existing casino brand. That means it will not be BetMGM, WynnBet or Caesars.

The nations least-populated state could still have multiple legal sports betting options this fall. DraftKings and BetMGM both projected Wyoming sports betting launches, and several more companies have expressed interest in the market.

Wyoming follows Tennessee as the nations second mobile-only sports betting state. It has some of the most business and bettor-friendly regulations and is the first market to explicitly allow cryptocurrency payments.

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Gaming Company Earnings Shed Light on Future Sportsbook Plans - The Action Network

The NFL regular season is just about a month away, so now is the perfect time to inspect all of the years props and futures.

West Virginia sportsbooks each have plenty of different markets to pick between, as well as odds for preseason games.

The preseason officially got underway on Thursday night with the Hall of Fame Game from Canton, Ohio. While the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers didnt put on their best performance, it was great to officially have football back.

It is also a treat that fans are allowed back inside stadiums. Thursdays game and the rest of the schedule should feature full stands once again.

With WV online sportsbooks including so many interesting player props and totals, lets narrow down some of the best available options.

Of course, one of the most common prop bets to take is based around the quarterback. Although you can probably guess whos listed as the favorite, the leader for most passing yards has more than enough contenders.

Kansas Citys Patrick Mahomes is the favorite to throw for the most yards at +300 on DraftKings Sportsbook WV. The former MVP and Super Bowl champ is basically the favorite for any market hes available in.

That doesnt mean hell win everything with ease, though.

Since the NFL is such a passing league now, a lot of different quarterbacks can easily contend for this honor.

The online sportsbook shows the Cowboys Dak Prescott with the second-best odds at +550.

Not only is Dallas offense loaded basically everywhere, its defense is likely to be near the bottom of the league. This should mean lots of high-scoring affairs and Prescott throwing often in second halves looking to get his team back.

Josh Allen is next at +800. The Bills enjoyed a breakout season in 2020 thanks to their impressive QB. Allen threw for more than 4,500 yards a year ago.

DraftKings has a trio of familiar veterans available to bet at +1000. The ageless Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford each feature fantastic supporting casts around them.

While Brady is back with Tampa Bay and Rodgers reluctantly still in Green Bay, Stafford has a new home. Hell look to begin his new chapter with the Los Angeles Rams with a great season.

Heres how the rest of the odds look at DraftKings:

Most fans enjoying rooting for players to succeed, however, there are many out there who dont mind betting on failure. With DraftKings, you can put action down on which quarterback is going to lead the league in interceptions in 2021.

The current and most recent New York Jets quarterbacks are among those favored, along with Washingtons new signal caller.

Sam Darnold, Zach Wilson, and Ryan Fitzpatrick are each +800, but several others are right behind them.

The Lions new QB, Jared Goff, is in for a rude awakening with his lack of playmakers. Hes available at +900, the same odds as turnover-prone Daniel Jones of the Giants.

All the passing means several wide receivers are likely to post some big numbers statistically, as well.

Despite the fact that you typically associate the receptions leader with just wideouts, there are a couple of tight ends vying for the top odds.

At FanDuel WV, both Travis Kelce and Darren Waller find themselves within the top five. Kelce has the third-best odds at +600, compared to Waller at fifth with odds of +1700.

Buffalos Stefon Diggs is the overall favorite at +420. The Cardinals DeAndre Hopkins is just behind him according to the online sportsbook, at +460.

Diggs broke through last year to reach the status of one of the NFLs elite. He caught 127 passes for over 1,500 yards.

This was just his second season with more than 100 receptions.

On the other hand, Hopkins reached the century mark in catches for three consecutive seasons now, including 115 in two of them.

Green Bays Davante Adams falls in between the two linemen, with odds of +750.

No one is happier than Adams to have his future HOF quarterback back in the building. It appeared for a moment that Rodgers might choose to retire rather than play for his current front office.

But with the combination in Green Bay in tact, both have the opportunity to look spectacular yet again. Adams set a new career high in receptions last year with 115, too.

