Category Archives: Gambling

Bookmakers and bettors took sides ahead of the U.S. Open, overwhelmingly backing PGA Tour golfers over those who joined the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf league.

And they were vindicated after the first round concluded Thursday at Brookline Country Club in Massachusetts.

The 15 LIV Golf entrants, including Phil Mickelson, combined to shoot 53-over par. Only one of those players, Dustin Johnson, finished the day ranked within the top 14.

Tipico Sportsbook opened Johnson as a 30/1 longshot to win before the tournament began. Following his 2-under-par 68, hes become a 20/1 sixth choice. He sits behind favored vocal LIV Golf critic Rory McIlroy (+550), PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas (+900), defending U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm (+1000), Masters champion Scottie Scheffler (+1300) and another 2-under player, Matthew Fitzpatrick (+1500).

McIlroy, 33, said earlier this week some of his peers who pursued the lavish LIV Golf compensation backed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who, according to the U.S. government, authorized the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 likely did so because their best days are behind them.

McIlroy talked the talk and then walked the walk during Thursdays opening round, shooting a 3-under 67 to stand in a five-way tie for second place behind leader Adam Hadwin (21/1) of Canada at -4.

McIlroys knock was aimed mostly at six-time major winner Mickelson, who started as a staggering 200/1 longshot to win this weekend and finds himself in danger of being cut Friday after his opening-round 8-over 78. Mickelson, 52, also finished distantly in last weeks inaugural LIV Golf event, behind fellow Masters winner Charl Schwartzel, 37.

As for the other LIV Golf members near their peak, including Johnson and big-driving Bryson DeChambeau, McIlroy said: Thats where it feels like youre taking the easy way out.

DeChambeau was +1 and is cast as an 85/1 longshot.

The LIV Golf backlash and slumping performances from many of the golfers participating in that tour led bookmakers to establish McIlroy, Thomas and Scheffler as favorites to win the U.S. Open. Bettors embraced that decision by making those three players the leaders in total tickets and dollars wagered at Caesars Sportsbook.

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Rahm generated five wagers of at least $1,000 before posting his 1-under 69 Thursday, and PGA players Will Zalatoris, Cameron Smith and Sam Burns were top-five plays at Caesars. A Nevada bettor placed a $3,000 wager on Burns with potential winnings of $54,000.

Oddsmakers certainly accounted for the feuding between PGA and LIV Golf players. Still, Caesars Sportsbook lead golf trader Anthony Sallerori said he was stunned watching Johnson fall from an opening 25/1 to 40/1 at Caesars before he teed off Thursday.

He is out of public favor at the moment, thats just how it stands, Sallerori said.

Unrelenting criticism of LIV Golf moved two-time U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, whose brother, Chase, played in last weeks LIV stop, to criticize journalists for asking hard questions that he said formed a black cloud over the event.

Im tired of the conversations. Im tired of all this stuff, Koepka said.

Thus, the PGA-LIV rivalry opened earnestly, with the PGA loyalists headed by McIlroy yearning to flex their superiority over those who fled.

MORE: How LIV Golf players fared during the first round of the U.S. Open

Oddsmakers were quick to identify LIV players uphill battle in the U.S. Open by first making Johnson the ninth favorite to win and attaching a slew of longshot 80/1-and-beyond tags on others, including Talor Gooch, Sergio Garcia, Kevin Na and Patrick Reed, who each finished over par Thursday.

At one point late Thursday afternoon, the 15 LIV Golf players were a combined +54 an uncanny occurrence tied to the 54 entrants who play in LIVs 54-hole tournaments.

Golf, by its nature, is tense. Adding in personal beefs fanned by widespread criticism and a new rivalry transforms this U.S. Open Fathers Day tradition into an unprecedented, must-see event.

Despite the distaste for Johnsons LIV Golf defection, veteran golf journalist Thomas Bonk saw him as a viable contender even before his first round justified the opinion.

Dustin is uniquely suited to play in an Open at Brookline, Bonk said. He can hit the ball straight and putt.

As Mickelson played to muted support from Thursdays crowd, Bonk said he didnt expect the pressure and criticism to crack the LIV Golf players because golfers are pretty insular in their thinking.

But with the stiffness of the course and the hard feelings palpable, Bonk surmised, Being nerveless here will help.

Golfweeks Adam Schupak said the dynamic of the players friction is less of an issue than the shoddy results Johnson, Mickelson and Reed displayed prior to Brookline.

