Daily Archives: September 4, 2021

Qld treasurer to testify in mayor’s case – Daily Liberal

Posted: September 4, 2021 at 5:50 am

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Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick is among the witnesses expected to give evidence in a committal hearing for a mayor accused of influencing upgrades to a road on which he owned property. Former Moreton Bay mayor Allan Sutherland is accused of manipulating the timing and scope of a project affecting land he bought in 2010 on Paradise Road in Burpengary which he intended to develop, crown prosecutor Sarah Farndon told the court on Friday. He is facing two misconduct charges after an investigation by the state's Crime and Corruption Commission Proposed road upgrades were part of a larger project concerning a sports complex development. A second entry and exit for the complex upgrade was needed for both safety and traffic flow management, Brisbane Magistrates Court was told. From at least 2016, the scope of the project included upgrades to the whole of Paradise Road, council's director of engineering, construction and maintenance Anthony Martini said under examination by Sutherland's lawyer Saul Holt QC. A second charge of misconduct in public office relates to allegations Sutherland lobbied for an amendment to the planning scheme affecting service stations, said to potentially benefit his proposed Paradise Road development. Mr Dick, as then planning minister, rejected the proposed amendment according to a letter to Mr Sutherland - parts of which were read to the court on Friday. Mr Holt said the manner in which the minister rejected the amendment was a "pretty big deal". It was "very unusual", Mr Martini agreed. The committal hearing before magistrate Mark Nolan continues. Australian Associated Press

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September 3 2021 - 1:44PM

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick is among the witnesses expected to give evidence in a committal hearing for a mayor accused of influencing upgrades to a road on which he owned property.

Former Moreton Bay mayor Allan Sutherland is accused of manipulating the timing and scope of a project affecting land he bought in 2010 on Paradise Road in Burpengary which he intended to develop, crown prosecutor Sarah Farndon told the court on Friday.

He is facing two misconduct charges after an investigation by the state's Crime and Corruption Commission

Proposed road upgrades were part of a larger project concerning a sports complex development.

A second entry and exit for the complex upgrade was needed for both safety and traffic flow management, Brisbane Magistrates Court was told.

From at least 2016, the scope of the project included upgrades to the whole of Paradise Road, council's director of engineering, construction and maintenance Anthony Martini said under examination by Sutherland's lawyer Saul Holt QC.

A second charge of misconduct in public office relates to allegations Sutherland lobbied for an amendment to the planning scheme affecting service stations, said to potentially benefit his proposed Paradise Road development.

Mr Dick, as then planning minister, rejected the proposed amendment according to a letter to Mr Sutherland - parts of which were read to the court on Friday.

Mr Holt said the manner in which the minister rejected the amendment was a "pretty big deal".

It was "very unusual", Mr Martini agreed.

The committal hearing before magistrate Mark Nolan continues.

Australian Associated Press

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Meditation Isnt Mere Therapy Its a Living Relationship With Almighty God – National Catholic Register

Posted: at 5:49 am

Mental health has received greater emphasis this lockdown year isolation, loss of jobs and businesses, the effect on churches and schools and the simple irrationality of the rules can be wearing. It has been so chaotic a year that it shouldnt surprise us when meditation is promoted as a path to mental and physical health.

Breathe, a self-care magazine, touts 34 ways to lift your mood, embrace mistakes and find your purpose. A smartphone app called The Calm collaborated with HBO Max for a World of Calm series, featuring celebrity narrators. In January 2021, the Headspace app launched the first of its Netflix shows titled Headspace Guide to Meditation. And the CARE channel screened in hospitals juxtaposes nature scenes with soothing music on endless loop.

In the process, meditation has turned a religious practice into therapy. It has gone beyond spiritual, but not religious to not being spiritual at all.

But when Eastern-style meditation first rose to popularity in the 1960s, its goals were finding divinity within oneself, the visualization of deities, becoming one with the cosmos and attaining enlightenment. Some forms of yoga involve Hindu gods. Tibetan Buddhist yidam meditation involves visualization of deities. New Age meditation promoted pantheism and polytheism. The promised enlightenment was transcendent.

The 1960s were also a turbulent time with the Vietnam War, assassinations and riots, yet meditation was still considered a path to nirvana beyond the mundane world. It was assumed that meditation would have a religious basis leading to a religious enlightenment.

But nowadays, meditation is more pragmatic. An example would be Andy Puddicombe, the founder of Headspace. He spent a decade trying to become a Buddhist monk, venturing to places such as India, Nepal and Thailand. In the end, he decided, according to his website, to demystify the mystical. The website states, The techniques in the Headspace app stem from both the Burmese and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, even though some of the names have been changed from the original translation to make them more accessible.

