Monthly Archives: September 2021

Theres a first time for everything and the sports betting industry now has another one. Last Thursday, two NFL wagers were placed, but these werent just simple bets. They were the first two ever to be placed from outer space. Jared Isaacmans name will be forever remembered for not only commanding the Inspiration4 civilian space shuttle, but for making the first sports bets from beyond the limits of our atmosphere.

When they said that the number of NFL wagers is skyrocketing, Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4 Payments, took it literally. The tech billionaire was commanding SpaceXs civilian shuttle Inspiration4 last week, a mission he paid for, and, as the craft was making its trek, he made his call. Connecting with BetMGM, through Darren Rovell of The Action Network, Isaacman placed a $4,000 bet on the Over of the game between the New York Giants and the Washington Football Team (WFT) and a $4,000 futures bet that the Philadelphia Eagles would take the Super Bowl. The call was obviously pre-arranged, but that doesnt lessen the notoriety of the bets.

After the bets were placed, BetMGM Director of Trading Jeff Stoneback said in a statement, History was made today. Ive been in the business for 35 years, and we never even took bets from outside the state of Nevada until four years ago. Now, BetMGM is taking bets from the entire galaxy. Its a great moment and an even greater cause, supporting St. Jude. Any winnings will be donated to the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital and BetMGM and SpaceX will donate $25,000 each, as well.

Its way too early to say if the Eagles will be able to pull through for Isaacman. They just lost to the San Francisco 49ers yesterday, 17-11, taking them to 1-1 on the year. The odds of them winning the Super Bowl, according to BetMGM, are currently +6600, putting them in the lower half of the rankings. They share the spot with the WFT and the Carolina Panthers, both of which won their games yesterday. The Kansas City Chiefs still lead the charts, with odds of +475, but they lost yesterday to the Baltimore Ravens.

The WFT has already paid off for St. Jude. BetMGM had the Over/Under listed as 40.5 and Isaacmans bet on the Over had odds of -110. The final score of the game was 30-29 Washington, easily scoring a win. The wager was worth $3,636.35, plus the original $4,000 investment. In addition to those winnings, Isaacman has stated that he will donate $100 million of his own money to the hospital.

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Sports Betting Reaches New Heights with Outer Space Bet - GamblingNews.com

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he Louisiana Gaming Control Board confirmed on Thursday that eight casinos have applied to offer sports betting in the state, after the approval of emergency rules in August that allowed Louisianas Big 20 casinos -on 15 riverboats and at four racetracks, as well as Harrahs in New Orleans- to file applications for licenses.

The permanent rules have to go through a process that allows for input from opponents and comment for the public. The Gaming Control Board approved on Thursday a set of permanent regulations that spell out the responsibilities and processes that sports betting gambling has to follow. The Board voted to initiate the rulemaking process, which could go on until January.

Industry officials had wanted to roll out in-person wagering at a few locations this month. Hurricane Ida slowed the process down, as police were deployed to disaster recovery, explained Ronnie Johns, chairperson of the board, as reported by KTBS.

The 20 casinos and their top executives have already been investigated for suitability and financial stability by the State Police. However, the kick off date for sports betting in the state has not yet been confirmed.

Major Chuck McNeal, command inspector for the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division, said his investigators are working on it, as the eight casinos placed their applications.

The procedure implies a double-checking process, such as accounting practices, security arrangements and other formalities the casinos have to adopt for wagering on sports betting, as explained by McNeal.

In addition, the properties have to build out an area with limited access to handle in-person sports betting. Several of the larger casinos are planning elaborate lounges, which multi-million dollar constructions will take place while getting set-up in temporary quarters.

Platform and software suppliers are also necessary in order to allow bettors to place their wagers remotely. Even though online betting is also contemplated to happen in the short term, the industry regulators aim to start with in-person wagering first.

Online vendors have to go through sustainability and through the licensing process themselves, explained Johns, which implies the repeated procedure of the current in-person wagering licensing process.

It is unclear which partner online and retail books will open in Louisiana but some of them have already announced market access deals or existing land-based partners, such as:

Other potential sportsbook entrants include BetRivers, FOX Bet and WynnBet.