Most of the LIV golfers havent shown much form on the PGA Tour of late, Schupak said. Johnson, other than a stellar performance at last years Ryder Cup, has been a shadow of the player who won the 2020 Masters.

But nothing rattles D.J. Same goes for Patrick Reed, who seems to thrive when hes the center of controversy.

Patrick Cantlay plays his shot from the third tee during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Respected golf handicapper Rufus Peabody ran all of the entrants through a battery of more than 100,000 simulations and said Johnson is a 43/1 underdog.

Whether you can find a good bet depends on the price you can find, Peabody said cryptically because he likes to keep his picks to himself.

Schupak named 30/1 choice Burns (+1), reigning PGA player of the year and FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay (+2) and 39/1 Max Homa (-1) as his three pre-tournament favorites to win. Burns has won three PGA events this season, including two weeks ago. Homa has won twice.

My top choice is the under-appreciated Burns he currently ranks No. 9 in the world, possesses a complete game and is just starting to come into his own, Schupak said. He watched his best friend, Scottie Scheffler, win the Masters in April and hes thinking: Why not me?

Homa is another player who is riding a hot hand. He has the iron play and putting ability to be a factor in a major. When he gets in the hunt, hes shown he knows how to find the winners circle. Cantlay has been an enigma at majors with just two top-10 finishes in 21 starts in majors, but Im still convinced its a matter of when, not if, hes going to win a major.

Bonk sided with Collin Morikawa (-1), whos now 20/1 at Tipico.

Following the U.S. Open, the LIV Golf players will part from their former brethren again to next play in Portland, Oregon June 30.

U.S. betting shops, including Tipico, have yet to receive approval from multiple state gambling regulators to offer betting on the LIV Golf tour, although it is allowed in Nevada and Arizona.

Being a new league is part of it, but with the Saudi impact, I dont think (regulators) like the look of it, either, Tipico spokesman Sunny Gupta said. It seems like theres the potential for (states) to take an arbitrary stance on this because of the Saudis.

Gupta said the only thing Tipicos New Jersey and Colorado regulators have said is LIV Golf betting is still under review.

I understand why they wouldnt be ready for the first stop (last week in London), but Id be shocked if it wont go through for the next time, Gupta said.

In lieu of that, Tipico and other shops are offering head-to-head and four-versus-four proposition betting matchups pitting PGA players against the LIV Golf entrants. At BetMGM, for instance, Johnson was an even-money underdog versus -120 favorite Hideki Matsuyama.

Johnson birdied No. 17 Thursday to edge Matsuyama by two strokes, creeping within the lead.

As for the staying power of the PGA-LIV rivalry, Bonk said he isnt sure how long the fire, and verbal strife, will burn.

Unless Dustin Johnson wins, he said.

U.S. Open: 5 things we learned on Thursday, from The Country Club to Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm

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Golf gambling: LIV Golf players have been unappetizing to bettors this U.S. Open - Yahoo Sports

Charles Barkley has just about had it with all this sports-betting nonsense. Yes, that Charles Barkley.

Speaking earlier this week on a call to promote the upcoming American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament, the NBA Hall of Famer, Turner Sports analyst and, uh, FanDuel spokesman issued a dire warning about the metastatic spread of gambling. Theres too much of it, Barkley said, noting that the inevitable adoption of in-game wagering will be an incentive for shady dealings.

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Weve got people in the stands betting on whos going make the next free throws. I mean, think about that, said Barkley, who in 2006 told ESPN that he had once lost $2.5 million at the tables during a six-hour casino spree. If I was a scumbag, Id look at my friend in the stands, and say, Yo, Im going to miss both of these free throws. Now, thats cheating.

Barkley, who bet (and lost) $100,000 on himself in last years American Century tourney, is arguably one of the best-known gambling enthusiasts in these United States. During last falls all-burly edition of Turners The Match (Brooks Koepka vs. Bryson DeChambeau), Sir Charles turned to Phil Mickelsonanother pro who enjoys the occasional friendly wagerand declared that his long-term financial goal was to squander all his money before he dies.

Listen, I wanna be dead broke when I keel over, Phil, Barkley said during the Nov. 26 event on TNT/TBS. I dont want to leave all that money for my free-loading family. Ive been taking care of them my whole life. I wanna be dead broke at my last breath.