Accessibility and demystification mean draining meditation of its original religiosity. In a sense, it is Buddhism without the Buddha. It exemplifies the 9th-century koan attributed to the Chinese monk Linji Yixuan, who said, If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him. The koan is often interpreted as the rejection of external spiritual authority, be it from a monk or the Buddha himself. The seeker has the final say. It is completely subjective.

In this suddenly complex post-Christian world, subjectivity is good, and demystified meditation is now about increasing productivity, getting better sleep and lowering stress. Dave McKay, CEO of the Royal Bank of Canada, wrote, I know several colleagues who have begun the practice of meditation for the first time in their lives as a result of using the Headspace app, so Im proud were giving all employees an accessible introduction to improving their mental health fitness. This fitness seems to be congruent with productivity to the company.

Headspaces Introduction to Meditation video offers the simple directions of Breathe in/Hold/Breathe out as soothing music plays. The Calm app has a Sleep Story with comedian Stephen Fry telling a relaxed story about Frances lavender fields in Blue Gold. These meditations arent focused on the spiritual and transcendent. One could argue that Blue Gold, for example, is focused on the grandeur of creation, rather than how it reflects the greatness of the Creator.

This kind of meditation has a strictly utilitarian goal: calmness, even passivity. Stress relief is now its primary purpose. It goes beyond dealing with pressure it seeks eliminating stress altogether in the name of self-care.

Taking care of oneself, though, is not enough. What if youre not treating the right person? Then what? All that work would be for nothing. Discovering the authentic self is of prime importance.

The term authenticity used to be applied to reality. Is that money real, or is it a forgery? Is this painting or manuscript authentic? Is that signature authentic? The teaching of the Church is authentic when grounded in Tradition.

Today, however, it is applied to the self. Authenticity replaces truth. It is deeply relativistic because people differ and have differing experiences and is the authentic self the self at 20, 30, 42 or 70? It devolves into a scornful (John 18:8), What is truth?

The modern I am true to myself supplants Our Lords I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Our Lords statement is absolute and objective.

Church teaching shows how meditation can guide us beyond relaxation to God. A day at the beach is relaxing. But the Catechism of the Catholic Church states (2705), Meditation is above all a quest.

The concept of a quest is active. While current trends in meditation are centered on passivity and making people docile, a quest is an active march to a goal. The Christian epics of the Holy Grail, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and the Lord of the Rings are about striving. Quests are not relaxation; they are challenges.

In the case of Christian meditation, it is an active quest to live the life of Christ, which was anything but passive. Our Lord sought baptism from his cousin to begin his life of teaching. He called the Twelve Apostles. He actively healed, preached and performed miracles. He repeatedly told Sts. Peter, James and John that the endpoint of his mission was crucifixion, death and resurrection. He endured heroically, not passively. His mission is the foundational quest.

Crucially, Christian meditation the quest acknowledges suffering. It doesnt promise the perfect escape from discomfort. In the Salve Regina, there is the line mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. St. Junpero Serra prayed the Salve Regina nightly as he founded missions in California from San Diego to San Francisco. Christian meditation doesnt flee from pain but faces it by focusing on Christs many sufferings. It acknowledges reality rather than dismissing it as an illusion.

In sum, the greatest difference between Christian and Eastern meditation is that Christianity does not deny the reality of suffering, let alone stress. The idea of escaping the pressures of life because they dont exist is nonsensical. And in the modern era, peace cannot be found in relativism either, because we dont experience life relatively, but in stark, absolute terms.

Catholics look at the source of authenticity, the Bible. St. Paul, who knew his share of suffering, wrote (2 Corinthians 1:5, 7), For as we share abundantly in Christs sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. For we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. In uniting our sufferings and stress with Christ, we find true comfort the peace the world cannot give.

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Sports betting in Arizona: Here is what the D-backs, Caesars sportsbook might look like – ABC15 Arizona

Posted: at 5:48 am

PHOENIX When Caesars Entertainment's sportsbook opens outside Chase Field in early 2022, fans will be able to bet on their favorite sports teams and match-ups, eat and drink.

Soon, so will fans at Cardinals, Coyotes, D-backs, Rattlers, Mercury, and Suns games, as well as at TPC Scottsdale and Phoenix Raceway, home to the PGA's Phoenix Open and NASCAR Championship race series, respectively.

Or, they can wager from their cell phones.

Fantasy sports betting became legal in Arizona on Aug. 28, 2021, with live sports betting set to begin on Sept. 9, 2021, which also happens to be the start of the NFL regular season.

All are hoping it turns out to be a windfall for everyone.

In addition to the sports teams, ten Arizona tribes were awarded betting licenses: Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, Navajo Nation, Quechan Tribe, Tonto Apache Tribe, Tohono O'odham Nation, Hualapai Tribe, Ak-Chin Indian Community, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, San Carlos Apache Tribe, and Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation were also awarded gaming licenses.