Two notable AFC West receivers are tied with Waller with odds of +1700.

Despite his lack of size, Kansas Citys Tyreek Hill is a menace to cover because of his blistering speed. Theres no doubt hes one of the best going, but his usage volume is never overwhelming.

His best season featured 87 receptions.

Hills divisional foe in the Chargers Allen appears to have more value at this price. Hes recorded at least 100 catches in three of the last four seasons.

FanDuel shows the following odds for additional reception contenders:

Alongside the wide selection of player props, FanDuel also has some interesting markets under its Season Specials category.

Bettors can actually take whether the Bucs and the Chiefs can pull off a perfect regular season.

This year, there are now 17 total regular games played over the course of 18 weeks. That information is obviously helpful when considering player and team totals.

FanDuel has the Bucs to go 17-0 at +5000, while the Chiefs are shown at +3400 to accomplish what hasnt been done since the 2007 Patriots.

See the rest here:

NFL Player Totals And Props Headline WV Sportsbooks This Month - Play WV

FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands has been a track saver.

by Dave Briggs

Meadowlands Racetrack owner and CEO Jeff Gural gave his annual state-of-the-track address Saturday (Aug. 7) in a televised interview with Dave Little.

Gural told Little that The Meadowlands FanDuel Sportsbook has been instrumental in the tracks recent success. The sportsbook is an industry leader.

I believe its the number one sportsbook in the world, Gural said what Little mentioned it was the top sportsbook in the entire United States. Its directly linked (to the tracks revival) because we share in the profits with the horsemen, so a piece of the profits goes to the purse account for the horsemen. I think we may be the only sportsbook that does that. It helps me repay all the losses Ive had for five or six years while we were trying to hang on. Its been amazing how successful its been.

The sportsbook has been so successful Gural said it has lessened the pressure to bring a full-fledged casino to The Meadowlands.

Its not as necessary as it once was, because of sports betting, Gural said. I believe that when the casinos open in New York City, which I believe will be soon, in another year or two, people living in New Jersey will say, Why am I driving over the George Washington Bridge and paying $20 and sitting in traffic, when I could just go to the Meadowlands. So, Im just waiting for those down-state casinos to open in New York and see what the reaction is to people living in northern New Jersey.

Gural said another key to The Big Ms success, of late, has been political cooperation from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

Without Governor Murphy, wed be in big trouble. (Former) Governor (Chris) Christie made every effort to put us out of business and Governor Murphy has done the exact opposite. The legislature has joined with them Craig Coughlin has been great, the senate leaders are great, so its been a partnership that has made a huge difference. Our purses are good. We were getting crushed, we couldnt compete. We were racing mediocre horses for mediocre purses and we were hanging by a thread here without their help, said Gural, who added that Christie didnt support horse racing because he was, a friend of the casino industry and he believed that you shouldnt subsize a business that cant stand on its own two feet. He didnt buy into the argument that the casinos have made it more difficult for horse racing to survive because we cant compete. By the way, the casinos are subsidized they have a tax rate in New Jersey of eight per cent and in Pennsylvania the tax rate is 55 per cent. New York its 40 per cent. The biggest subsidy of all is to the casinos, but they create a lot of jobs also, so its the same argument.

Thankfully I developed a friendship with (Christie) and he didnt have to allow me to buy the (Meadowlands from the state of New Jersey). He couldve said, Forget it, Jeff, were going to close it. So, I have a good relationship with him, but he just had a pragmatic view that if a business cant survive on its own then it shouldnt exist.

Gural also addressed his recent meeting with Meadowlands drivers where he asked them to stop giving holes. Little asked him if that meeting will result in something noticeable to the betting public.

It will definitely be noticeable, Gural said. The first day we tried it was a couple of weeks ago on a Friday and they closed the holes, with the exception of one or two.