Approximately 916,000 people were watching when Barkley mapped out his posthumous fiscal scheme. It is not known if his dependents were among those who had tuned in.

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After offering some insight into how a hypothetical player and a hypothetical confederate might convert a few intentional clangers into cold, hard cash, Barkley effectively threw his hands in the air at the enormity of it all. Listen, gamblings always been part of sports. Thats why the NFL is King Kong, he said. But I am concerned that you can sit in the stands and make bets in the middle of a basketball game.

Barkley, whose image should grace all our postage stamps and currency, warned us back in 1993 that he was not a role model. He was selling sneakers at the time, but the point stands.

While in-game betting is still in the embryonic stage, the escalation of sportsbook advertising has been going on long enough for the category to be eligible to ride a Big Wheel. Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, gambling dollars have all but poured into the networks coffers. The increased spending has been sufficient to offset cyclical weaknesses in some of the endemic categories, but sportsbook operators are increasingly facing tougher decisions about the value of local buys versus national TV investments.

According to a new report from iSpot.tv, brands like FanDuel, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings and BetMGM plunked down some $282 million on national TV ads during the nine-month period from September 2021 through May 2022. That marked nearly a quadruple increase compared to the analogous period in 2020-21, when the leading sportsbooks snapped up $74 million in ad inventory.

Fall spending was accelerated thanks in large part to a broad endorsement of the space courtesy of the NFL, which in April of 2021 announced its first-ever U.S. sportsbook partnerships with Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel. Ten days before the season kicked off, the league gave four other sportsbook brands (BetMGM, FoxBet, PointsBet, WynnBet) the green light to buy in-game NFL units.

Sportsbook spend was heavy throughout the fall, and CBS, Fox and NBC were happy to oblige their new customers. CBS in the last nine months notched the greatest number of sportsbook ad impressions, accounting for 22.2% of the overall deliveries, while Fox was hot on its heels with a 19.8% share. NBC claimed 13.2% of ad impressions in the category, followed by TNT (9.6%), TBS (5.2%), NFL Network (4.6%) and FS1 (3.2%). ESPN, which largely held back on booking gambling dollars, accounted for 1.9% of the share of impressions.

All told, sportsbook ad impressions in the period grew 48% to 18.2 billion.

In terms of the individual leagues, the NFL snared nearly half (42.5%) of all sportsbook impressions, while the NBA (7.9%), MLB (5.0%) and college football (3.31%) trailed at a respectful distance. Among the established spenders, FanDuels ads were all but inescapable, clocking 34% of the categorys impressions, while Caesars relentless J.B. Smoove-Halle Berry campaign seized 21.7% of the eyeballs. Caesars two most impactful spots netted 519 million impressions, per iSpot.

Also drawing a lot of heat were DraftKings (18.6% share) and BetMGM (13.4%). The latter caused a bit of a stir last month when chief financial officer Gary Deutsch told investors that BetMGM would hit the brakes on its investment in New York States heavily taxed sports-betting market.

As rational allocators of capital we simply cannot apply our capital against an irrational investment thesis, Deutsch said during BetMGMs Investors Day presentation, asserting that the Empire States sportsbook tax rate is too rich for his blood. Players would never continue to play if the house always won. The house cannot continue to play if its always going to lose.

While New Yorks 51% tax rate is already steep, Deutsch maintains that the actual impact is closer to 100%, given that sportsbooks must report certain incentives and promotional offerings as revenue. (The free bets that the online books use as bait are only free for the punters.)

Although there had been talk of lowering New Yorks rate to a less onerous 24% by 2024, early discussions were shelved once Gov. Kathy Hochuls team started the cash count. Through the first five months in which mobile sports-betting has been legal in New York, the state has generated a record $267 million in tax revenue. Mobile bets accounted for $263 million of the total haul, with brick-and-mortar casinos making up the remainder.

Given its $2.9 billion budget deficit, dont expect New York to lower its sportsbook tax any time soon, although if more of the states eight licensed mobile operators start having BetMGM-style misgivings, the nosebleed rates may prove to be unsustainable.

According to iSpot, 37% of sportsbook impressions were delivered via local TV buys, which is in keeping with the patchwork structure of the greater legalization movement. Currently, active sportsbooks may be found in 30 states, while another five states are cooling their heels in the limbo between passed legislation and live operations. At a certain inflection point, local campaigns will begin to give way to broader national buys, which are cheaper and less of a hassle to execute.