Caesar's Entertainment, Inc./concept rendering

On Wednesday, Caesar's Entertainment and the D-backs released concept renderings of what their sportsbook will look like. It will replace the Game 7 Grill in the plaza outside the ballpark.

The 20,000-square-foot building will have two floors of sports-betting space -- both live tellers and kiosks, an indoor bar and dining room with LED screens, an outdoor patio, VIP lounge, and broadcast studio.

Caesar's Entertainment, Inc./concept rendering

While construction and subsequent renovations are not expected to be completed until early 2022, beginning Sept 9, people will be able to place bets at windows 21-25 at Chase Field. Five kiosks will also be installed on the north side of the plaza, the D-backs said.

The Phoenix Suns partnered with FanDuel. The Phoenix Mercury partnered with Bally. The Arizona Cardinals partnered with BetMGM. TPC Scottsdale partnered with DraftKings. Arizona Rattlers partnered with BetRivers. Phoenix Speedway went with Barstool Sportsbook.

The Arizona Coyotes have not announced a partnership.

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FuboTV’s Sportsbook Is Coming in Q4 – The Motley Fool

Posted: at 5:48 am

The fast-growing, sports-first streaming service fuboTV (NYSE:FUBO) has been growing in popularity with both consumers and investors over the last year as it innovates and executes. But this streaming-TV service may be just getting started. The company's subsidiary, Fubo Gaming, has been busy securing market access agreements to launch a new sports-betting app, positioning the company to take market share in the fast-growing digital sports gambling market. Its latest approval is in Iowa.

Here's what investors should know about fuboTV's ambitious new business -- and how it could help the growth stock.

Image source: Getty Images.

"We believe we are in the early innings of a massive opportunity," said fuboTV co-founder and CEO David Gandler in the company's second-quarter earnings call when discussing its Sportsbook plans.

Differentiating the app, it will have a "Watching Now" feature that uses data from its streaming service to sync the wagering app with what a user is watching on fuboTV. "Leveraging fuboTV's first-party user behavior data to understand consumers' viewing preferences and recommend relevant bets, the company intends to turn passive viewers into active, engaged participants," the company said in a press release about Fubo Sportsbook. This marks "an industry-first integration," according to fuboTV.

In addition to securing a market access agreement in Iowa, it has obtained agreements in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and New Jersey. The company confirmed this week that it is on track to launch in Q4.

As fuboTV prepares for an official launch of Fubo Sportsbook in Q4, the company has already rolled out free-to-play games, which management says are helping educate and train its users for real-money betting. "Free gaming serves to educate and train our customers, which we believe will ultimately reduce the learning curve and drive greater levels of adoption of our Sportsbook," said Gandler during the company's most recent earnings call.

Fubo Sportsbook will add fuel to an already powerful fire. The company's business has seen extraordinary momentum recently. fuboTV paid subscribers increased 138% year over year to about 682,000 in Q2. This led to nearly 200% revenue growth and a 281% year-over-year increase in advertising revenue. Importantly, engagement also hit new highs as streaming hours on its platform during the quarter rose 148% year over year to 245 million.

Management has high hopes for Fubo Gaming, betting that it will help improve paid customer retention, engagement, and advertising revenue, and ultimately strengthen the company's unit economics over the long haul.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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MLB Best Bets: Baseball Picks, Predictions, Odds to Consider on DraftKings Sportsbook for September 3 – DraftKings Nation

Posted: at 5:48 am

The Brewers get Freddy Peralta back off the IL for their return home Friday, so Milwaukees series opener vs. St Louis is shaping up to be a pitchers duel. But, Im still only comfortable backing one starting pitcher from that game. Heres what I like on DraftKings Sportsbook for Fridays MLB slate of games.

If you want to sweat out these picks with me, follow me on Twitter: @Nick_Friar.

John Means had a couple of rough outings mid-August, but the left-hander turned things back around in his last two starts. Although one of those rough starts came on the road, the Baltimore left-hander has been much better away from Camden Yards throughout 2021 that includes his strong start at Yankee Stadium earlier in the season.

And for all the success the Yankees experienced throughout August, they werent that tough on opposing lefties in the Bronx last month. Thats not exactly a stray from the norm for the Yankees either. As much as the Yankees are top 10 in OPS and wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season, their 2021 home OPS and ISO against left-handed pitching are middling.

Keuchel hasnt been giving up home runs like theyre going out of style recently which he did at the end of July but he still gave up one in three of his five August starts. Thats all we need on Friday.

Both Carlos Santana and Andrew Benintendi have taken Keuchel deep before, but Salvador Perez still has yet to. The Kansas City catcher is too good against left-handed pitching to not run into one at some point against Keuchel. Still, its much safer to rely on the lineup as a whole rather than Perez alone.

