Daily Archives: February 26, 2022

FINA Must Remove 2022 World Championships from Russia After Ukraine Invasion – SwimSwam

Posted: February 26, 2022 at 11:02 am

On Thursday, Russia, in spite of its assurances that it would not, launched an offensive against neighboring Ukraine. At least 57 have been killed and 170 others injured according to an update on Thursday by Ukraines Minister of Healthcare Oleh Lyashko.

Russia has become an international pariah, and the cost to the countrys citizens will be high in lives and in money after the western world has unleashed substantial financial penalties upon the country. The Russian stock marked plummeted 33% on Thursday, its biggest-ever drop, as Russian President Vladimir Putin tells his countrys investors that they must pay their part for this war in lost wealth.

And why? Because he feels like Ukraine belongs to him, and Russia, and his legacy. As former American soldier and politicianJason Kander said on Thursday: 19 year old Ukrainian boys and 19 year old Russian boys are going to die because of Putins futile search for immortality through legacy.

What does this have to do with swimming? FINA, the world governing body for sport, is planning to host two of its major 2022 competitions in the country: the World Junior Swimming Championships and the Short Course World Swimming Championships.

In fact, with legs of the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series and FINA Diving World Series coming up from April 8-10, FINA will take at least four trips to Russia this year.

The awarding of these events was always questionable for reasons more directly related to sports: Russia was supposed to be barred from hosting international sporting events because of the failure of their doping system, a threat that was ultimately proved empty.

But now, with the invasion and bloodshed in Ukraine, FINA has another reason.

Its not that Russia is the first country to be involved in armed conflict in the last decade. The United States and others have been at war in Afghanistan and Iraq for nearly 20 years. China and India have been involved in border skirmishes over the last two years and have resulted in at least 24 deaths (and as many as 60 deaths, depending on which side is to be believed).

But those military actions all had reasons, be them good reasons or bad reasons. They werent the unilateral decision of a deranged dictator citing a false revisionist history to describe an inalienable right to another sovereign countrys allegiance.

Sport governing bodies like FINA cant take sides in every international conflict. That would be an endless spiral. But some actions are so egregious as to warrant it.

Putin will, of course, assure the world of the safety of athletes, including those from the Ukraine, at the events his country hosts. But he also said that claims in January that Russia would invade Ukraine were ridiculous. The whims of Putin cannot be trusted.

SwimSwam reached out to Ukraines best active swimmerMykhailo Romanchuk, and he said he didnt want to discuss the events in his home country and their future hosting, because this war is about more than swimming, it is about peoples lives.

Romanchuk won silver in the 1500 and bronze in the 800 at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.

And hes right: the hosting of swimming competitions seems silly and trite in a time where dozens have lost their lives and where many more could in the coming days and weeks.

But swimming is also the only avenue that we have to put pressure on Russia, to alert them that these actions are not acceptable in a peaceful global community. It is the only thing that FINA can do that matters, it is the only thing that Romanchuk can do that matters, and it is the only thing that I can do that matters.

Will FINA move? Probably not immediately. The governing body, which has already been locked in a quagmire of moving meets driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, wont react until they see what each countrys next moves are. Brent Nowicki, the new CEO, is an American, while Husain Al-Musallam, the new President, is a Kuwaiti. Kuwait, incidentally, stands to profit dramatically from the conflict: oil accounts for nearly half of the countrys GDP, and the conflict has already sent the price of oil skyrocketing, peaking at $102-a-barrell on Thursday.

But Al-Musallam of all people should appreciate whats happening in Ukraine, which is reminiscent of Saddam Hussains 1990 invasion of Kuwait at a time when he was a captain with Kuwait Airways.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has blocked all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country in the event that they need to be conscripted for a military response. Romanchuk is currently training in Ukraine.

FINA is already in a competition with the International Swimming League (ISL) for the hearts of athletes. The ISL is owned by one Konstantin Grigorishin, who was born in the Soviet Union and obtained Ukrainian citizenship amid a tax dispute with Russia. Russias military action is wildly unpopular in most of the world, and it is going to be a tough pitch to convince athletes to attend the events in that country.