Betting in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol are contemplated to be handled on about 1,000 kiosks which will be overseen by the Louisiana Lottery Corp. The lottery is autonomous and is making its own rules for sports betting, separated from the gaming commission.

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Louisiana: eight casinos have applied to offer sports betting - Yogonet International

Caesars and LSU announced a groundbreaking partnership Friday, the most significant deal yet between a sports betting operator and a major university athletic program since the Supreme Court struck down the federal wagering ban more than three years ago.

Caesars will become the exclusive gaming and sportsbook partner of the LSU athletic department, the company and school announced in a statement Friday. The deal includes naming rights and signage for Tiger Stadium (football), the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (mens and womens basketball) and Alex Box Stadium (baseball).

The deal also includes broadcast and digital sponsorship rights for all of LSUs 21 mens and womens sports programs. The casino operator will also have naming rights for the new Caesars Sportsbook Skyline Club at Tiger Stadium.

LSU Athletics programs have always exemplified excellence, and at Caesars, we couldnt be happier to partner with such an iconic brand in college athletics, Chris Holdren, Co-President of Caesars Digital, said in a statement. We have a proud legacy in Louisiana, and bringing LSU fans and alumni closer to the sports they love while also offering scholarship opportunities will help us build upon that.

LSUs deal with Caesars is the second between a Power Five conference school and a major sportsbook, following a similar partnership between the University of Colorado and PointsBet.

The deal is all the more remarkable just a few years after the NCAA spearheaded a lengthy court battle to prevent legal sports betting.

The deal reaffirms Caesars investment in Louisiana months after it secured naming rights to the Superdome in New Orleans.

The company is also spending millions upgrading its Harrahs New Orleans the states lone land-based casino and rebranding it under the Caesars name. Its also enhancing Isle of Capri Lake Charles one of the states 15 riverboat casinos as it rebrands as Horseshoe Lake Charles.

The company is expected to be among the first to offer retail and online sports betting in Louisiana. Caesars retail book at its casino blocks from Bourbon Street could open in the coming weeks, with online betting projected to begin sometime this fall.

Caesars announced in Fridays release it will create a scholarship fund for Louisiana-resident LSU students. The company said it would partner with the Louisiana Association of Compulsive Gambling and would not market to students or fans under age 21. Caesars also said it would not highlight gaming inside campus facilities beyond the on-campus sports venues.

LSU boasts one of the nations most successful and prominent athletic programs, which is estimated to be one of the nations highest revenue generators.

The Tigers won the 2019 football national championship, their baseball team is a six-time national champion and their mens basketball team has become a perennial NCAA tournament contender.

LSU is the first program with such a sports betting partnership in the SEC, the NCAAs most successful football conference, and a likely harbinger of similar deals at other major athletic programs.

Sports betting is legal in other SEC school member states Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas and is set to begin in Florida next month. Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama all considered sports betting bills last year.

LSU has always taken pride in providing fans with unique, innovative, and world-class experiences, and our new partnership with Caesars Entertainment will do just that, LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward said in a statement announcing the Caesars partnership. We share a clear vision of how athletics and entertainment can come together to enhance the fan experience, and we are excited to join with Caesars to make that vision a reality.

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Caesars, LSU Announce Groundbreaking Sports Betting Deal - The Action Network

Maryland residents may be able to bet on their favorite team before the NFL season ends, according to Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (MLGCC) announced this week that the online licensing portal for the 17 companies approved to offer sports betting is open. The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission agreed last month to let the groups proceed with their licensing.

Maryland voters approved sports wagering in November 2020. Lawmakers passed a bill in April giving Maryland Lottery and Gaming the go-ahead to develop. Gov. Larry Hogan signed that bill into law on May 18.

The MLGCC is holding a public hearing on proposed regulations on Sept. 22 and is also accepting comments online until Sept. 27.

Applications cannot be accepted for the 30 Class B licenses for brick-and-mortar locations and as many as 60 licenses that will be awarded to mobile sports wagering licensees until those regulations are finalized, according to the MLGCC.

Part of the money raised will go toward the newly established Small, Minority-Owned, and Women-Owned Business Sports Wagering Assistance Fund with other funds going to public education.