For rapidly expanding brands, the switch from cobbling together local buys to going all-in on national inventory can begin at around the time the advertiser has achieved 70% market saturation. Inevitably, a full-scale national TV blitz will result in deliveries to viewers in areas where gambling may never be legalized.

Its a phenomenon familiar to anyone whos ever sat through a Red Robin ad and thought, What the hell is that? Fast food is a repeat offender; for the past 15 years, Spectrum cable subscribers in the New York metro area have been regularly harangued with spots for the Sonic drive-in restaurant chainthis even though the five boroughs first Sonic wasnt established until December 2021. Before the Queens Boulevard location opened its doors, the nearest Sonic came to New York was way down Route 9 near Asbury Park. But because it was cheaper for the company to make national buys, the No. 1 media market was forever being tantalized by the prospect of unattainable Chicken Slingers and whatever those big sugary drinks are that come infused with Nerds.

However things shake out on the local tax front, the sportsbooks national spend is expected to surge again in the fall. DraftKings has already begun to shift its spend out of local as its footprint expands. Speaking to analysts during DraftKings first quarter earnings call, CEO Jason Robins said, I think were starting to enter the phase where national advertising is going to be more and more of our mix and we are able to opt out of some of the local television and other local marketing that were doing. Robins went on to say that national buys would intensify as more states launch legal sportsbook operations.

As much as investors are concerned that inflationand the threat of a destabilizing recessioncould cool gamblers passions, Robins said he hasnt seen any evidence to suggest that DraftKings customers are holding on to their wallets for dear life. Despite broader concerns around the macroeconomic environment, our cohort-level data has remained very healthy, and our path to profitability has become more clear, Robins said.

DraftKings in the first quarter booked $417.2 million in revenue, against a net loss of $467.7 million. Heightened by the companys push into 17 states, marketing expenses on the quarter added up to $321.5 million, a number thats more than 10 times the amount Charles Barkley says hes lost over the years on cards and golf.

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Charles Barkley Thinks You Have a Gambling Problem - Yahoo Sports

Posted on: June 10, 2022, 07:25h.

Last updated on: June 10, 2022, 11:10h.

1-800-GAMBLER is being deployed across the nation to assist those in need of curbing their gambling habits.

1-800-GAMBLER is a federally registered trademark owned by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ). The hotline has accompanied all gaming advertising in the Garden State for years. But soon, the easy-to-remember toll-free resource will aid problem gamblers throughout the US.

The CCGNJ has agreed to lend 1-800-GAMBLER to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), the DC-based nonprofit that seeks to minimize the societal costs associated with gambling addiction. The New Jersey problem gambling organization will license its 1-800-GAMBLER hotline for an initial six-year term to the NCPG.

The pact allows the NCPG to lend the 1-800-GAMBLER number to problem gambling resource organizations nationwide. Instead of each state having a gambling hotline and an array of numbers in small types accompanying gambling and sports betting marketing materials used in multiple states, the single number will satisfy state regulatory laws.

When a caller dials 1-800-GAMBLER in a state outside New Jersey, they will be rerouted to that jurisdictions state-approved gambling resource center. In Indiana, for instance, should that state incorporate 1-800-GAMBLER, persons in the Hoosier State seeking gambling help will be redirected to the Indiana Problem Gambling Referral Line, which is currently only accessed by dialing 1-800-994-8448.

The CCGNJ already has partnerships with problem gambling agencies in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to leverage 1-800-GAMBLER.

The National Council on Problem Gambling is amid an effort called the National Problem Gambling Helpline Modernization Project. The goal is to reduce barriers to essential resources for those affected by problem gambling. Legal gaming states require that most advertisements be accompanied by such resources. But like other marketing for products and services that require warning and/or self-help labels, the fine print isnt effective, or so says NCPG officials.

The NCPG believes 1-800-GAMBLER going nationwide could allow the hotline to replace paragraph-long lists of required fine print. Fred Hogan, board president of the CCGNJ, says the agency is happy to assist.

Our goal is simple, to continue to make sure 1-800-GAMBLER provides aid to anyone who needs it as quickly and efficiently as possible, Hogan said. We look forward to sharing our strength and experience.

The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline will continue to operate uninterrupted in New Jersey as its leveraged nationwide.