Thats not to mention the technical difficulties that could come with hosting, and paying vendors or federations, if some of the most severe financial sanctions come to fruition, including removing Russia from the SWIFT financial system.

FINA must remove its events from Russia. Its the right thing to do for its athletes, for the sport of swimming, and for the people of Ukraine.

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FINA Must Remove 2022 World Championships from Russia After Ukraine Invasion - SwimSwam

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Five Action Movies to Stream Now – The New York Times

Posted: at 11:02 am

The Awakener

Rent or Buy on most major platforms.

The Brazilian federal agent Miguel Montessant (Kiko Pissolato) has just arrested a corrupt governor, Sandro Corra (Eduardo Moscovis), on charges of embezzling public funds from hospitals. But Montessant knows that regardless of the mountain of evidence facing Corra, he will go free, aided by a corrupt government. Worst yet, an errant bullet strikes Montessants young daughter while she is on the way to a Brazilian soccer match. Although the slug injures her, what kills her is the inadequate care provided by an underfunded hospital. Now the once straightedge agent wants revenge.

Based on the Brazilian graphic novel O Doutrinador, the directors Gustavo Bonaf and Fbio Mendonas vigilante superhero film features bloody and brutal murders set to a raucous punk score. During a protest, Montessant dons a gas mask with red-lighted vision and beats the governor with his bare hands to a bloody pulp. He later teams with a hacker (Tain Medina) to hunt down the other dishonorable governmental string pullers. The glut of American superhero films can obscure the richness of the genre, especially its potential for political statements. But The Awakener, even in its depravity, refreshingly restores that power of meaning.

Stream it on Amazon.

In the director Sukumars epic action flick, a low-wage laborer named Pushpa (Allu Arjun) is forced to illegally harvest a rare wood that only grows in the Seshachalam Hills of southeastern India. Despite his unkempt appearance, Pushpa is the prototypical action hero: stoic, egotistic and defiant of authority figures, particularly the local capitalistic businessmen and corrupt cops. Hes the kind of Joe cool, who, when offered water after a merciless beating, extends the refreshment to his huffing torturer.

Pushpa: The Rise is an origin story. The single-named hero advances through the ranks of the smuggling operation, wrestling power from a ruthless dealer along the way. The big musical numbers and clean, fluid fight choreography are enrapturing. Pushpas escape from underworld thugs is so hilariously outlandish (he careens through a jungle blindfolded), I immediately wanted the sequel.

Rent or Buy on most major platforms.

On its face, the story of a genetically engineered being created to foster immortality in humans would seem primarily like science fiction. But the film has more up its sleeve. The dehumanizing scientists call this creature the Specimen, yet his real name is Seobok (Park Bo-Gum), a clone made from stem cells, impenetrable to disease. With his higher brain function he can even manipulate matter. The latter ability puts him in the terrain of mutants, making the South Korean director Lee Yong-jus film another crisp, adventurous reimagining of the superhero subgenre.

The American and South Korean governments would rather this clone did not exist. They believe an immortal world, filled with ambivalent humans, could lead to extinction. Chief Ahn (Woo-jin Jo), the head of an intelligence agency, brings on the former operative Ki Heon (Gong Yoo) to help transfer Seobok to a safer location.

Massive, Christopher Nolan-style set pieces fill Lees film (Ki Heon drives a semi-truck through a brick wall). Unlike other blustery superhero flicks, however, an existential dread consumes this movie: If dying is like sleep, then why arent we afraid to sleep? asks Seobok. These kinds of poetic reflections set the poignant Seobok: Project Clone apart from other, slighter action flicks.

Stream it on Netflix.

An Indian adaptation of Tom Tykwers Run Lola Run, the director Aakash Bhatias Looop Lapeta features a similar visual playfulness, gleefully experimenting with smart, dynamic compositions, while managing to add new, plentiful layers. After the former sprinter Savi (Taapsee Pannu) attempts suicide, she falls in love with the gambling grifter Satya (Tahir Raj Bhasin), a man with a smile for every occasion. They live a devil-may-care, albeit penniless life, often upended by Satyas misguided get-rich-quick schemes.