Keuchel is among the qualified pitchers whove been barrelled up most frequently this season. And while hes not exactly a flyball pitcher, the flies the left gives get out of the yard at a high rate.

Freddy Peralta will likely be on a tight pitch count on Friday with this start being his first after a stint on the IL. The Brewers were already being plenty cautious with him as they prepare for October, and they definitely wont mess with a cranky shoulder.

That same shoulder discomfort ended Peraltas last outing on Aug. 18, which actually came against this same Cardinals lineup. St. Louis got to him for three runs over two innings in that one a significant improvement from their performance against Peralta earlier in the season, when he held them to one run over seven frames.

But the shoulder problem undoubtedly had an impact on Peraltas last start, and the Brewers would not send him back out if he didnt feel much better. Still, the bullpen might need to help finish the first five innings off a little bit. But Im still comfortable trusting Milwaukees bullpen and Peralta to hold down a St. Louis lineup thats been middling against right-handed pitchers recently much like theyve been all season.

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MLB Best Bets: Baseball Picks, Predictions, Odds to Consider on DraftKings Sportsbook for September 3 - DraftKings Nation

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Fumble! NFL’s role in sports gambling is a recipe for disaster and it should step back – USA TODAY

Posted: at 5:48 am

Footballs interest in promoting gambling is now as robust as its desire to sell beer. This is a recipe for disaster or at least a major scandal.

Peter Funt| Opinion contributor

On a rainy weekend in 1962, three road-weary guys who were holed up at the Milford Plaza Hotel in Manhattan created The Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League.

Bill Winkenbach, a part owner of the Oakland Raiders; Bill Tunnell, the teams PR man, and Scotty Stirling, a sports reporter for the Oakland Tribune, referred to it as GOPPPL.

Today, the roughly 40 million of us partaking in an annual ritual requiring inordinate time and enormous emotion, while providing great fun, call it simply fantasy football.

GOPPPL held its inaugural draft in Mr. Winkenbachs East Oakland basement.

The first pick was George Blanda of the Houston Oilers (later with the Raiders), a prize because he could accumulate points as both a quarterback and place kicker. The next selection was a Cleveland running back by the name of Jim Brown.

As one who loves fantasy football both the weekly and season-long forms I scoff at those who say its a gateway to excessive gambling and even addiction. However, I am concerned to see the NFL and its various media partners rush down the rabbit hole in pursuit of gamblings big bucks.

This year the NFL forged partnerships with three sportsbooks, in deals worth slightly less than$1 billion over five years.

Ads for gambling outlets are allowed for the first time within NFL telecasts limited, for now, to six ads per game.Next year the Arizona Cardinals will become the first NFL team with a sportsbook inside its stadium, and its a safe bet that other teams will follow.

Footballs interest in promoting gambling is now as robust as its desire to sell beer. The NFL has unabashedly accepted three official sports-betting partners: Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel.

Julie Stamm: Tom Brady didn't play tackle football as a kid. Neither should your child.

On the media front, several content providers have jumped into sports gambling, among them Gannett Co., the parent of USA TODAY, which recently announced a deal with Tipico USA Technology to provide gambling information.

ESPN reportedly wants to go a giant step further. It is seeking to license its name to a sports-betting company and is asking $3 billion over several years, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Big Bang for sports gambling came in 2018 with a Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for states (other than Nevada, where gambling was already legal) to whet their beaks.So far, 32 states and the District of Columbia have legalized wagering on sports.

One of GOPPPLs original members was a businessman named Andy Mousalimas. In a 2015 interview with the Oakland Tribune, he recalled, Wed go and root for the opposition and fans would look at us and say, What the hell are you doing rooting for that guy?

Therein was the key to the proliferation of fantasy sports and related wagering, and the reason gambling is embraced by professional leagues like the NFL. Gamblers have a rooting interest in multiple games each week, even those involving lousy teams. This is good for owners, TV networks and advertisers and a windfall for those who promote gambling.

Back in 1988, the renowned coach and commentator John Madden lent his name to a football video game developed by EA Sports. Today, it is the gold standard for computer sports. Not surprisingly, the most popular Madden game is Ultimate Team, for which users create their own rosters, just as they do in fantasy sports.

Peter Funt: If Little League genuinely cares about player safety, it will mandate C-Flaps on helmets

Taking it to a new level, DraftKings, which is now affiliated with five NFL teams, offers wagering on simulated games played on the Madden platforms. Other companies also offer cash payoffs on Madden contests. This is the ultimate gambling shortcut: No tickets, no crowds and no waiting for Sunday afternoon. Best of all, no actual teams.