The NFL, the most-watched professional sports league in the US, has fully embraced the legal gaming industry. The change of heart came after the Supreme Court in 2018 said sports betting legality should be handled at the state level. More than 30 states today permit legal, regulated gambling on sports.

The NFL is using some of its ever-increasing revenue, some of it coming from increased fan engagement due to sports betting, to fund programs to limit the societal harms of more widespread gambling. The NFL recognizes that the commercial breaks during its broadcasted games are today flooded with sports betting advertisements.

Last fall, the NFL announced a $6.2 million contribution to the NCPG to streamline problem gambling toll-free networks. The NCPG explains that its 1-800-GAMBLER undertaking is funded by the NFL money.

Along with uniting toll-free numbers, the NCPG says the NFL grant will be used to significantly improve the operations, technology, and infrastructure of the 1-800-GAMBLER network.

Link:

1-800-GAMBLER Going Nationwide to Streamline Problem Gambling Help - Casino.Org News

Within the last few years, younger and younger teens have been reported to have gambling addictions.

CROMWELL, Conn. Story by Kasey Schultz

Gambling activates the brain's reward system in almost the same way drugs do. That's why it's so easy for teens to become addicted.

Katie Kirch, a Clinical Supervisor for the Bettor Choice program at the Wheeler Clinic, stresses the importance of when talking about drugs and alcohol also include the word gambling.

Within the last few years, younger and younger teens have been reported to have gambling addictions.

Kirch said that younger and younger demographic of people are calling the Connecticut helpline for support.

A concerned parent and teacher, Andrea Rodrigue, notices that kids are gambling indirectly starting at such a young age. Whether it's taking part in raffles, trading cards with bonus packs, or Super Bowl Pools kids are being drawn in.

"It makes me more entertained in the game," said a high school senior when talking about the adrenaline rush in gambling.

Kirch also stresses that due to gambling addictions, people lose a lot, they lose time from work, and time from friends.

"It's not about spending huge amounts of money but winning a little bit of cash here and there doesn't really hurt," said the high school senior.

The app store makes gambling so easy. All you have to do is look up gambling and hundreds of free apps come up.

In November, Connecticut legalized online gambling so it's easy for a kid to pick up a phone, download an app, and put in some incorrect information, Rodrigue observes.

This is not a risk-free activity, any one of us is vulnerable to it. While it may be fun, it can easily turn into an addiction. Just like teens should say no to drugs and alcohol they should say no to underage gambling too.

The FOX 61 Student News program empowers Connecticut middle and high school students to explore the world of multi-media journalism by giving them the opportunity to capture, edit and publish original content under the guidance of industry professionals.

Each student produced and hosted segment will showcase a local story or event, highlighting all that is great about our state. Segments will be featured on-air during Friday's Morning News at 7:25 a.m., 10 p.m. news and during the FOX61 Morning News on Saturday at 7 a.m., on ourFacebook pageand right here on FOX61.com!

Stay tuned and keep an eye out for the next news star! If your school would like to get involved learn more here or email us at studentnews@fox61.com.

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Phil Mickelson hasnt teed it up in a professional event since January, but hes been the talk of the golf world ever since then. It all started with his jarring comments about Saudi Arabia and the LIV Golf league back in February, and it only intensified last month when golf writer Alan Shipnuck revealed Mickelson lost $40 million gambling over a four-year stretch.

As Lefty gets ready to help kick off the LIV Golf Invitational in London this weekend, he opened up about his gambling problems and admitted it became reckless and embarrassing.

Weve known for years that Mickelson loves to gamble. Many professional golfers do. But not many love it enough to lose $40 million over the span of four years.

According to Shipnuck, the author of the upcoming biography Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golfs Most Colorful Superstar, thats exactly what Lefty did about a decade ago.

Mickelsons love of gambling is fundamental to understanding his style of play as a golfer. It might also explain the Saudi seduction, Shipnuck wrote for Fire Pit Collective last month. Mickelson had gambling losses totaling more than $40 million in the four-year period (201014) that was scrutinized. In those prime earning years, his income was estimated to be just north of $40 million a year.

Now that Mickelsons gambling losses have become public knowledge, hes been forced to face the music and own up to his mistakes.

Instead of denying the gambling allegations, Mickelson admitted to his problem and candidly revealed hes been working hard to fix it.

My gambling got to a point of being reckless and embarrassing, Mickelson said in a recent interview with Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated. I had to address it. And Ive been addressing it for a number of years. And for hundreds of hours of therapy. I feel good where Im at there. My family and I are and have been financially secure for some time.