When Satya loses $5 million of his underworld bosss money on a bus, however, they discover a trouble that may be too big, even for them.

Much like Lola in the original, Savi, in trying to save Satya, becomes stuck in a time loop while learning to be a kinder person to the people around her. Fascinatingly, Bhatia maps the ancient myth of Savitris deception of Yama (the god of death) onto Tykwers Eurocentric concept, adding a uniquely Indian resonance to the action. Mixed with sharp comedy, screwball characters and idiosyncratic split screens, Looop Lapeta is a fun yet introspective entanglement of romance and action.

Sami Najjar (Ziad Bakri) was once a well-respected translator. But following a gaffe at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when he mistranslated the words of his childhood friend, a Syrian boxer, he was banished from his homeland to Australia. Now, a decade later during the Arab Spring in Syria, with his activist brother Zaid kidnapped by pro-regime forces, Sami returns to find him.

The directors Rana Kazkaz and Anas Khalafs film, a subdued political action-thriller doubling as a character study, hinges on Bakris gripping performance. Sami comes back to a frightening world of random death: Snipers patrol buildings, killing squads hunt indiscriminately and the unrelenting governmental surveillance makes every move made by Sami a dangerous cat-and-mouse game. A twitchy camera, as startled as the viewer, translates Bakris frenetic body and his arched anguish.

Family drama ensues too: Samis sister Karma (Yumna Marwan) despises how Sami has hidden in Australia rather than fight, making this film about the pain of being left behind and abandoned both by family and the greater world. That potent mix of hurt and anxiety makes The Translator wholly unshakable.

Five Action Movies to Stream Now - The New York Times

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Caesars Sportsbook Teams Up with the Cleveland Cavaliers Ahead of Sports Bettings Launch in Ohio – NBA.com

Posted: at 11:00 am

CLEVELAND, OH and LAS VEGAS (February 24, 2022) --- Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) today announced a multi-year partnership with the Cleveland Cavaliers to make Caesars Sportsbook an Official Sports Betting Partner and Caesars Entertainment the Official Casino Partner of the team. This partnership includes plans to open a best-in-class retail sportsbook on the street level inside the northwest atrium area of the teams home venue, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Were ready to welcome Ohio sports fans into the Caesars Sportsbook Empire, while also making history with our second sportsbook at an NBA arena, said Chris Holdren, Co- President of Caesars Digital. Building upon our already established roots with Scioto Downs in Columbus, were excited to announce our partnership with the Cavaliers at an exciting time in their franchises history. As we prepare to launch sports betting in Ohio later this year, this wide-ranging partnership enables us to connect with the Cavs passionate and highly engaged fanbase. Caesars Sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will be a first-class venue providing an exciting atmosphere for sports betting and more.

Caesars Sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will have betting windows for cash wagering and combine custom VIP and hospitality experiences for Caesars Rewards members, along with on-site activations throughout the year. The approximately 10,355 square foot venue will feature a full-service bar and VIP lounge, an extensive menu, and wall-to-wall TVs. The costs of these improvements will be paid for entirely by the Cavaliers and Caesars.

With construction starting soon, Caesars Sportsbook will be located on the street level inside the northwest atrium of the venue near the intersection of Huron Road and Ontario Street. The Sportsbook will be open year-round on both event and non-event days for both eligible fans with tickets to events and those without tickets who want to place wagers. Caesars Sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is expected to be open by the end of 2022, subject to regulatory and other necessary approvals and further details and renderings will be announced at a later time.

In addition, Caesars Sportsbook gains access to the use of official Cleveland Cavaliers logos and marks, broadcast and digital content across Cavs properties, as well as TV-visible in-game signage.