All this has created a perfect storm for sports gambling. Understandably, leagues and media companies want part of the action. But theres a huge difference between the Gannett Co. selling data that might help bettors and the NFL providing tips on how to gamble on its own players. The NFLs website and TV channel offer advice about how best to bet on the very players and teams that the NFL governs. The NFL even sells an app for $9.99 a year that Projects future matchups and shows if adding a player means more wins." This is a recipe for disaster or at least a major scandal.

NFL's new sportsbook deals: A look at the hypocrisy of the league's decades-long gambling stand

The NFL should step back from direct involvement in gambling.

I worry a lot less about my friends and I becoming gambling addicts through fantasy football than I do about the NFL and its owners becoming billion-dollar pushers.

Peter Funt is a writer and host of Candid Camera. His new book is Self-Amused: A Tell-Some Memoir.

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Analysts Ask: Is a $3 Billion ESPN Sportsbook Really Worth It? – Pokerfuse

Posted: at 5:48 am

Despite being the crown jewel of US sports media partnerships, analysts with Morgan Stanley question whether an ESPN-branded sportsbook would ultimately be successful or if the costs associated with such a product make it prohibitively expensive.

The analysts add that a legacy casino company would likely be the best partner for a deal to create an ESPN-branded sportsbook in the US.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that ESPN, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company, has been in talks with sportsbooks, including Caesars Entertainment and DraftKings, on a multi-year sportsbook partnership valued at more than $3 billion. ESPN clinched marketing deals with both companies last year.

The deal would reportedly allow an operator to use the ESPN name to rebrand its sportsbook. A deal would also likely include a marketing component where the operator would be required to make an advertising spend on ESPNs platforms.

In a note to clients Monday, Morgan Stanley analysts said that if a licensing deal were to be reached, the devil would be in the details, including how many years and what exactly is covered, though it sounds like a betting operator would be able to create an ESPN-branded betting product.

Morgan Stanley projects the sports betting and iGaming market in the US and Canada will reach approximately $20 billion in 2025, with 25% average margins, implying $5 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). Using a formula to value the opportunity for its stocks, the firm said a deal valued at more than $3 billion would imply that more than $120 million to $200 million in incremental EBITDA would be needed to justify investment in an ESPN-branded sportsbook, or more than a 2.5% to 4% share.

Because of that, the analysts opined that they see ESPN as potentially delivering more incremental revenue to a legacy casino company than a legacy sports company as it would be attracting a different set of customers, though ability to execute efficiently would be key.

Mondays note was written by analysts Thomas Allen and Ed Young as well as research associates Nicholas DeValeria and Alexandra Ratzker.

Even so, the Morgan Stanley team pointed out that not all media companies make good betting companies. They cited several examples where popular media outlets in Europe were unable to capitalize on their position to make inroads into the sports betting space, including The Sun in the UK, Eurosport in France, Marca in Spain and La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy.

The media partnerships in the US havent led to any clear winners so far, either, the analysts said. While Sky Betting & Gaming [SBG] is often held up as the example of a successful media brand translating into a successful betting brand, SBGs success was driven by innovative technology and unique mind share in a much more concentrated sports media market than the US today.

The analysts also said a sports betting partnership valued at more than $3 billion would dwarf other deals that have already been signed and questioned whether such a larger deal was ultimately worth it.

While ESPN is the largest media asset in the US, it shares sports coverage with NBC Sports, CBS Sports, FOX Sports and Turner Sportswhich have partnerships with PointsBet, Caesars, Flutter and DraftKings, respectively. ESPN is also partnered with regional sports networks like Bally Sports.

There is also now more competition from sports media apps, like Barstool, theScore and Bleacher Report and streaming services like FuboTV, the analysts said. While [the] economics of most of the prior deals have not been announced, PointsBet in August 2020 paid just $393 million over five years for exclusive rights for NBC Sports.

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NASCAR Best Bets: Motorsports Picks, Odds to Consider on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Cook Out Southern 500 – DraftKings Nation

Posted: at 5:48 am

The NASCAR schedule continues to fluctuate. Darlington is a high horsepower, low downforce oval track. The circuit has only raced at this style of track twice in the last 13 races. This package and this track are not for underdogs. Straying outside of the favorites on Sunday may be a mistake.

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

He has another gear. Its like hes 100 pounds lighter than us, said William Byron over his team radio when asked about Martin Truex, Jr. during the first Darlington race. Before the race, the crew chief of the No. 19 car said this high horsepower, low downforce package played right into their strengths, and he was right Truex led 85% of the race. Truex was the best driver in NASCAR before the executives started playing games with horsepower. In the high horsepower races that remain now a majority of the races thanks to fans and drivers speaking out against the low horsepower package Truex is the favorite every race. Not only does he routinely win at the high horsepower, low downforce tracks typically short tracks he dominates. After Truex won at Darlington in May, he came on the radio and said, Thats an [expletive] whoopin right there.