Gambling has been part of my life ever since I can remember. But about a decade ago is when I would say it became reckless. Its embarrassing. I dont like that people know. The fact is Ive been dealing with it for some time. Amy (his wife) has been very supportive of it and with me and the process. Were at place after many years where I feel comfortable with where that is. It isnt a threat to me or my financial security. It was just a number of poor decisions.

Luckily for Mickelson, he was able to earn back that $40 million many times over. He also received a cool $200 million for signing with the LIV Golf Invitational Series, so his bank account is going to be just fine going forward.

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RELATED: Phil Mickelson Just Took a $200 Million Gamble to Try and Revolutionize Golf

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Phil Mickelson Candidly Admits to 'Reckless' and 'Embarrassing' Gambling That Cost Him $40 Million - Sportscasting

The UFC returns to pay-per-view on Saturday with an event in Singapore, headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Glover Teixeira and Jiri Prochazka. UFC 275 also features a womens flyweight title bout between Valentina Shevchenko and Taila Santos, plus a rematch of the 2020 Fight of the Year between Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Its a big event, and there are A LOT of live dogs on the card this week, so lets get to it.

As always, all odds are courtesy of our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Glover Teixeira, +170

I did a write-up on this fight already, so Ill defer to that for a more thorough breakdown. But basically, the bet comes down to this: Teixeira has the ability to knock Prochazka out on the feet, and if this goes to the floor, Prochazka is in deep, deep trouble. Theres always a risk in backing a 42-year-old fighter against a whirling dervish of violence like Prochazka, but Teixeira has cashed underdog tickets in his past three bouts, and Im going to ride that train until the wheels fall off.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk, +140

Following this past weeks disaster with Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Im playing it slightly more cautious with my underdog picks this week. A prop bet on Jedrzejczyk by Decision at +200 is probably the better line to take. But hey, plus-money is plus-money. In 2020, Jedrzejczyk and Zhang arguably put on the greatest female fight in history with Zhang winning a split decision. The fight was razor close, with many thinking Jedrzejczyk won, especially in the early rounds.

This fight is now only three rounds, and while that could favor the explosive power of Zhang, I still think this is a coin-flip fight, and thus, I like the value bet on Jedrzejczyk.

Jacob Malkoun, +245

In the featured prelim bout, Malkoun faces well-regarded prospect Brendan Allen in a middleweight tilt. Allen is the second-biggest favorite on the card (behind only Valentina Shevchenko), but Malkoun is being dramatically overlooked here. Malkoun will be at a decided size disadvantage here, but he is a very good grappler and a relentless wrestler. The man is going to shoot and re-shoot until he puts Allens butt to the floor. Given that Allen isnt the worlds greatest defensive wrestler, that may not take that long. The size is a concern, but the relentless grinding style of Malkoun should have these odds closer.

Jake Matthews, +125

Like the Malkoun line, this one surprised me. Yes, Andre Fialho has turned in tremendous performances and racked up bonuses, but Jake Matthews is a tough-as-nails, jack-of-all-trades who has really only lost to top-tier fighters. Matthews is going to stay in his face on the feet, and hes going to test the little-tested wrestling game of Fialho. This fight reads like a 50-50 proposition to me, if not slightly in favor of Matthews, so I like the underdog value here.

Kyung-ho Kang, +120

My analysis of this fight comes down simply to this: Kang is a pretty decent wrestler who excels at taking the back, and Danaa Batgerel is not a great wrestler. The one fighter in the UFC who tried to take him down, Alateng Heili, managed it three times. Kang is a more effective wrestler than Heili, and hes better on the feet. Add in that Kang is also a more controlling grappler and it feels like, stylistically, this is a good match for him.

Valentina Shevchenko by KO/TKO, +200

Shevchenko is the greatest female fighter in the world, and arguably the greatest fighter in the world, full stop. Taila Santos is a discount version of Shevchenko, who lost to Mara Romero Borella not that long ago. The question isnt whether Shevchenko will win, but how she will do it. While Santos isnt a novice on the ground, Shevchenko has a huge edge there. I expect Shevchenko to do what shes been doing recently and big sister Santos to the floor, where she will elbow her to oblivion.

Valentina Shevchenko, -630

See above.