(The drivers) made an argument to me, which I try to be reasonable, that 2-year-olds, you know, you dont want to cook them in their first one or two starts. So, I think thats a valid argument. They also made an argument that you shouldnt change the rules in the middle of the heart of our stakes season, so I said, Okay, Ill buy it, but I expect you guys to go along with the rule change when we open back up again in September. So, I would expect that people would see a different style. They are going to see the type of racing that I grew up with, because there were never any holes.

Somebody said, If courtesy is important to you, then you should become a matred and not be driving standardbreds at the Meadowlands and thats the view.

As for his own standardbred breeding operation, Gural said the horse breeding business is okay. Its not an easy business because things go wrong. Everybody thinks you breed a great mare to Muscle Hill or Walner and you get a beautiful horse, but, like I was telling you earlier, I had two mares that were in foal to Walner and when we rechecked them on July 1st, both of them had lost their babies.

So, now they are empty and I dont have two Walners to sell in two years. Obviously, its an advantage to have a farm in New York and Pennsylvania, but truthfully I use both of them as a place to go. New York is really where I spent almost the entire pandemic and then my kids came and its really a combination farm and second home. Pennsylvania is also a beautiful second home, but the casino is also up there, so I spend a lot of time when Im up there. Its worked out good from a quality of life standpoint Im not sure the economics (of breeding standardbreds is) that great.

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Gural gives his annual state-of-The-Meadowlands address - Harness Racing Update

Football season is upon us, and that means its time to start previewing some NFL divisions from a DraftKings Sportsbook perspective. Below Ill break down all the odds in the futures market for the four teams in the NFC South.

Super Bowl Odds: +600

NFC Conference Odds: +275

NFC South Division Odds: -200

Team Win Total: 12

To Make Playoffs: -700

Award Contenders: MVP: Tom Brady (+1400), DPOY: Devin White (+1800)

Week 1 Spread: -6 (vs. DAL)

After an average 7-5 start to Tom Bradys career in Tampa Bay, he found a way to do it again ripping off eight straight wins to grab a Wild Card spot and win the Super Bowl. The 44-year-old quarterback battled through a torn MCL during the playoff run, and somehow seems poised for another big season.

The Buccaneers are the first team in the history of the salary cap era to win the Super Bowl and bring all 22 starters back the following season. Yet, because Tampa didnt actually win the division, it also gets one of the softest schedules in football. Well address the rest of the field below, but injuries aside, its tough to imagine the Bucs dont take the division this season, positioning them for another postseason run.

Super Bowl Odds: +3000

NFC Conference Odds: +1600

NFC South Division Odds: +350

Team Win Total: 9

To Make Playoffs: +100

Award Contenders: OPOY: Alvin Kamara (+1600), CPOY: Michael Thomas (+1200) and Jameis Winston (+1600), COY: Sean Payton (+1800)

Week 1 Spread: +2.5 (vs. GB)

One of the reasons that Tampa Bay is so heavily favored within the division is the quarterback turnover in New Orleans. With Drew Brees retired, we have a QB battle for Week 1 between Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill. As of Aug. 3, Winston is the -140 favorite to get the first snap in Week 1 on DraftKings Sportsbook, but thats a much slimmer number than we saw when the line opened.

Quarterback aside, Im not too high on the Saints for 2021. Sean Payton is a good coach, but I think betting this team to miss the playoffs at a reasonable number is worth considering. Michael Thomas will once again be sidelined for an extended period of time, headlining a group of Saints battling issues entering the season. Brees seemed to master the swing pass to Alvin Kamara, so well have to see if the new QB is also capable of helping Kamara put up the same numbers which wasnt always the case last season.

Super Bowl Odds: +8000

NFC Conference Odds: +3000

NFC South Division Odds: +900

Team Win Total: 7.5

To Make Playoffs: +190

Award Contenders: MVP: Matt Ryan (+3500), OROY: Kyle Pitts (+750), COY: Arthur Smith (+1400)

Week 1 Spread: -3.5 (vs. ATL)

The Falcons have taken some sharp money on the over for their win total, which on Aug. 3 is juiced to -130. Its not a huge ask, at 7.5 you could cash the over and still have an 8-9 losing season. Even with the loss of Julio Jones, Atlanta plugs in an elite pass-catcher in TE Kyle Pitts, who was selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and should make an immediate impact on offense.