Caesars Sportsbook made sports history with the first-ever sportsbook at a professional sports venue in May of 2021 at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. and will soon be opening its doors to another Caesars Sportsbook at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona through a partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

WWhen mobile sports betting goes live in Ohio, sports fans will be able to download the Caesars Sportsbook app to make a bet anywhere in the Buckeye State. Caesars Sportsbook will have mobile market access via the Caesars Entertainment-owned Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs Casino in Columbus. Caesars Sportsbook players can also earn Tier Credits and Reward Credits through the industry-leading customer loyalty program, Caesars Rewards, to unlock emperor-worthy experiences within the Caesars portfolio of properties and partnerships, including access to a wide range of hospitality assets and VIP experiences with the Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

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Caesars Sportsbook Teams Up with the Cleveland Cavaliers Ahead of Sports Bettings Launch in Ohio - NBA.com

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Which stadiums have sportsbooks in US, updated – For The Win

Posted: at 11:00 am

As more states continue to legalize sports betting, professional teams across every league continue to find ways to capitalize on the opportunity for new revenue created by the industry.

One way theyre doing that is by opening sportsbooks on or near the grounds of their home stadiums, hoping to make customers of the fans who wager on sports and potentially convert a few who dont.

Last May, the opening of the William Hill Sportsbook at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. took another step in that direction as the first sportsbook to operate inside of an arena in the U.S. But while it was the first, its not the last. And there will be more to come.

Heres a look at stadiums in the United States with a sportsbook in or near them.

This list will be updated.

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Caesars Entertainment announced Feb. 24 a multi-year partnership with the Cavs to make Caesars Sportsbook their official betting partner, which includes plans to open a sportsbook inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The sportsbook is expected to be open by the end of 2022.

United Center (Chicago Bulls & Blackhawks)

The Bulls and Blackhawks announced plans in January to open a FanDuel Sportsbook lounge inside the United Center.

State Farm Stadium (Arizona Cardinals)

In January, the Arizona Cardinals and BetMGM released images of the upcoming BetMGM Sportsbook scheduled to open on the State Farm Stadium campus in time for the start of the 2022 NFL season.

Nationals Park (Washington Nationals)

The BetMGM Sportsbook at Nationals Park opened in January, becoming the first retail sportsbook connected to a Major League Baseball stadium.

BetFTW previously took a trip there to get a sense of the day-to-day operation.

Footprint Center (Phoenix Suns & Mercury)

In September 2021, the FanDuel Sportsbook lounge inside Footprint Center opened.

Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Caesars Entertainment released renderings in September 2021 of the Caesars Sportsbook set to open at the former Game 7 Grill space outside Chase Field in early 2022.

Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)

The Cubs received approval in August 2021 from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks to build a two-story DraftKings sportsbook adjacent to Wrigley Field. The proposal still needed approval from other city and state groups.

Caesars Sportsbook at Capital One Arena (Washington Wizards & Capitals)

William Hill, now a part of Caesars Entertainment, opened its sportsbook at Capital One Arena in May 2021, becoming the first sportsbook in a U.S. professional sports facility.

Audi Field (D.C. United)

FanDuel and D.C. United announced plans in October 2020 to open a sportsbook at Audi Field in 2021, pending licensing and regulatory approvals.

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Which stadiums have sportsbooks in US, updated - For The Win

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Meet NorthStar Bets, The Toronto Stars New Sportsbook Partner – Sports Betting Dime

Posted: at 11:00 am

Feb 19, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman TJ Brodie (78) is greeted by forward Ondrej Kase (25) after scoring against the St. Louis Blues in the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Star is launching a Canadian sportsbook. In what is believed to be an industry first, Canadas largest daily newspaper will be partnering with an online sports betting site known as NorthStar Bets.

NorthStar Bets is a made-in-Ontario casino and sportsbook gaming platform. It is owned by NordStar Capital, which also owns Torstar, the Toronto Stars parent company.

While fighting for space in what figures to be a crowded Ontario online sports betting landscape, partnering with an established brand such as the Toronto Star, which has been around since 1892, should provide immediate credibility to this newcomer to the sports betting industry.