Teixeira/Prochazka Does Not Go To Decision, -500

During his current unbeaten run, Teixeira has gone to a decision just one time (against Nikita Krylov in a three-round affair). More importantly, Prochazka has seen the scorecards just once in his entire career, all the way back in 2016. Simply put, Prochazka is a get-or-get-got fighter, and at 42 years old, Teixeira is either getting put out or hes submitting Prochazka.

Weili/Jedrzejczyk Goes To Decision, -225

As mentioned above, these two women already fought to a decision once before, and that was in a five-round fight. Furthermore, Jedrzejczyk has gone to a decision in nine of her previous 10 fights, and Zhang has gone to the cards in three of her previous five. It seems incredibly unlikely that either woman gets a finish in this one.

Parlay these three bets together for +101 odds.

Fight To Be Won Between 4:00 and End of First Round, +1200

As I alluded to above, this fight reminds me a great deal of Bontorin vs. Kara-France, and so for the Long Shot this week, Im rolling the dice on lightning striking twice. Kara-France managed to get out from underneath Bontorin and score a late first-round KO, and Kape won his two most recent fights with KOs in the final minute of the first round. Kape to win in the same time period is +1800, but again, Im being slightly more conservative this week, and this bet allows for Bontorin to secure a late submission in the first as well.

* Alas, Kape vs. Bontorin has been cancelled.

This past week, dear friends, is why gambling is stupid. The difference between breaking even and losing several units was Kowalkiewicz doing something she had never done before: Finish an opponent in the UFC. Credit to Kowalkiewicz, but thats a tough beat for us. Oh well, infinite underdogs this week. Lets hope the puppers are barking on Saturday.

As always, make sure to check out No Bets Barred for more gambling content if you havent already. Good luck yall, and gamble responsibly!

All information in this article is provided to readers of MMA Fighting for entertainment, news, and amusement purposes only. It is the responsibility of the reader to learn and abide by online gambling laws in their region before placing any online sports betting wagers.

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UFC 275 gambling preview: Glover Teixeira the underdog champion, and four other live dogs - MMA Fighting

CLEVELAND, Ohio Ohios casinos and racinos hot streak may be showing signs of slowing down, but theyre still on pace to break the record set in 2021, and are bringing in much more revenue than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ohios casinos and racinos brought in $202 million in gambling revenue in May, down from the $209 million brought in during May 2021, according to reports Tuesday from the Ohio Casino Control and Lottery commissions. This is the money kept by the gambling houses, after paying out winnings, but before state taxes and fees.

Its well ahead of the $169 million of revenue brought in during May 2019. Ohios gambling establishments were closed in May 2020.

The four casinos saw little change, just one-fifth of a percent from 2021 in May. Revenue at Ohios seven racinos is down 6%.

So far in 2022, Ohios casinos and racinos have brought in $984 million of gambling revenue, ahead of the $954 million of revenue brought in by this time in 2021. The states gambling revenue broke a record last year, totaling $2.31 billion.

All three Cleveland-area gambling centers, however, were down in May from a year ago.

Revenue at Jack Thistledown Racino in North Randall was $15.8 million, down from the $19.1 million in May 2021.

JACK Cleveland Casino had $22.3 million in revenue, down from $22.5 million.

MGM Northfield Park had $24.4 million in revenue, down from $25 million.

About a third of this gambling revenue is turned over to the state in the form of fees and taxes.

Ohios seven racinos, which are overseen by the Ohio Lottery Commission and are limited to chance-based slot machines known as video lottery terminals. The states four casinos are in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo and can have skill-based table games.

Ohio Casinos Revenue

Ohio Racinos Revenue

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Ohios record-breaking gambling revenue may be slowing down, still on pace to break 2021 record - cleveland.com

LANSING, MI Three people were sentenced earlier this month to jail time served, probation and community service for their roles in an illegal gambling facility shutdown following a state investigation.

Anthony Sutton, of Wilmington, North Carolina, Kara Schilling, of Flint, and Marjorie Brown, of Flint, were each sentenced to a day in jail with credit for time served and will be subject to random drug testing during their probationary periods.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board appreciates the support from the Attorney Generals office and police agencies across Michigan in helping to eliminate illegal gambling locations, which target low-income neighborhoods, lack player protections and can lead to other more serious crimes, said Henry Williams, MGCB executive director. These types of illegal gambling locations also deprive K-12 schools of tax funding, which the state charges on legal, regulated gambling.