Its the same old issues with the Falcons defense. However, the old coaching regime that gave us questionable decisions at best is out, and Arthur Smith is in (and one of the Coach of the Year favorites). I dont see much value on the betting board for Atlanta unless you believe they have enough on defense to be a .500-type team. Pitts for ROY would be the only other consideration to beat out, but he has a tough QB and RB class to outperform.

Super Bowl Odds: +9000

NFC Conference Odds: +4000

NFC South Division Odds: +1000

Team Win Total: 7.5

To Make Playoffs: +210

Award Contenders: DROY: Jaycee Horn (+1400), OPOY: Christian McCaffrey (+1000), CPOY: Christian McCaffrey (+800) and Sam Darnold (+1800), COY: Matt Rhule (+1600)

Week 1 Spread: -4.5 (vs. NYJ)

Despite finishing 5-11 in 2020, the Panthers managed to stay out of the basement in the division (thanks to the Falcons). Matt Rhule even had some buzz going for Coach of the Year, but the team just couldnt finish games. Theyll see what they have in Sam Darnold, and pray that a change of scenery unlocks his potential, but theres still a lot of concern with the rest of this roster.

The return of a healthy CMC will no doubt help on offense, but the defense was a major issue at times last season. Jaycee Horn is a legit ROY contender and will help there, but there are still a lot of unknowns with this Panthers team. If youre feeling risky, the upside is there for this team to compete, but they have the longest odds in the division for a reason.

Place your NFL bets at DraftKings Sportsbook and bet online by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.

All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

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NFL NFC South Division Odds and Lines: DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Preview - DraftKings Nation

The AFC North was the best division in the NFL by record last season, collectively going 38-25-1, while three of its teams finished with at least 11 regular season wins. The Baltimore Ravens entered last season as the favorites, but lost both games against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, one of which was a game that Lamar Jackson missed due to COVID-19. As a result, the Steelers got off to an 11-0 start, before ultimately just hanging on as the Ravens and the Browns surged in the later stages of the season. The Ravens won one playoff game but went on to lose to the Bills, while the Steelers and Browns matched up in the Wild Card round. The Steelers late-season struggles continued in that game, as the Browns advanced and nearly were able to knock off the Kansas City Chiefs in an effort to reach the Super Bowl.

Heading into the 2021 season, it seems as though the Browns momentum and the Ravens general prowess are factoring in heavily as far the betting odds are concerned, while the Steelers are a distant third in conference and divisional odds. The Bengals were a non-factor in 2020 with rookie quarterback Joe Burrow missing about half of the season due to a leg injury, and while they should be significantly better in 2021, its going to be a tough road for them with such a tough schedule of divisional opponents to go through.

See all NFL betting odds at the DraftKings Sportsbook NFL page or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

Super Bowl Odds: +1400

AFC Conference Odds: +650

AFC North Division Odds: +115

Team Win Total: 11 (-120/+100)

To Make Playoffs: -300

Awards Contenders: Lamar Jackson (MVP +1600), Jayson Oweh (DROY +1600)

Week 1 Spread: -4.5 at Raiders

The Ravens had a disappointing season in 2020, and it was one that was impacted by injuries and COVID-19 to some extent, particularly in the second half of the season. Lamar Jackson missed arguably the most important game of the season for the Ravens, a road game in Pittsburgh that resulted in a 19-14 loss and cost them a shot at the AFC North. Nonetheless, the Ravens still won 11 games and got into the playoffs, and even won on the road in Tennessee in the Wild Card round. They went on to fall apart the next week in Buffalo, and while this would have been a successful season for most teams, the Ravens expectations were so high that this was clearly a let down.