The stated objective of NorthStar Bets is to deliver to Ontario sports bettors a first-rate sportsbook experience. It will be a site featuring insightful content from industry experts and will prove to be engaging, entertaining, and informative.

The Toronto Star is covering some of Canadas most popular sports teams today. These include the NHLs Toronto Maple Leafs, NBAs Toronto Raptors, and MLBs Toronto Blue Jays. This Torstar connection will be lending instant juice to NorthStar Bets as the site launches in the Ontario marketplace.

They figure to be going up against powerhouse American-based sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM. Ontario is opening up sports betting to private companies on April 4, 2022. However, there can be no question that this media partnership will prove beneficial to NorthStar Bets. They will be able to provide a unique perspective on the provinces sporting landscape.

The Toronto Star is making the utmost effort at putting NorthStar Bets at the forefront of the minds of Ontario sports bettors.

Part and parcel of the advertising and marketing services agreement with Torstar will be seeing the launch of a dedicated sports betting vertical that will become a regular feature of the Toronto Star sports section.

Lorenzo DeMarchi, Interim CEO of Torstar, believes the pairing of sports writing and sports betting is a natural marriage.

With Ontarios regulated online gaming and sports betting market set to open this spring, were sure there will be strong interest from our Toronto Star readers, particularly our sports readers, in the growing popularity of wagering content, DeMarchi said in a statement.

Firstly, this area of the papers sports coverage will serve as an educational tool. It will be a primer for newcomers to online sports betting. There will be the creation of plenty of contact relating to how to bet. Expect there to be stories explaining types of bets, betting strategies and sports wagering terminology.

Ultimately, the section will grow to include articles that will be offering hyper-local daily selections. There will also be columns about industry news and betting-specific features, as well as other multimedia content.

Following the launch of the NorthStar Bets gaming platform, thestar.com will continue to feature additional betting content. This will be including daily picks and videos of the events, teams and players that matter most to Ontario sports bettors.

Last month, NorthStar Bets made a major move that will add further professionalism to their site. They announced a partnership with Playtech, the worlds leading gambling technology company.

This partnership will provide NorthStar Gaming with the technology platform to deliver what will be one of Canadas premier online casino and sports betting experiences. NorthStar Gaming will be ready to launch Playtechs IMS Platform, Casino, Live Casino, Poker, and Bingo software to Canadian audiences. This launch will come following the completion of regulatory approvals and the licensing process,

Michael Moskowitz is the Chief Executive Officer and founding partner of NorthStar Bets. Hes the formerChairman and CEO of Panasonic North America.

It is an exciting time to launch an iGaming venture in Ontario, Moskowitz said in a statement.

NFL NBA MLB NHL NCAAF NCAAB Tennis Sports Writer

An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.

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Meet NorthStar Bets, The Toronto Stars New Sportsbook Partner - Sports Betting Dime

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NHL Picks: Hockey Best Bets, Game Totals on DraftKings Sportsbook for February 25 – DraftKings Nation

Posted: at 11:00 am

DraftKings contributor Geoff Urich and RotoWires Paul Bruno join Jessie Coffield and Emerson Lotzia to share their favorite NHL game totals to go over on DraftKings Sportsbook.

Watch the entire video here on the DraftKings YouTube channel!

Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL $50K Kick Save [$10K to 1st]

Jessie Coffield: On the DraftKings Sportsbook, which game total are you going to be targeting, Geoff?

Geoff Ulrich: Okay, so Im going to cheat just a little bit here. Im not going to go with the game total, Im going to go with a team total. Im going to say go over on the Vegas Golden Knights 3.5. You have to go to the team totals over 3.5 goals for the Vegas Golden Knights. Its -115 and again I mean, you could take the over six goals but do we want to trust the Coyotes to get us more than one goal? I dont. I think going to the team total on the Vegas Golden Knights is a better play tonight. Jack Eichel humming, their offense is starting to click and theyre playing Arizona. I think Vegas just loads up here. Maybe they do hit the overall total on their own, but Id rather just bet the Vegas Golden Knights over 3.5 goals today.

