Daily Archives: May 9, 2021

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reporting a spike in calls

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reporting a spike in calls coming into the states gambling helpline that coincides with the legalization of online gambling and sports betting.

Between January and March, the helpline received 1,157 calls, as opposed to the 667 calls that came in during the same period last year.

Im the one who assist the gamblers who call our 800-270-7111 helpline number, said Michael Mooney, a certified therapist at the states Gambling Disorder Program.

Mooney works closely with people who believe they may have a gambling addiction. He said the department doesnt only get calls from those who believe theyre addicted to gambling.

They could be calling about getting gambling disorders from family members or someone they know.

They could be calling about getting gambling disorders from family members or someone they know. Or they could be calling for themselves, said Alia Luca with the states Gambling Disorder program.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation legalizing online gambling and sports betting in 2019. It went into effect in January. Since then, Michigan online gambling platforms have made around $205 million and paid $36 million in taxes.

Michigan online gambling platforms have made around $205 million and paid $36 million in taxes.

Pretty much every time they run an ad, theres one for one of the new online betting sites, said Michelle Malkin, a doctoral candidate at Michigan State University who studies gambling problems.

Malkin said she thinks more and more people are calling the helpline because gambling is more accessible now that its legal online.

More and more people are calling the helpline because gambling is more accessible

They think that maybe theyll just gamble a little bit, whether it be on traditional type games or on sports, and then they realize they spent all their money that they didnt really have and then they need to figure out what to do next. Malkin said.

Officials with the states gambling disorder program believe online gambling has contributed to the increase in calls coming to the helpline, but that its not the main reason. However, they do predict the numbers will go even higher

I dont anticipate a high call volume thats connected to the online gambling until some real time has passed, Lucas said.

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Michigan reports a spike in calls to gambling helpline after online betting became legal - WSYM-TV

People all around the world enjoy gambling. For many, it can be a fun pastime and a way to win a little bit of money here and there. Most people do not have problems with gambling, but that is certainly not true for everyone. Because gambling has the potential to cause problems with a persons finances, personal life, and job, some countries have strict gambling laws that are meant to help curb these problems. Sweden is one of those countries.

The Restrictions Loosen Slightly

Sweden decided to make some changes, as they knew that it could help them to increase tax revenues. They added a range of gambling reforms. Today, the Swedish Gambling Authority can determine whether they will or will not approve private operators to get a license to operate in the country. Even though the restrictions are not as severe as they once were, there are still many restrictions in place.

Why Are There Restrictions?

One of the big questions that many Swedes ask is why there are so many restrictions in place. To them, it might feel as though the government is overstepping its bounds and acting as a babysitter by telling people what they can and cant do with their money. While it might seem like this, the goal behind the restrictions tends to be more altruistic. They are concerned about people who have gambling problems.

This is why they only allow casinos licensed in Sweden to offer welcome bonuses. They view bonuses and free spins as being carrots on a stick, essentially. They worry that it will make people more prone to gambling as they chase those bonuses.

One of the other restrictions is the amount that can be deposited. The government worries that some people might be spending all of their money on gambling, which would make it hard for them to afford the necessities. Therefore, they enacted a restriction on deposits. The restriction was meant to be used for a few months during the pandemic to help keep people from gambling away their money. However, the government then continued to extend this restriction. Currently, it is expected to remain in place until at least November 2021.

Another one of the restrictions has to do with slot machines. Often, people push the button without thinking when they are playing slots since there isnt any strategy to it. In some cases, they might end up spending more than they realize. With the three-second pause between spins that has been implemented by all casinos with a Swedish license, they hope that it will help to curb this problem.

While this could help some people to curb their gambling habits, its not an ideal solution for those who have the extra income to spare and who want to gamble. It restricts their ability to play, and it also means that the casinos are likely to earn less.

Spelpaus is another one of the features that the government created to help people who may have a gambling problem. This is a tool that is used as a game break that people can turn on for themselves. If they realize that they are spending too much money gambling, they can turn off their ability to gamble by reporting to Spelpaus.

It is similar to ROFUS in Denmark and GamStop in England. The players that use Spelpaus, which is part of all casinos with Swedish licenses, will no longer be able to log onto their accounts and gamble. They can choose to be on their game break for one month, three months, six months, or until further notice. If you choose until further notice, it blocks you for 12 months.