Heading into 2021, the Ravens roster looks more or less the same, with a similarly prolific defense and an offense dependent on Jackson. The Ravens added two receivers, free agent Sammy Watkins and first-round pick Rashod Bateman, and this could go a long way in helping Jackson and the Ravens passing game reach the next level. The hype will be large once again, but it seems to be justified again too.

Super Bowl Odds: +1600

AFC Conference Odds: +800

AFC North Division Odds: +150

Team Win Total: 10.5 (-120/+100)

To Make Playoffs: -225

Awards Contenders: Baker Mayfield (MVP +3500), Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (DROY +1400)

Week 1 Spread: +6 at Chiefs

The Browns had moderate expectations to start the 2020 season, and were blown out in Week 1 in their first test against the Ravens. From that point forward, however, the Browns were one of the best teams in the NFL, winning 11 of their remaining 15 games to make the playoffs for the first time in nearly 20 years. The matchup in the Wild Card round seemed like a tough one, especially with all of the injuries and COVID-related problems that the Browns were dealing with, but they dominated the first half of the game and ultimately hung on to win 48-37. They lost to the Chiefs the next weekend despite a late-game injury to Patrick Mahomes, but it appears as though expectations are high heading into 2021.

The Browns roster is largely unchanged for the upcoming season much like the rest of the AFC North and the starting skill positions will look virtually the same as they did in 2020. The one possible exception here is Odell Beckham Jr., who only played in seven games last season after suffering an ACL tear. Beckham has a chance to be a factor in 2021, although it remains to be seen just how effective hell be coming off the injury. The Browns offense was quite good in 2020, especially on the ground with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, but the defensive liabilities may be enough to keep them a tier below the Ravens in 2021.

Super Bowl Odds: +4500

AFC Conference Odds: +2500

AFC North Division Odds: +500

Team Win Total: 8.5 (-135/+115)

To Make Playoffs: +140

Awards Contenders: Najee Harris (OROY +800)

Week 1 Spread: +6.5 at Bills

The Steelers started the 2020 season as well as anyone could have possibly expected, getting out to an 11-0 start while taking a commanding lead in the AFC North standings. They ultimately did wind up winning the division, but the second half of the season was amazingly unimpressive as they limped their way into the playoffs with one win in their last five games. The most embarrassing of these games was a loss on Monday Night Football against the Bengals in Week 15, a game in which the Steelers were favored by more than two touchdowns. Their poor play carried into the playoffs too, as they lost badly to the Browns in the Wild Card round.

Ben Roethlisbergers struggles were clearly among the most relevant problems towards the end of last season, but the Steelers are sticking with their aging quarterback heading into 2021. The Steelers have an elite defense and a good group of receivers, but one of the major offensive issues was that they got minimal production out of their running game. As a result, they spent their most recent first round pick on Alabamas star running back Najee Harris with the hopes of creating a more balanced attack to help out Roethlisberger. If the Steelers do manage to figure out how to create a strong rushing game, Roethlisberger might have just enough left in the tank to keep this team in the Super Bowl hunt, especially because the Steelers defense should be one of the best in the NFL once again. The odds arent as optimistic after the way this team fell apart in last seasons playoffs, but the possible path to success here isnt that tough to imagine.

Super Bowl Odds: +15000

AFC Conference Odds: +6500

AFC North Division Odds: +2500

Team Win Total: 6.5 (-130/+110)

To Make Playoffs: +500

Awards Contenders: JaMarr Chase (OROY +1000)

Week 1 Spread: +3.5 vs MIN

One of the youngest teams in the NFL, the Bengals were predictably inconsistent in 2020 with rookie quarterback Joe Burrow struggling at times but also flashing the upside that caused him to be the 1st overall pick in the 2020 draft. Unfortunately for him and the Bengals, Burrow suffered a torn ACL in Week 11 and missed the remainder of the season. He should be back at full strength in 2021, with many of the same skill players around him that will need to take some steps forward if theyre going to contend in the highly competitive AFC North.