Jessie Coffield: Paul, where you going, man?

Paul Bruno: I like to take the over on the Carolina Columbus game. I think its going to be a very high-scoring game, so go to the alternate line at over 7.5 +185 winning bet, that should be attainable. I also like for offense to come out on top over defense in the Chicago Jersey game tonight. Both offenses firing and the defense is not doing as much, so again go over the over 7.5 to get a big payoff at +215.

Place your NHL bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

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DraftKings promoters may sometimes play on personal accounts in the games that advice is offered on. Personal views on the games and strategies above do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. DraftKings promoters may also deploy different players and strategies than what is recommended above. DraftKings promoters do not have access to any non-public information.

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NHL Picks: Hockey Best Bets, Game Totals on DraftKings Sportsbook for February 25 - DraftKings Nation

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Will The Lakers Make the Playoffs? DraftKings Sportsbook NBA Futures Betting – DraftKings Nation

Posted: at 11:00 am

DraftKings contributors Garion Thorne, Matt Meiselman, and RotoWires Nick Whalen, join Emerson Lotzia and Jessie Coffield to discuss some NBA Futures bets you can make on the DraftKings Sportsbook.

Watch the entire video here on the DraftKings YouTube channel!

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Jessie Coffield: Anthony Davis is going to be out for at least a month with a foot injury, Russell Westbrook is continuously riding the bench and LeBron is doing everything he can, averaging a career-high 29 points per game. But this team is in danger of missing the playoffs, and you can bet on that right now on the DK Sportsbook at -135 to miss +105 to make it; which one would you bet on right now, Garion?

Garion Thorne: Im going to bet on them to make it. Its simply because the Lakers are going to get to the play-in. Theyre on an island right now, theyre six games back in the sixth seed but theyve got a pretty comfy cushion on the 10th seed considering the team currently in the 10th spot doesnt want to be there and told their best player yesterday, Hey, youre hurt, trust us, youre hurt. So, theyre probably going to end up having like the two one-game playoffs. The first ones going to be against Sacramento and the second one, yeah, maybe its against like Minnesota whos frisky. Perhaps it is against the Clippers who have got one of their two-star players back, but at the end of the day, if youre telling me one side has Lebron James and a healthy Anthony Davis by that point, Im just going to take that team in a one-game playoff regardless of where that game is taking place, so I think they end up making the playoffs. They dont make much noise once they get into it, but they do win the play-in.

Jessie Coffield: Nick, which side are you on?

Nick Whalen: Im out on this Lakers team. I cant do it anymore. I dont think they make it. Who knows which of the big three is even going to be available at that point. Anthony Davis is basically 50-50 to make it through any game that he starts at this point. I dont see some sort of miraculous turnaround chemistry-wise happening over these last 24 games. You know by that point the Clippers will likely have Paul George back; maybe they would have Kawhi Leonard back so if thats the case and thats the matchup to get in, I think the Clippers win that and even Minnesota. Right now, you look at that Minnesota roster top to bottom yeah, the Lakers maybe have the two best players when Davis and LeBron are healthy in that series, but Minnesota are much deeper. One thing that I think has flown under the radar with the Lakers is not only has Davis been injured, Westbrook has struggled, but pretty much every single role player for them has been terrible. Other teams are just so much deeper when you look at the three through 10 positions, so maybe LeBron and Davis could carry the Lakers in a one-game playoff, but man, right now its tough to put faith in this team, so Ill say they miss.

Jessie Coffield: Matt, in or out on the Lakers?