This can be a good option for those who dont want to gamble when they dont have the money to do so and have control problems. However, if you turn yourself off at Spelpaus and then your situation changes, such as having more income, you cant turn it on again. You have to wait until the game break period you chose is over.

What Can Players Do?

These are foreign casinos that are not licensed in Sweden. Its legal for Swedish nationals to use these sites for gambling, and it is a way to avoid all of those restrictions and finally get the bonuses you want. There are many casinos from which to choose with a wide range of games.

Keep in mind that even though they are not licensed in Sweden, it doesnt mean that they dont have a license. They are still regulated. Its just by a different authority. This might be the Curacao e-Gaming or the Malta Gaming Authority, for example. They are not bound by the same restrictions as casinos based in Sweden.

If you are interested in these types of casinos, now is the perfect time to start looking. Take the time to research the sites, check their licenses, their bonuses, deposit and withdrawal requirements, etc. Learn as much as you can about the casino and find the solution that will meet your specific gambling requirements. Its one of the best ways for Swedish nationals to gamble.

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Why is the Swedish Government so strict about gambling? - The Jerusalem Post

Suicide Prevention Australia has asked the federal government to do more to regulate the gambling industry, particularly when it comes to the behind-the-scenes data-sharing arrangements betting platforms have with one another.

The Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications is currently looking into the online gambling space.

The focus of the inquiry are the amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001that would prevent interactive gambling service providers from accepting payments by credit card, creating a criminal offence and civil penalty provision for those that do so, to be overseen and enforced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

But in its submission [PDF] to the inquiry, Suicide Prevention Australia has highlighted simply blocking credit card use is not enough to curtail the domino effects a gambling problem can have.

"While we welcome the reforms in this amendment, we believe the Commonwealth government should go further in reducing potential harms to the lives of Australians who engage in interactive gambling," it wrote.

The organisation shared with the committee the findings of a roundtable it hosted in October.

"Our roundtable identified the need for greater regulation of the gambling industry across jurisdictions in Australia. In particular, the need for restrictions on gambling companies use of personal information to target gamblers by offering incentives to gamble," it said.

Suicide Prevention Australia said that betting companies share client data among each other.

"For example, when a client ceases gambling with one company, the company trades client lists with another company who then offers targeted incentives or enticements to the person so they begin gambling again with a new company," the submission explained.

This alarming practice was detailed by the ABC in an article it published last year, which shared the experience of an Australian man who had closed a betting account only to be wooed back in by special treatment and VIP status. He also received unsolicited calls from a competing betting platform when his account with the first was frozen.

"The issue of data sharing and incentives has a significant impact on Australians who gamble, as problem gamblers are being actively incentivised to resume their problematic behaviours, which can extend to resuming other forms of gambling eg electronic gaming machines," Suicide Prevention Australia said.

"Gambling companies are further not required to conduct financial risk assessments on clients prior to opening an account with the company."

To that end, it has asked the committee to consider its recommendation to strengthen privacy regulations for people who gamble to prohibit companies from sharing or selling client contact data among the industry.

The organisation also called for more to be done around advertising regulation, pointing to a study commissioned by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation on young men and their gambling behaviours that found, on average, participants had four separate accounts with online betting companies. It said the report also found gambling uptake was driven by promotions from betting companies.

In its submission [PDF], the ACMA said the potential benefits of banning the use of credit cards for online gambling domestically needed to be balanced against the risk of consumers moving their gambling activities to offshore providers.

It noted that illegal offshore gambling services often allow consumers to use Australian credit cards to deposit money into their accounts.

"We have observed that these illegal gambling providers are increasingly using third party payment processors to mask their gambling services and the MCC [merchant category code] can reflect services other than gambling," it wrote. "This can make it difficult for credit card providers, or indeed those potentially charged with regulatory oversight, to identify the illegal activity and take disruptive action."

The providers of these illegal offshore services are typically located in jurisdictions with limited regulatory oversight and minimal or no consumer protections, it added.

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Suicide prevention body calls for gambling platform data-sharing practices to be reined in - ZDNet

On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives is expected to consider a constitutional amendment to dramatically advance gambling in the state of Alabama. The amendment and its accompanying enabling legislation would create an Alabama Gaming Commission that would be authorized to license approximately nine casinos in the state of Alabama and create a state lottery. The controversial legislation would also legalize sports wagering.