The Class A licenses were awarded to 17 entities, according to the MLGCC.

They include Marylands six casinos, five off-track betting facilities, the states three professional sports locations, two bingo halls: and a license that would be shared with Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and Laurel Park Race Track in Laurel.

The Baltimore Ravens signed a five-year deal with Caesars Entertainment to offer sports wagering at M&T Bank Stadium, the team announced last week.

The MLGCC is hoping to have everything in place as soon as possible, Martin said in a news release.

We anticipate that some of the 17 specified locations may be able to start taking sports wagers late this fall or early this winter, in time for the NFL playoffs, Martin said.

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Sports betting could be available in Maryland by end of NFL season - Washington Examiner

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission opened license applications Tuesday for the 17 locations named in Maryland sports betting legislation.

The locations can apply for retail licenses on the MLGCC website.Maryland sports betting legislation allows for more than100 sports betting licenses. In addition to the 17 named entities, there can be 30 additional Class Bretail locations.

Applications for the competitive licenses, including the 60 mobile licenses, will open at a later date.

Legislators named 17 establishments in enacting legislation to receive sports betting licenses earlier this year. Those businesses include casinos, horse racing tracks and off-track betting facilities, as well as bingo halls.

The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission approved all 17 businesses at its very first meeting in August. Now, the MLGCC must issue the licenses.

Future NBA, NHL or MLS franchises that lease a stadium in Maryland can also qualify for an A-1 license.

As the 17 licenses are approved, they can begin to open retail sportsbooks in Maryland.

Online sportsbook operators can partner with the Class A and B licensees to offer retail sportsbooks.The 17 named retail establishments can also apply for online sports betting licenses.

The Baltimore Ravens, which play at M&T Stadium, have announced three separate sports betting partnerships. None of those partnerships BetMGM, DraftKings and Caesars announcements mention a retail sportsbook at the stadium.

The Washington Football Team has a Virginia sports betting license. FanDuel has access to the Old Dominion through the WFT.

There are still up to 23 unnamed retail licenses up for grabs. The MLGCC will open those applications, and online licenses, later.

The SWARC must still establish rules to evaluate applicants before they can award licenses and pass them on to the MLGCC for background investigations before licenses can be issued. Legislation requires the SWARC to give preference to minority- and women-owned businesses.

There are potentially 60 mobile licenses available, by far the most in any US online sports betting jurisdiction.

Maryland voters approved sports betting in November 2020.

Legislators got to work earlier this year to enact those wishes. Gov. Larry Hogan signed the bill in May, with hopes the first sportsbooks would be open sometime during the NFL season, at least by MLBs World Series.

The MLGCC approved a set of regulations in July, which the Maryland Register then published in August, kicking off a 30-day public comment period. That period ends Sept. 27. The MLGCC will hold a public meeting on the regulations Sept. 22.

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First Maryland Sports Betting License Applications Are Now Open - Legal Sports Report

One of the things weve learned over the first six months of The Athletics Sports Betting section is that a good amount of people reading the stories dont know how to bet and may even be a little intimidated by the terminology and out-of-context numbers. Maybe their interest was piqued by a James Holzhauer column, or perhapsit was curiosity sparked by the college playoff prediction model, or possibly something in between. At the same time, an equal amount of readers could probably school us in theory and strategy; its a fun mix and we try to appeal to the wide group of subscribers and their knowledge base.

Whatever the case, we wanted to put together a sports betting contest where both new and old sports bettors and even those in states where its not legal yet could gather inside a virtual sportsbook (hosted by the good people at BetPrep) and place bets with fake money. And generally just have some fun.

The game itself is simple: you have $10,000 each week to place five $2000 bets. You can only bet on the spread or the over/under for NFL games that week. The lines come from BetMGM, and theyll move in the virtual sportsbook as they move in real life. Winners each week get prizes. The overall winner at the end gets a big prize. Its fun, its educational, and were excited to add a little extra value to the experiences of our subscribers those who are either learning about sports betting and want to win free stuff or those who want to use their decades-long honed skills to show off and win free stuff.