Matt Meiselman: Oh yeah, I mean, you have to know at this point Im going out on the Lakers. Still, this has been my favorite question to answer for basically the entire season. I think its just too narrow of a path for them to get in, they need everything to go right, they need to win, most likely two play-in games in a row. The first of the two may be against an inferior opponent like the Pelicans, or the Spurs, or the Kings, or maybe the Blazers. But they have to win two of those and the second one is likely Minnesota or the Clippers with Paul George. Both of those are better teams than the healthy Lakers, but then the other concern is Anthony Davis is hurt; LeBron James has been dealing with injuries all season. The idea that we can guarantee that both of them will be healthy at that point just seems crazy to me. It may even be more likely than not that one of them is still out at that point and also with how many more minutes and how much more usage LeBron will have while Davis is out. If theres something that can increase LeBrons injury risk in the near future, it does not have Anthony Davis there to take off some of that burden. If LeBron sees Russell Westbrook start to take on more of the offense and do poorly, LeBrons just not going to give him the ball as much and try to do more himself. Yeah, the chances of LeBron and Davis staying healthy to me are nowhere near 100 percent for all of those reasons; something probably goes wrong for this team. I think even at -130, -135, whatever it is now, I still would bet them not to make the playoffs.

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Will The Lakers Make the Playoffs? DraftKings Sportsbook NBA Futures Betting - DraftKings Nation

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David Gandler: Fubo Sportsbook in very early innings of a massive opportunity – SBC Americas

Posted: at 11:00 am

David Gandler, Co-Founder and CEO of fuboTV, has stated that Fubo Sportsbook is in the very early innings of a massive opportunity following its launch in 2021.

Commenting on fuboTVs full-year 2021 financial results, Gandler noted he was pleased with the progress its sportsbook was making following market entry in Iowa and Arizona.

Gandler commented: fuboTV delivered a record fourth quarter and full-year across a number of our key financial and operational metrics. Engagement continues to be strong as we add differentiated content to our offering and focus on innovating our product to meet consumer preferences and drive a premium experience.

Our expansion into real-money wagering is underway with the launch of Fubo Sportsbook across two states with additional states expected to follow this year. This launch represents a differentiated and industry-first integration of streaming and a sports wagering product and we see ourselves in the very early innings of a massive opportunity.

fuboTV has reported record revenues in 2021 of $638m, including a $1m impact of the December 2021 acquisition of French live streaming TV company Molotov. Excluding Molotov, its total annual revenue was $637m, a 144% improvement over 2020.

The firm also announced its 2022 guidance, as it expects over $1bn in total revenue. However, this guidance does not include any projected revenues from online sports wagering.

Within North America, fuboTV forecasts Q1 2022 revenue of $232m-$237m and full-year 2022 revenue of $1.08bn-$1.09bn. The firm expects its subscriber numbers to reach 1.028 million-1.033 million in Q1 2022 and 1.500 million-1.510 million for the full year in the region.

Earlier this year, Fubo Gaming, a subsidiary of streaming platform fuboTV, announced a long-term partnership with Houston Dynamo FC, becoming the official sports betting partner of the club.

Miami Heat at New York Knicks odds, picks and predictions – USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire

Posted: at 11:00 am

The Miami Heat (38-21) visit Madison Square Garden Friday to take on the New York Knicks (25-34). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Heat vs. Knicks odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.

The Heat are 2nd in the Eastern Conference after a Chicago Bulls victory Thursday. Their first action since the All-Star break will be this lone road outing before a two-game homestand begins Saturday.

Miami is 33-25-1 against the spread (ATS) this season and is 4-5-1 ATS over its last 10. The Heat are 19-14 straight up on the road this season which compares favorably to the Knicks 13-17 home record.

New York is 26-33 ATS this season and is led by its 17th ranked defensive rating (110.3), while its offensive rating is 25th (108.4). The Knicks are just 3-5 ATS this season as home underdogs.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:08 a.m. ET.

Heat

Knicks

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Heat 107, Knicks 100

PASS.

Tossing the Heat in a parlay wouldnt be a bettors worst idea, but playing them outright on their own at -230 doesnt have a ton of value. The Knicks are just 2-6 straight up as home underdogs.

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LEAN to MIAMI -5.5 (-110).

Simply put, Miami is the better team and New York hasnt played well at home this season. The Knicks are 12-17 straight up on the road and 13-17 at home, basically showing no homecourt advantage.

The Heat rank eighth in offensive rating and sixth in defensive rating. The Suns are the only other team to be ranked top eight in both areas.