The nine casinos would be at the four existing dog tracks, the three existing Indian casinos, the former Country Crossings facility outside of Dothan, and a new casino site near Chattanooga in either Jackson or Dekalb County. Whitehall in Lowndes County and the bingo halls in Greene County other than Greenetrack would not be licensed to operate under the current version of this proposal.

Gambling opponents argue that the bill would be a tax on those Alabamians who can least afford it. Gambling, they argue, sells a fantasy of instant riches to people unhappy with their current lives. Gamblers, rather than investing their money in their retirements or in improving their own daily lives, give their money to the wealthy casino operators who give a small percentage of it back in prizes. A tiny percentage of players see real winning, but the majority of players end up poorer; while wealthy casino owners get wealthier. The state will get a percentage of the profits for allowing this to go on.

The Alabama Citizens Action Program opposes the legislation.

The House is positioning itself to vote on a comprehensive gambling bill (SB319) on Thursday of this week (May 5, 2021) a bill that, if passed by the people as a constitutional amendment in November 2022 because they will mistakenly believe it is just a simple lottery, will dramatically transform our state for generations to come, said ALCAP Executive Director Joe Godfrey. The result will be multiple, full-fledged casinos up and down the state, online sports betting and all of the evil that will accompany such activity (such as increased crime rates, prostitution and human trafficking).

The legislation is sponsored by state Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, and is being carried in the House by state Rep. Chris Blackshear, R-Phenix City.

The bill would urge the governor to negotiate a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, who already operate three electronic bingo establishments in the state of Alabama. PCI has spent a great deal of effort and money lobbying the Legislature to get support for this legislation.

Supporters point to the findings of the Governors Study Group on Gaming that found that passage of these proposals could bring in as much as $500 to $800 million a year in additional revenues revenues that could be spent on rural healthcare, mental health, improving the states prisons and expanding broadband.

Many gambling proponents argue that the bill does not require the Alabama Gaming Commission to award the limited number of casino licenses to the highest bidder, limits the venues to the sites owned by existing gambling establishments, and rewards current gambling venue operators for their experience operating in the state.

Opponents argue that there are companies outside of Alabama who have plenty of experience operating casinos and that the state could get a better deal in a true competitive bids situation.

President Donald Trump, who has a long history in the gambling business, said Wednesday that Senate Bill 319 is a bad bill and urged the Legislature to oppose it because it does not allow for competition. If the bill passes, it would still have to go back to the Alabama Senate because of House changes made to the bill.

Conservatives are vowing to filibuster the legislation.

SB319 is a constitutional amendment so passage requires a three-fifths vote of the House and would still have to be ratified by Alabama voters in the 2022 election.

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Gambling bill to be considered in House today - alreporter.com

If Alabamians get the chance to vote on a constitutional amendment on gambling, 63 members of the Alabama House will need to vote yes most likely today.

The Alabama House had two in-session days left to vote on a comprehensive gambling package that includes casino gambling, sports betting and a lottery. It will all come down to if the gambling bills are able to garner 63 votes in the House. Since gambling requires a constitutional amendment, a 3/5-majority vote is needed to pass. Also, if the bills pass the House, the governors signature isnt required.

Political analyst Steve Flowers said its difficult to predict what will happen with a vote in the House.

If its going to pass, it will have to pass tomorrow, Flowers said. They only have two more voting days in the session and the last day will be too hectic to get this passed. I may come up and it will be a close vote. The bill passed the Senate, but it always had an uphill battle in the House.

Rep. Becky Nordgren, R-Gadsden, chairs the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee where the bill was debated on Tuesday. There was a lot of opposition to the bill including a former governor and the Alabama Policy Institute.

I have no idea whether or not it will pass, Nordgren said. Sixty-three votes in the House will be a tall drink of water.

Nordgren said the bills were well-crafted pieces of legislation that were in-line with what Gov. Kay Ivey had requested. Nordgren said the bill actually reduces the number of gambling sites in the state to a total of nine locations, about half of the number of existing locations.

Gambling locations approved by the bill are at the existing greyhound racing facilities in Birmingham and Mobile and Macon County and Green County. A fifth location would be allowed at the Crossing at Big Creek in Houston County. The sixth location would be a new facility in Jackson or DeKalb county operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The bill also calls for the governor to negotiate a compact with the Poarch Creeks to allow gamblinig at the tribes resorts in Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery.