The Bengals drafted wide receiver JaMarr Chase 5th overall in this years draft, and hell play alongside Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, both of whom have shown decent potential early on in their respective careers. This could be a decent offense overall, but the Bengals are still most likely going to have a significant degree of problems on defense. This probably isnt their biggest concern for 2021, however, because the major issue is that theyll have to face one of the NFLs toughest schedules with six of their games coming against three divisional opponents that each won at least 11 games in 2020. The Bengals have a good chance to improve this season, but theyre probably another year away from really making an impact in the standings.

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NFL AFC North Division Odds and Lines: DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Preview - DraftKings Nation

Obviously the news about Indianapolis Colts expected starting quarterback Carson Wentz getting hurt and needing foot surgery caused a bit of a stir earlier this week and immediately kicked off speculation about a trade for a veteran quarterback.

And because of his relationship with Colts head coach Frank Reich, current Bears thrid-string QB Nick Foles name came up.

Sportsbooks too have jumped in on this and starting setting odds for which quarterback will start week one for Indianapolis. Initially, rookie Jacob Eason was the favorite, but this morning Draftkings, one of the biggest mobile betting sportsbooks, announced that they shifted their odds:

Two things are interesting to me about this. The first is actually that Eason isnt listed on the odds, which is eye-brow raising when you consider that he was mentioned as the next man up by Reich himself and as recently this morning Tom Pelissero of NFL.com and NFLN says that Eason is indeed going to get the first shot and the main reason the Colts havent made a trade.

The second is what DK Sportsbook points out in their tweet: Nick Foles is on the Bears. Putting money on him (granted, its still at plus money, which says that its not the most likely outcome).

This whole prop smells to me, its a DraftsKing money grab essentially. If Eason goes out and stinks up the first couple preseason games, then the Colts will be picking up the phone and making a deal. If hes decent, they might stick to their guns and then DK can just cash all these tickets come 1:15 p.m. Eastern time on Sept. 12.

Not listing Eason as an option is a disingenuous by DraftKings, they should have him at something like -150 or -200. That would say that you have to bet 150 or 200 units in order to win 100.

Unless you think DraftKings knows something the general public doesnt. What do you think? Will Foles be on the Bears or Colts sideline come week one?

Excerpt from:

Bears QB Nick Foles the favorite to start for the Indianapolis Colts - Windy City Gridiron

The Tampa Bay Lightning have already created a dynasty by winning back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships, but could they join the all-elite club in sports with a three-peat?

Winning a championship in professional sports is a difficult task. Creating a culture that can be world champions two times in a row is even more taxing. Only the most elite teams have joined the rare air of being three-peat champions. Can the Tampa Bay Lightning join the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Toronto Maple Leafs and become the fourth team in NHL history to hoist Lord Stanleys Cup? It wont be easy, but the Lightning certainly does stand a fairly good chance to raise a third straight banner in the rafters of Amalie Arena.

Following the 2021 Entry Draft and the NHLs free-agency period, having completed the vast majority of significant signings of players will dramatically affect their respective teams; several of your favorite sportsbooks have updated their odds of winning the Stanley Cup. Whichever is your preferred destination is aligned fairly similarly across the boards.

But youre here to see the odds of a three-peat, so here is a breakdown of where the Lightning land in each of the top four:

DraftKings:The Bolts head into the 2021-2022 season as the second favorite to win the trophy at +700, just behind the Colorado Avalanche at +600. It doesnt affect the Lightning at all; however, BetMGM has the biggest gap between second and third in their odds, showing that the sportsbook feels strongly that as of now, we will see the Avalanche and Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.

FOX Bet: Much like DraftKings, FOX Bet has the Avalanche (+500) and the Lightning (+600), which are better odds for each time. The standout in their ranking system is that the Vegas Golden Knights are tied with the Lightning as the second, most favored team. FOX Bet has the Boston Bruins in the sixth-ranked slot, which is lower than any other sportsbooks.