There will be some concerns about the repave and the setup adjustments. As always, it will be a guessing game for the crew chiefs without practice, but James Small guessed correctly in the spring. The No. 19 car was the best car late in the September 2020 race that featured the low horsepower package. This seasons change to the high horsepower package didnt seem to bother the No. 19 team in May, so a little bit of fresh asphalt wont likely throw them for a loop either.

Martin Truex might have felt like Superman at Darlington based on the ease of his victory, but he didnt know what happened to Larson. The No. 5 car battled from 14th to fourth by the end of stage 1 at a track where passing was nearly impossible as every driver clung to the wall. A speeding on pit road penalty during the stage break forced Larson to do it all over again and he did to begin stage 3, Larson restarted fifth. By the end of the race, Larson had caught Truex thanks in large part to lappers, but Truex did have quite the head start leading the field to green in what was a completely green final stage but Larson used up his tires chasing the rabbit.

The roles will reverse on Sunday. Larson will begin with a better starting position (sixth) than Truex (10th). Its possible that the results could reverse. Overall, Larson and his crew chief Cliff Daniels have been the best duo this season. Theyre the favorites to win it all, but the first step is winning a playoff race.

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This looks like easy money, but this matchup is close. DraftKings Sportsbook knows what theyre doing. DiBenedetto has been popular lately, but thats because the last two races have been low horsepower, high downforce races. Those types of races play to DiBenedettos strengths and the weaknesses of Chastain. Darlington is a high horsepower, low downforce race.

Since Chastains engine failed in a low horsepower race at Charlotte, their engine provider Hendrick Motorsports vowed to provide better equipment and they have delivered on that promise. Not only are the HMS cars crushing the field every week, but the Chevys allied with Hendrick RCR and CGR are running up front too. Here are the results from Chastains five high horsepower races since the Charlotte issue: Watkins Glen (12th), New Hampshire (8th), Road America (7th), Nashville (2nd) and Sonoma (7th).

Those are impressive results, but DiBendettos results in this package are comparable: Watkins Glen (11th), New Hampshire (11th), Road America (10th), Nashville (25th) and Sonoma (23rd). With DiBendetto running close to Chastain, why risk it? For one, Chastain nearly won the the second Xfinity race at Darlington last season before wrecking on the last the lap, but thats not the biggest reason. The main reason to play Chastain has nothing to do with the numbers its all gut. The same reason that Chastain seemed like an easy play is the same reason to take Chastain in this matchup. Trust your eyes. Anyone that watches these races knows that Chastains arrow is pointing up and DiBenedettos is slumping toward the ground.

In the first Darlington race, Reddick finished 12th and Bell finished 14th. Theres more to that race than the results on the stat sheet. Within the first couple of laps in that race, Reddick got into the wall. Now that its playoff time, it would not be surprising to see Reddick aggressively wreck out of this race early and cash the Bell tickets.

Bells 14th place finish does not accurately reflect his performance. The high horsepower, low downforce race tracks have been Bells strong suit and Darlington was not any different. Bell started 21st and got to seventh early in stage 2, but a pit road penalty buried him in traffic. Bell battled back and was in fifth place on lap 287 of 293, but he had to pit under green for a flat tire. Bell could be a top-5 driver this weekend and Reddick could be a DNF.

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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 Cook Out Southern 500 - DraftKings Nation

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New Jersey Sportsbook NFL Week 1 Promos: Free Bets And Other Offers – TheLines.com

Posted: at 5:48 am

Aside from maybe Texans fans, everyone is excited for Week 1 of the coming NFL season. Sportsbook operators included, which is why they have dangled tasty promotional offers in advance of Week 1. Garden State shops are no exception, with plenty of value available out there in the form of New Jersey sportsbook NFL Week 1 promos.

Which promos are out there and which ones can you specifically take advantage of in New Jersey? Read on to find out.

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NFL fans in New Jersey who have yet to make a DraftKings Sportsbook account are in luck.

In advance of the always highly anticipated Week 1, TheLines has partnered with DraftKings Sportsbook to offer our readers this exclusive special offer to new customers:

That offer comes in addition to the regular DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offers. New users will also get $50 free bet upon first deposit and 20% deposit match up to $1,000.

Plus, DK Sportsbook has listed a one-time boost on Tampa Bay in the NFL season opener. All users who opt in can get Bucs +73 at even money for a $50 wager. Thats plain old free money you dont want to miss.

Combine all of these offers and you can get $1,300 in added value from DraftKings Sportsbook by signing up for a new account today.

In addition to that, right up until the start of the season, DraftKings has revealed a sweepstakes-style contest called NFL Wild Cards. Both new and existing users can take advantage of this one.