Nordgren said the reduction of gambling sites is where some of the opposition comes from. Green and Lowndes counties both passed local legislation allowing bingo-style gambling and policies have been in place for decades. If the proposed comprehensive gambling bill passes, Greentrack in Green County would remain, but all other gambling locations in Green County would have to be closed. All of the locations in Lowndes County would also have to be closed.

Nordgren said former Gov. Jim Folsom testified on behalf of Green County. At the time the gambling legislation was passed, Green County was facing bankruptcy. The bingo operations allowed the county to develop a stable source of revenue to support fire and healthcare services. The same holds true for the operations in Lowndes County.

However, Nordgren said the bill includes a gambling revenue sharing plan, which allocates a percentage of the gambling taxes collected by the state to be allocated to municipalities and counties across the state, not just locations where gambling is allowed.

That means Pike County would get a share of the revenue, even though gambling establishments wont be allowed in the county.

Nordgren, said the main point of opposition from Green and Lowndes counties is whether or not the profit sharing will make up for the revenue lost from closing gambling operations.

Nordgren said the whole issue is convoluted because existing gambling operations are technically illegal, even though they were passed by a vote of the people. She said Section 105 of the Constitution of 1901 prohibits a local government from enacting a law that would supercede the states constitution. She said those facilities are operating under executive orders from previous governors.

Originally posted here:

House may vote on gambling - The Troy Messenger - Troy Messenger

Sports betting on soccer is tricky enough at the best of times with players switching clubs at the drop of a hat and the managerial merry-go-round slowing for no man, or woman.

However, international tournaments such as FIFAs World Cup or UEFAs European Championships throw up a whole load of other factors, which diligent sports bettors and punters must take seriously if they are to succeed at making enough correct predictions over the course of a tournament.

At times this can feel like the sport itself is playing poker with people, bluffing them with storylines that prove to be completely ill-founded by the time the group phases are done.

Here we make a few Euro 2020 group previews, as well as looking at the skills required to maximize such insights to the fullest extent. We will of course begin with Group A.

Nothing is ever written in stone at an international competition such as Euro 2020, but there are some outcomes which most betting tipsters and sports columnists can agree on. One of these is that Italy will probably top Group A, especially seeing as they need to atone for the shame of not qualifying for World Cup 2018.

When it comes to Group A, though, real skill will have to be shown by punters in order to predict who will finish in the coveted runners-up spot, with Switzerland, Turkey, and Wales all in the running. As is the case in any good board game or classic card game, the best way to go about predicting this outcome is to weigh up the weaknesses and strengths of each individual outfit, in order to suss out an edge held by a certain team. Theres great skill in sussing out an edge in classic games or sports betting, but the best way to do it is to follow recent form trends and squad news, as well as scrutinizing whether the draw is favorable for a particular team.

In Group A the team showing most signs of falling apart, even before a ball has been kicked, are the Welsh, whose manager has been relieved of his duties and whose star players, Bale and Ramsey, have barely kicked a ball this season. That just leaves Turkey and the Swiss. With Burak Ylmaz in rude form for Lille and the Turks holding notable recent results against the Netherlands, Germany, and Croatia, it would seem as though enol Gne men will clinch second spot behind the Italians.

For a cheeky side bet, punters could also wager on Italy not conceding a single goal throughout their group stage campaign, because the Azzurri are back to their best when it comes to defensive stinginess.

This group is all about whether Belgium are still the power they were expected to be at Euro 2016 or World Cup 2018. On both those occasions they flattered to deceive, and with Hazard off the boil in Madrid, they may fall short again.

Having said that, they do have Romelu Lukaku, fresh from his Serie A triumph with Inter Milan, and a Champions League finalist in Kevin De Bruyne. All that firepower should be more than enough to see them top Group B.

Once again, the real skill comes in trying to figure out who will play second fiddle to the Belgians. Finding value is a skill that all sports bettors and competitors know well, and it usually comes from doing adequate research ahead of game time. While both Denmark and Russia are fortunate enough to be playing some of their group games on home turf, the final game between the two sides which could be crucial will take place in Copenhagen, and that is enough to convince us that Christian Eriksen and Co. will reach the KO stages.

No one can ever be sure about which French team will show up to a major championship, but the reigning world champions now seem settled under Didier Deschamps. Meanwhile, Portugal look even stronger than the team that won Euro 2016 and will be using that experience to repeat the feat.