BetMGM:You guessed it! The Avalanche are favorites, with the Lightning following closely behind. BetMGM gives the Avalanche the second-lowest odds of the books we analyzed, making the race between the Avalanche and Bolts the second tightest to FanDuels (below).

FanDuel: Provides the tightest window in terms of favoring the Avalanche at +650, with the Lightning coming in the right behind them at +700 in the second-place spot. The Hurricanes find themselves most favored by FanDuel as they are in the fourth-best position, with the Bruins and the Maple Leafs rounding out the top five. FanDuel also provides the largest discrepancy in odds between ranks three and four.

The most important news for the Lightning and their fans is that the closest Eastern Conference team projected to finish behind the defending champions is no closer than +1200 out of the four sportsbooks analyzed. The tougher news? Out of the top 12 teams with the most favorable odds, through all four of the sportsbooks, 10 are in the Eastern Conference.

The breakdown of these sportsbooks tells you that there is a certainty in the top three teams heading into the season. However, there is a fairly significant dropoff in confidence after the third spot; and no clearcut fourth-best team. Despite having key losses during the offseason Yanni Gourde to the Seattle Kraken via the NHL expansion draft, and Tyler Johnson being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, GM Julien BriseBois had a very successful offseason- in both the draft and free agency- to keep the Lightning at the top of the league.

Safe play? The Stanley Cup Final will match up the Avalance and the Lightning, but of course, anything can happen during the course of a season, which gets underway on Tuesday, October 12th, when the Pittsburgh Penguins come to town. Lightning has already struck twice, lets see if we can make it a trifecta.

Editors note: Our partners at WynnBet do not have their NHL futures odds currently available; however, we will update this upon release.

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Can the Bolts three-peat? A Look into NHL futures in sportsbooks - Bolts by the Bay

WASHINGTON Florida sports betting could be a regulated industry on Thursday as that marks the last day of the 45-day long period within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). There has been no word as to whether or not the DOI will be giving its approval or denial of the expanded Tribal Gaming Compacts for the Seminole Tribe of Florida to open sportsbooks in the Sunshine State. No action on their part would automatically mean an approval and the launch of sports betting in Florida could occur immediately as sports gaming would be official law.

Regulated sports wagering has been something that Florida has been trying to open for some time. Governor Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida came to an agreement earlier this year. After that, the Florida Legislature passed the proposal to expand gaming compacts to include sports betting in May.

Florida sports betting would be purely run by the Seminole Tribe via land-based and mobile sportsbook platforms. The mobile sports betting aspect still doesnt sit well with lawmakers opposed to how the industry has come about. They believe a constitutional amendment is required to allow for gambling on sporting events, and not just through retail outlets but especially via online platforms.

The Interior Department is unlikely to affirmatively approve the compact because of the internet sports wagering provision that allows bettors to place bets outside of Indian lands, said George Skibine, an attorney in Washington.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is the entity that would be signing off on the compact expansions in the DOI. Many believe they are not on board with the mobile sports betting factor and will therefore take no action. However, that means the compact will pass and Florida will be home to an official sports wagering market.

Should this happen, lawsuits are already pending.

If BIA/Interior were to either affirmatively approve or by inaction, the compact is deemed approved, our case in federal court would be extremely strong, as is the state action we are preparing, said John Sowinski, president of No Casinos. My June 9 letter to Interior outlines the different ways the compact violates federal and state law.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida has previously stated they are ready for any legal action that comes their way. Sports betting in Florida could go live just in time for the NFL season if all goes according to plan.

News tags: Bureau of Indian Affairs | Department of the Interior | Florida | Florida Legislature | George Skibine | John Sowinski | NFL | No Casinos | Ron DeSantis | Seminole Tribe of Florida

Christina has been writing for as long as she can remember and does dedicated research on the newly regulated sports betting market. She comes from a family of sports lovers that engage in friendly bets from time to time. During the winter months, you can find Christina baking cookies and beating the entire staff at Mario Kartthe N64 version of course.

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Florida Sportsbooks Might Be Just Around The Corner - Legal Sports Betting