One thing the Knicks are actually decent at is the offensive glass as theyrank seventh in offensive rebounding rate. However, the Heat counter that nicely with their ninth in defensive rebounding rate.

Theyll take away the Knicks edge and likely be able to pull away.

BET on the UNDER 210.5 (-107).

While the Heat have a top-10 offense, they play at one of the slowest paces in the NBA. Miami sits 28th in pace while New York is just below it at 29th.

The Heat are 35-24 O/U this season yet have had the Under hit in five of their last seven games.

The Knicks offensive woes against a good defense should loom large. They rank 27th in points per game at 105.1. New York is 16-20 O/U in conference games as well.

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Miami Heat at New York Knicks odds, picks and predictions - USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire

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New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns odds, picks and prediction – USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire

Posted: at 11:00 am

The Phoenix Suns (49-10) are back in action Friday when they host the New Orleans Pelicans (23-36). Tip-off will be at 9 p.m. ET from Footprint Center. Below, we look at the Pelicans vs. Suns odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.

This will be the Pelicans first game since the All-Star break as they look to snap their current two-game losing skid. The Pels went into the break having lost four of their last five games after winning four straight from Feb. 1-8.

New Orleans has struggled from the field this season, making just 44.7% of its field goal attempts (25th in the NBA) and shooting 32.8% from deep (27th). The Pelicans are getting outscored 109.5-106.3 on average and will now face the highest-scoring offense in the NBA although the Suns will be without PG Chris Paul after he injured his thumb.

The Suns crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder 124-104 Thursday as they padded the best record in basketball. Phoenix sits 6.5 games ahead of the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference.

Losing Paul to a thumb injury definitely hurts, but this Suns team is well-equipped to survive his absence thanks to SG Devin Booker, C Deandre Ayton and SF Mikal Bridges. Booker leads the team with 25.5 points per game, and Ayton is averaging a double-double with 16.2 points and 10.2 rebounds.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:36 p.m. ET.

Pelicans

Suns (not officially submitted)

Suns 117, Pelicans 108

This will be the Suns second game without Paul and while its obviously a blow to the team as a whole, they didnt show any ill effects from his absence Thursday. They beat the Thunder by 20 points, with Booker, Bridges and PF Cameron Johnson all scoring at least 21 points each.

I like the SUNS (-260) to win this one but Id much rather bet on them to cover the spread.

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The Suns have been quite good when it comes to covering the spread this season, going 33-26 ATS. Theyre only 1-2 ATS in their last three, but if you zoom out a bit more, theyre 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games. The Pelicans are also 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games but theyve failed to cover in four of their last five, including four games as underdogs.

The Suns are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against the Pelicans, a trend that I think will continue. Take the SUNS -6.5 (-105) to cover.

Not only have the Pelicans struggled on offense this season, but they have the ninth-worst defensive rating,and allow the eighth-highest field goal percentage to opponents.

I see the Suns having an efficient game offensively but the Pelicans wont carry their weight and will struggle to push this total over the line. Bet the UNDER 229.5 (-108).

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New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns odds, picks and prediction - USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire

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Daily Archives: February 26, 2022

FINA Must Remove 2022 World Championships from Russia After Ukraine Invasion – SwimSwam

Five Action Movies to Stream Now – The New York Times

Caesars Sportsbook Teams Up with the Cleveland Cavaliers Ahead of Sports Bettings Launch in Ohio – NBA.com

Which stadiums have sportsbooks in US, updated – For The Win

Meet NorthStar Bets, The Toronto Stars New Sportsbook Partner – Sports Betting Dime

NHL Picks: Hockey Best Bets, Game Totals on DraftKings Sportsbook for February 25 – DraftKings Nation

Will The Lakers Make the Playoffs? DraftKings Sportsbook NBA Futures Betting – DraftKings Nation

David Gandler: Fubo Sportsbook in very early innings of a massive opportunity – SBC Americas

Miami Heat at New York Knicks odds, picks and predictions – USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire

New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns odds, picks and prediction – USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire

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