That means that the ones dumped out in the group stage are Germany, who look a little lightweight in attack and midfield compared to their flash rivals. Add to that the fact that Germany have not beaten France since 2014, and the writing could be on the wall for Joachim Lw, as the nose picker extraordinaire hopes for a Euro swansong.

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Euro 2020 Previews & Skills Needed to Make Them Count - The Sports Gambling Podcast

By: Nick Piastowski May 5, 2021

Max Homa hits his tee shot last Sunday on the 8th hole on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort.

Getty Images

Who does the journalist, betting analyst or data guru like? Or the caddie? Or the old-school gambler? Gimme the facts, storylines and trends. Gimme that inside-the-ropes look. Gimme your gut feeling.

You bet, bettor.

Welcome to GOLF.coms new gambling advice column, where weve assembled a panel of those aforementioned experts to make three best bets. A real-life professional bettor here will then heed that advice, add his acumen and wager his own cash. Its not unlike what you do through texts and Google searches except now its all in one place.

Our hope is to help you with your own weekly picks, whether those are for a low-stakes office fantasy league, (legal!) big-bucks bets with a sportsbook or through free-to-play Chirp Golf, an app from our parent company that is available in the App Store and at Google Play.

Now, on to some facts, the expert picks, the bettors best bets and info on how to bet for free.

This weeks tournament: Wells Fargo Championship, at Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, N.C.

TV: Thursday, 2-6 p.m., Golf Channel; Friday, 2-6 p.m., Golf Channel; Saturday, 1-3 p.m., Golf Channel, 3-6 p.m., CBS; Sunday, 1-3 p.m., Golf Channel, 3-6 p.m., CBS

Weather (weather.com): Thursday, partly cloudy, 73 degrees, 8 mph NNE wind; Friday, mostly sunny, 72 degrees, 12 mph NW wind; Saturday, partly cloudy, 77 degrees, 9 mph W wind; Sunday, partly cloudy, 84 degrees, 16 mph SW wind

Defending champion: Max Homa, 2019 (2020 event was canceled)

Top 10 in odds (via DraftKings): Justin Thomas, +900; Jon Rahm, +1,000; Bryson DeChambeau, +1,500; Xander Schauffele, +1,800; Rory McIlroy, +1,900; Viktor Hovland, +2,000; Webb Simpson, +2,000; Tony Finau, +2,800; Patrick Cantlay, +3,000; Patrick Reed, +3,000; Will Zalatoris, +3,000.

Nick Piastowski, GOLF.com, @nickpia

Bet 1: Jon Rahm, top 5, +200. His worst start all season is a tie for 32nd. Hell get close to the top five, if not higher.

Bet 2: Xander Schauffele, to-win, +1,800. A good course fit, and outside of the Players Championship, hes been knocking on the door all season.

Bet 3: Max Homa, top 10, +350. Its been two years, but the defending champ knows how to get it done here.

Jessica Marksbury, GOLF.com, @Jess_Marksbury:

Bet 1: Rickie Fowler, top 20, +275. I like these odds for a former champion. Plus, he was T4 here in 2019. This should be the week Rickie gets some positive momentum going.

Bet 2: Rory McIlroy, top 10, +200. Yeah, Rorys been off his game a bit of late, but he loves this golf course! And hes generally a top-10 king. These odds feel like a steal.

Bet 3: Winning margin, two strokes, +335. The past couple of winners have separated themselves from the field. Two strokes feels about right.

Brady Kannon, host, Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), @lasvegasgolfer:

Bet 1: Bryson DeChambeau, to-win, +1,500. I think this course has some characteristics similar to Winged Foot, and we know who won there last summer. Driving the golf ball is very important at Quail Hollow, so I like having one of the very best in that category here this week. I think Bryson is built for certain courses. Augusta National is apparently not one of them I think this is.

Bet 2: Webb Simpson, to-win, +2,000. I used to avoid Webb at this event because he is a member at this course and a home game can typically be a negative for golfers but with limited capacity for fans in this day and age, I like Webb in this setting. He should have just enough support without it being a distraction. He, too, played very well last summer at Winged Foot.

Bet 3: Emiliano Grillo, top 20, +225. Grillo really pops on the stats this week as he did last week at the Valspar, where he got out to a great start and then fizzled. I think he builds on that good round and really good recent play all around and turns into a complete four-round success this week. I would not be surprised by a top 10 or even a win, let alone a top-20 finish.