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Come play in The Athletic's free sports betting challenge and win cool stuff! - The Athletic

The 2021-22 season for the Phoenix Suns will not only be unique as they attempt to defend their Western Conference crown, but the level of engagement locally will be at an all-time high. When you take into account the population increase in Phoenix, coupled with the shiny new toy of sports betting, plenty of eyes will be focused on how the Suns perform.

Success breeds fans. The last time the Phoenix Suns were in the NBA Finals back in 1993 the local population of the Phoenix was approximately 2,263,000. That number now sits at roughly 5,584,000. No wonder Just Sports cant keep up with Valley gear demands! The fanbase is rabid, absorbing all things Phoenix Suns. Following a trip to the NBA Finals, there will be an increased focus on their performance this season.

If that isnt enough of a reason to get you engaged with the franchise, sports betting became legal statewide on September 9.

Im not a gambling expert by any stretch of the imagination. Although Ive placed bets in Las Vegas and Laughlin (and MyBookie) for years now, I dont consider myself a sports betting savant. While always interested in the process, accessibility has been the primary firewall between myself and continual betting. I dont have fond memories of betting that Devin Hester would take the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI to the house (odds were +3000).

That firewall is now gone.

I simply login to DraftKings (my preferred app of choice), let my Face ID grant access, and the world of sports betting is at my fingertips. No matter what your platform is, the promos are inviting and the payouts are intoxicating.

The Phoenix Suns have partnered with FanDuel to bring the gaming experience to the Footprint Center. Its 7,400 square-feet of betting bliss. Have nothing to do at halftime? Go hit the over on the second-half scoring total (life is too short to bet the under).

Basketball season is on the horizon, and while it is fun to bet the outcomes of football games, my knowledge of the NBA is much, much deeper. I can give you ten different reasons why the Suns will perform well this season. And now I can bet on it.

Using FanDuels Sportsbook app as a baseline, lets review the different preseason futures. What are the value bets? What doesnt make sense? And where should you put your money?

Lets start with the big one.

Its where we all hope to be at the end of this next season: with the Larry OBrien Trophy calling Phoenix, Arizona home. The Suns, who are coming off of a run in which they were 2 wins away from accomplishing that goal, find themselves tied for the fifth best odds (with the Utah Jazz) in the league per FanDuel.

FanDuel is not taking Phoenix very seriously following last season, and its reflected in their odds. Both the Lakers (+440) and the Warriors (+1200) have better odds from the Western Conference, while the Bucks (+850) and the Nets (+210) are higher in the East. Insulted? Yeah, I am a lil bit too.

In my humble opinion, this is a fantastic value bet. Take $100, tuck it away, and win $1,500 when the Suns bring home their first title. Heck, $10 will win you $150, so why not? The Suns are poised for another deep run in the playoffs. Take advantage of it!

Value: A-

Whats interesting is that Phoenix has the fifth best odds to win the West as well, behind the Lakers (+195), Warriors (+550), Clippers (+550), and Jazz (+650). I know what youre thinking...no Kawhi plus a turned-over roster for the Clips and they still have better odds than the Suns?

Go ahead, doubt us.

This too is a quality value bet. Of the four teams ahead of Phoenix, only the Jazz seem to pose a definite threat. The Lakers are a team without chemistry (and Im pretty sure the injury bug will be wearing purple and gold this season), the Warriors are unproven post-Durant, and the Clippers are suspect for reasons stated above.

Throw a quick $20 bet on this one with a chance to win $170.

Value: A

Plenty has to go right if you want to hit on this one.

Devin Booker enters his seventh NBA season with, for the first time in his career, playoff experience behind him. A gold medal hangs from his neck. The confidence should be there. The question becomes this: do the Suns need Devin Booker to play at an MVP level to be successful? The answer to this question is most likely why Bookers odds are so long.

It certainly doesnt hurt anyone on the Suns if he goes into full on Armani Mode (Espo trademark pending). A more efficient version of Booker will only help the Suns in their journey for their first championship. He averaged 25.6 points last season a full point less than his previous two seasons while attempting a career high 13.7 shots-per-game.. His 48.4/34/86.7 splits were not the best of his career either. There is room for improvement.