Users receive randomized props in the form of cards. Should their prop hit, the user gets prizes and rewards. Example from their website: If J. Allen Throws For At Least 300 Yards in Week 1, you receive $5 DK Dollars.

The first Wild Card is free. Users can collect six Wild Cards until Sept. 13. A second Wild Card is obtained when a user places $100 in wagers or Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) entries. Wild Card No. 3 comes at the $300 mark, No. 4 at the $1,000 mark, No. 5 at $2,500, and No. 6 at $5,000.

For more info on NFL Wild Cards, click here.

BetMGM has up to $1,000 worth of free bets to offer new users signing up for their leading online betting app.CLAIM NOW

New customers who register from qualifying states NJ included can use the promo code PLAYBONUSwhen signing up and making their first deposit through our links. Once they do, they are eligible for up o a $1,000 risk-free bet with BetMGM. Essentially, BetMGM will award these users with a site credit matching their first bet if the selected bet grades out as a loss.

As always with free bets, terms and conditions apply, so be sure to read through BetMGMs house rules on free bets before formulating your strategy.

Much like their competitors BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook has dangled a $5,000 free bet as a carrot to welcome new users.CLAIM NOW

New customers who register from qualifying states including NJ can use the promo code LEGALRFwhen signing up and making their first deposit. Once they do, they get up a $5,000 risk-free bet with Caesars. Essentially, Caesars will award these users with a site credit matching their first bet.

Again, take a good look at the terms and conditions.

Thats not all from Caesars. In the books continued aim to treat its customers like emperors, they offer extra futures payouts and promotional odds boosts. Theyre even giving away free jerseys from the official league shop.

For the Super Futures:

Needless to say, fairly obvious teams at the top of the futures board like Kansas City and Tampa Bay should net the most value there.

As for the boosts, here are a few NFL ones currently listed by Caesars New Jersey:

For the jerseys:

More Caesars Sportsbook New Jersey NFL Week 1 promos will surely be added as the season draws nearer.

FanDuel Sportsbook is also rolling out the red carpet for new users in New Jersey. If you sign up by clicking here then make your first deposit, FD Sportsbook will let you make your wager as a risk-free bet.

FanDuel counts your first bet as the determinant for this promotion. If you win your first bet, the promo expires and you get your payout as normal.

However, if the sportsbook grades your first bet a loss, FanDuel Sportsbook will issue a refund in site credit to your account equal to the amount of your first wager up to $1,000. So, if you deposit $1,000 and then bet that entire amount and lose, youd get the whole wager credited right back to you in site credit. That promotional credit expires in 14 days.

Similar to the above BetMGM bonus, FanDuel Sportsbook offers a futures bonus to entice player to make a wager of at least $50 in the Super Bowl winner market. Again, each regular season win by the selected team earns the bettor $5 in site credit.

The main difference on FD Sportsbook is the site credits are capped at $50, or 10 wins.

This promotion is open to all users who opt in.

Yet another shop in New Jersey offering a couple of promo options is SugarHouse Sportsbook.

New users on SugarHouse Sportsbook can take advantage of a 100% deposit match bonus up to $250. Just sign up through this link and use the promo codePLAY250.

The deposit bonus has a 1x playthrough requirement, meaning the user must wager at least that amount to turn it into cash. Only bets at odds of -200 moneyline or longer (i.e., -250 wouldnt qualify) count toward the playthrough.

Users have 30 days to clear the bonus.

Every Sunday during a special promotional period that started Aug. 1, SugarHouse gives NFL futures bettors the chance at scoring some extra cash.

Each Sunday, users who log in get a 25% boost on one NFL future placed in the next 24 hours max bet of $25, max extra winnings of $250. Odds on the future must be no higher than -200 once again.

Only one applicable Sunday Sept. 5 remains, so be sure to get this extra value locked in if youre in New Jersey.

Special to customers using sign-up links fromTheLines, new Unibet customers in New Jersey can get a risk-free bet worth up to $600. All you have to do is register your new account with Unibet and then use the bonus code BETBONUS.

Once youve made your first deposit, your first cash bet (minimum of $10) qualifies as risk-free. If the bet loses, Unibet will refund you a matching amount up to $600 in site bonus money.

Unibet New Jersey also promises daily odds boosts, and when NFL season gets rolling, many of those seem sure to center on NFL games.

Customers at PointsBet in New Jersey have access to a big welcome bonus if they are opening a new account and making their first deposit. They can get up to $2,000 in bonus money from risk-free bets $500 from a traditional fixed-odds bet and another $1,500 from a points bet.

An explanation of points betting is beyond the scope of this article. For a more in-depth explanation, head over to our PointsBet landing page and scroll down to the betting options section.