Wes Reynolds, host, Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), @WesReynolds1:

Bet 1: Bryson DeChambeau, to-win, +1,500. DeChambeau has had three weeks off and been in the lab after another underwhelming effort at Augusta National. He finished fourth here in his last appearance. Ranks No. 1 in the field for SG: Off the Tee, SG: Ball Striking, SG: Tee to Green and proximity gained from 200+ yards.

Bet 2: Viktor Hovland, to-win, +2,000. Shot a 65, the days low round, last Sunday at the Valspar to rally for a T-3 finish. He should continue that momentum into this week. The Norwegian is only one spot outside of the OWGR top 10.

Bet 3: Will Zalatoris, to-win, +3,000. Willy Z returns to North Carolina, where he played at Wake Forest. As expected, he did not really go on that well at the RBC Heritage after his Masters runner-up. Now he has had two weeks off to re-focus. The Wells Fargo has a history of high-profile, young winners breaking their maidens, including Anthony Kim (2008), Rory McIlroy (2010) and Rickie Fowler (2012).

Martin de Knijff, Metric Gaming, @mdkentrepreneur:

Bet 1: Matt Wallace, to-win, +8000. The 31-year-old Englishman has made great progress with his game the past 24-30 months. Hes always been very talented and can play tough courses really well but temper was always an issue (still is, but its better). Finished third at the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in 2019 and followed up with stellar performances at the Memorial last year and the Arnold Palmer this year and last. Hes got three top 20s this season, highlighted with a third at the Valero Open, where he was in contention to win.

Bet 2: Erik van Rooyen, top 5, +3,000. Its all about driving for the South African. When hes on and hitting enough fairways, hes very, very dangerous. Three top 20s this season is not great form by any stretch, but his A-game is too great to offer these kinds of prices for a top 5.

Bet 3: Patrick Reed, top 20, +120. As good as this field is at the top, its, IMHO, very poor starting from the bottom 60 percent. If Patrick werent in the process of making swing changes with Leadbetter (first and foremost trying to drive the ball more consistently from left to right) Id say hed be > 55% to finish in the Top 20 but its probably closer to 50 percent under current circumstances. His chipping and putting are superb, and if youre missing greens here, youll be put to the test. Reed missed his first cut last week (made 17 of 20 last year) and thats, of course, not a good sign, but probably why youre getting this price.

John Rathouz, PGA Tour caddie and Caddie Network contributor, @rathouz:

Bet 1: Joaquin Niemann, top 10, +335. Excellent course fit and good form evidenced by his T10 last week. Long with his driver, one of the best wielding irons, and a great putter. Looking to improve on a top 40 his first time around, hes a much more mature player, but still with the youthful aggressiveness and fearlessness necessary to compete at Quail Hollow. Has linked up well with veteran caddie Gary Matthews since changing things up last year.

Bet 2: Seamus Power, top 10, +2,500. Mondayed in with a 62. The Irishman is a longtime Charlotte resident with success around Quail Hollow his first two attempts (T27, T13). When hes on, hes on, and guarantee hell be focused to give it a run, especially after missing out on the Zurich with Covid-19.

Bet 3: Harold Varner III over Kevin Streelman, -120. Another Charlotte resident with deep North Carolina roots. It can be difficult to play a home game, but the crowd will be on Varners side and the showman feeds off it. One of the top players on Tour in the all-around category who doesnt have a win (90-1 odds yes, please!). Coming off a T2 in Hilton Head, compared to a recent string of missed cuts for Streelman, who hasnt experienced success at Quail Hollow in over five years, with three straight trunk slams.

The old-school gambler:

Bet 1: Will Zalatoris, to-win, +3,000. My father drove a Ford Zalatoris back in the day. Great car.

Bet 2: Vicktor Hovland, top 5, +400. This guy is in it pretty much every time he pegs it.

Bet 3: Webb Simpson, top 10, +164. Horses for courses and such.

Erick Lindgren. Lindgren, the 2008 World Series of Poker Player of the Year,has won more than $10.5 million in poker tournament earnings and is an avid sports bettor. @EdogPoker:

Bet 1: Viktor Hovland, to-win, +2,000. Hes ready to win. This is the week.

Bet 2: Max Homa, top 5, +750. Guy is defending and peaking. There should be a name for that.

Bet 3: Cam Davis, top 10, +750. Ride the young guys who can smash it.

Continued here:

Wells Fargo Championship picks to win: Who a professional gambler is betting his money on - Golf.com