Could improvement equate to an MVP award for Booker? Winning cures all. Steve Nash won two MVPs without scoring more than 18.8 points. Stephen Curry won the 2015 MVP while averaging just 23.8 points, primarily because he was the best player on the NBAs best team. It is possible.

Its worth a flyer, but the chances of return are appropriate. Perhaps you should bet Booker to lead the league in points scored (odds of that occurring are +2900) as well. Im saving my money in hopes that I look back at this piece and am wrong.

Value: C+

ESPN may not have much respect for the Phoenix Suns, but the sportsbook does. The team that ended with the second best record in the NBA last season, totalling 51 wins in a 72-game season, will have 10 more games this season to achieve the same win total.

A 51-31 record or better almost feels like stealing. Perhaps that is why the odds are -122 for it to occur (bet $122 to win $100). Ill happily take this bet and enjoy watching every victory along the way.

Value for the Over: A

Value for the Under: C (#dontbetthatguy)

Its happened before. It could happen again.

CP3 ended last season with 8.9 assists, good for fourth most in the Association. Surrounded by young talent that is looking to improve year-over-year, the likelihood that Chris Paul repeats as the assist king a feat hes accomplished 3 times before is high.

FanDuel has Paul with the 5th best odds to do so.

You know that Paul will get his. What you are betting on here is that the likes of Trae Young and Russell Westbrook wont get theirs. Therein lies the challenge. Given the nature of opposing players offenses and schemes, the likelihood of them out-assisting Paul is great.

Value: C-

I find this league intriguing. And its one I will be betting.

If anyone is feeling extremely confident entering this season, its DA. His play in the postseason caught many off guard, including the competition. He went from 14.4 points on 62.6% shooting and 10.5 rebounds during the regular season to 15.8 points on 65.8% shooting and 11.8 rebounds in the playoffs. When the games mattered most, Ayton was the most consistent player the Suns had.

Ayton will still be hungry this season. That is the advantage of having Chris Paul on your roster. A true leader, he will not allow the fourth-year center to have an inflated ego. He will keep him grounded, keep him hungry, and keep him grinding. And Ayton has displayed the willingness to listen to his mentors rather than allow ego to rule.

The 14-rebound mark is generally the line of demarcation for the rebounding leader in the league. The last rebounding champion who averaged under 14 per-game? Dwight Howard (12.4) in 2013.

Ayton snagged 10.5 rebounds last season (11th in the league) and his career high was the previous year with 11.5. Hell have some work to do to get to the magical 14, but given his hunger to please his point guard, his motor will be present. Couple that with a defense that can force the opposition into missed shots, and the boards will be there. Deandre just needs to grab them.

Value: B+

Take $10 in hopes that it becomes $420. Why not?

Imagine a world in which this bet pays out. Mikal Bridges, who is the fourth and sometimes fifth option on the starting offense for the Suns, enters his fourth year in the NBA with an opportunity to grow offensively.

Weve seen flashes of it. The corner three-pointer has improved. The midrange turn around has as well. Remember his career high 34 point performance against the Pacers last season?

If Bridges can take this next step in his career, adding offense to the defense, hell do more than earn an extension with the Suns. Hell earn the max. Could he be the Phoenix version of Scottie Pippen. He wins the Most Improved Player Award and Ill say, yes.

Still, tis a longshot.

Value: D

These are just some of the bets you can place. The further down the rabbit hole you go, the more youll find. Cam Johnson is +4200 for Sixth Man of the Year. Cam Payne is +12000 for Most Improved. The end goal is to make money, not just make a bet because the value is always there. If you did that, the house will win. Screw the house.

The real fun will come once the season begins and you are not betting futures, but games themselves. The over/unders. The player prop bets. The spreads. Come October 20, its going to get real interesting.

Be prepared to see nightly Tweets from your those you follow explaining their gambling exploits or bad beats. I cant wait for the the Suns won but didnt cover messages of disappointment.

My guess on the over/under number of comments on this article? 13.5.

Best of luck to you!

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Betting the Suns: A look at the preseason odds and best bets - Bright Side of the Sun