PointsBet isnt holding back in the creativity department either, with plenty of other interesting bonuses promised. Heres a look at a few they have

One of the New Jersey sportsbooks rolling out the biggest selection of NFL Week 1 promos is WynnBet.

First, well go over the new user bonus, which gives a chance for a risk-free bet up to $1,000. Newly depositing players (minimum $20) in qualifying states like New Jersey who sign up through our link and opt in get their first qualifying bet risk-free. Qualifying bets must be at least $20 and between odds of -150 and +10000, pregame only. If the bet loses, the customer gets a free bet in the matching amount.

Alternatively, new players could go for a different, more certain sign-up bonus. WynnBet also offers new players to bet $1 and win a $100 free bet on the Bucs vs. Cowboys season opener. Just sign up for a new account, opt in, deposit at least $20 and place a $1 moneyline wager on the game.

But if you already have a WynnBet account, fear not. They havent forgotten about their established customers either.

WynnBet has at least three more offers that everyone can take advantage of for Week 1 of the NFL season or even beyond:

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New Jersey Sportsbook NFL Week 1 Promos: Free Bets And Other Offers - TheLines.com

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BetRivers Illinois NFL Week 1 Promos: Sportsbook Offers And Free Bets – TheLines.com

Posted: at 5:48 am

The first week of the 2021 NFL regular season is fast approaching, and among the most excited parties for the leagues return are Illinois sportsbooks. BetRivers Sportsbook is among those competing for your betting budget with some NFL betting promos worth considering, and BetRivers Illinois NFL Week 1 promos are on their way.

As with any other promotions that sportsbooks offer, its crucial to read and understand all the conditions and terms before spending some of your money on the deals. Wise bettors should be judicious with their budgets in terms of the likelihood of actually getting the maximum value out of promos as well.

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BetRivers has just one offer live specifically for Week 1. Check back though, as we will update this article as more are announced. The sportsbook also has two other NFL offers and a new customer bonus as of Friday, Sept. 3.

New users interested in this offer and wagering on BetRivers Illinois NFL Week 1 promos can sign up for an account by clicking on the banner above or by clicking here and entering the bonus code PLAY250 during registration.

The deposit match only has a 1x play through requirement, meaning you only have to play your bonus funds once before being able to make a withdrawal. So if you deposit $250, youll have $250 in real money and $250 in bonus money for a balance of $500. Once you make $500 worth of bets, any bonus funds will convert to real money.

The BetRivers Sportsbook app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android.

For at least the rest of this year, Illinois requires eligible bettors to complete their account registration for online sportsbooks in person. So, if youre new to BetRivers in IL, youll have to make a trip to Rivers Casino in Des Plaines to register. Please note that even if youve already registered for an account with BetRivers in another jurisdiction, youll still need to visit the casino to verify your account for use in IL.

You can complete most of the process in the app if you need to make a new account. Youll need to provide BetRivers with the following information:

This profit boost is just for Chicagos regular-season opener at the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Sept. 12. The game is set to kick off at 7:20 p.m. To activate this promo, use the claim code CHICAGO when placing a bet with odds of -200 or longer on that game.

The maximum wager for this promo is $25. The maximum additional winnings you can receive, should you place a winning wager, is $250. While live bets are eligible for the profit boost, bettors who opt for an early cash-out of their bet forfeit the boost.

This promo ends the first Sunday of the regular season, Sept. 12. Until then, its valid once on each and every Sunday. After opting in, place any NFL futures wager (player awards, team win totals, division titles, Super Bowl champion, etc.).

You can use this promo once every Sunday over the next few weeks. If youre already signed up for BetRivers IL, log into the app and then navigate to the promotions. Tap on the promo. Then tap the opt-in button.

As far as the Bears NFC North promo goes, you must wager at least $50 on the Bears to win their division title this season by Sept. 9. If you do so, you will get a $5 free bet for each regular-season win added to your account on the following Tuesdays.

Its difficult to quantify that in exact terms. Thats because your chances fall and rise with the decisions you make along the way.

For the futures profit boost, here is our guide to betting futures.

For the deposit match, those that choose to put the entire deposit and bonus on one game will essentially be getting triple the potential payout from their original deposit amount. For example, lets say you deposit $100 and get the deposit match for a $200 account balance. You then place a $200 bet with +100 (even money) odds. If that bet wins, youll now have an account balance of $400 (instead of $200 without the deposit match) and have met the 1x play through requirement.

This level of bonus also opens the option to hedge on the opposite outcome of your bet to lock in some profits. Here is our guide on how to hedge a bet.

Risk-Free Bets are another way to try and build your sportsbook bankroll if youre new to sports betting. Check out the risk-free bet sportsbook offers at our other partners in your state and get ready for the NFL season.

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BetRivers Illinois NFL Week 1 Promos: Sportsbook Offers And Free Bets - TheLines.com

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