All three defendants were sentenced in Ingham County Circuit Court Wednesday, June 1, by visiting Judge Geoffrey L. Neithercut.

All three were originally charged for their roles in operating Spin City, the former illegal gambling operation at G-3490 Miller Road in Flint Township.

The Michigan Department of Attorney General filed charges in mid-2019 after Michigan Gaming Control Board investigators pursued a report from Flint Township police about suspected illegal gambling at Spin City.

Sutton, 53, pleaded guilty to a gambling operations felony charge and was sentenced to a year of probation, 100 hours of community service and $1,058 in fees and costs.

Sutton also forfeited nearly $12,500 in cash to the Flint Township Police Department and 67 computers and games confiscated by the State of Michigan when a search warrant was served on Feb. 27, 2019, and the operation was closed.

Schilling, 38, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of maintaining a gambling house for gain and was sentenced to a year of probation, 50 hours of community service and $1,058 in fees and costs.

Brown, 53, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of attempting to maintain a gambling house for gain and was sentenced to six months of probation, 100 hours of community service and $985 in fees and costs.

Flint Township police contacted the MGCB in June 2018 about reports of illegal gambling at Spin City. Following an investigation that began in July 2018, a cease-and-desist letter was sent in January 2019 giving Spin City two weeks to cease operating.

A search warrant was served at Spin City in late February 2019, and investigators seized 67 computers and slot-style gaming machines, $12,679 in cash and other miscellaneous items related to the operation.

The trio are not the only ones who have been charged in connection with suspected illegal gambling activity at Spin City.

David Hoppe, of St. Clair County, was sentenced in Genesee County Circuit Court to one-year probation and more than $1,000 in fines, costs, and fees after pleading guilty to conducting illegal gambling activities and using a computer to commit a felony at Spin City.

He had been accused of supplying illegal gambling games to Spin City between May 2017 and February 2019.

Read more at The Flint Journal:

Trio charged in connection with Genesee County illegal gambling facility face June sentencing date

Attorney general charges 3 people in Flint gambling operation

Man faces new felony charges in Flint-area gambling case

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3 sentenced for ties to Flint Township illegal gambling facility - MLive.com

Everton have announced a club-record sponsorship deal with gambling company Stake.com.

The agreement, which will net Everton in excess of 10 million per season, replaces the clubs existing sponsorship deal with Cazoo.

In January 2020, chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale said in an ideal world that Everton would not be sponsored by a gambling company, and would prefer a different type of sponsor.

They were sponsored by Kenyan betting firm Sportpesa between May 2017 and May 2020, ending that deal two years early after a strategic review.

However, the club have now returned to the gambling world after announcing a multi-year partnership with Stake.com, believed to be the largest of any club outside the 'big six'.

Stake.com was founded in 2017, and also sponsor the UFC.

Last season, the clubs commercial plans were upset by the sanctioning of Uzbek-born billionaire Alisher Usmanov, with Everton ending several deals worth in the region of 20 million.

A club statement said: Everton Football Club has confirmed a club-record main partner agreement with Stake.com.

The multi-year partnership with the leading casino and sports betting platform will commence on 1 July and is the highest value front-of-shirt deal in the clubs 144-year history.

As Evertons main partner, the Stake.com brand will feature on front of the mens and womens playing shirts as well as appearing on screens and media backdrops at Goodison Park and Finch Farm and across the clubs digital platforms.

Barrett-Baxendale added: Stake.com is an ambitious organisation with impressive growth plans and were all very excited to enter into a partnership with them at this stage in their journey.

My talented colleagues in our new revenue team have made excellent progress in recent months and worked tirelessly to secure what is the biggest main partnership deal in the clubs history Id like to congratulate them on this achievement and, on behalf of everyone at the club, express my gratitude to Stake.com for choosing Everton as a long-term partner.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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Everton announce club-record sponsorship deal with gambling company Stake.com - The Athletic

Posted on: June 10, 2022, 06:35h.

Last updated on: June 10, 2022, 11:08h.

A Northern Irishman accused of the attempted murder of his gambling consultant has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

The prosecution and the defense agreed that Cameron McClements, 26, stabbed his victim five times with a kitchen knife. The incident happened during a meeting at the consultants office in central Belfast on September 10, 2019.

McClements had arrived for a scheduled appointment. He later told police that it was nothing personal; he had merely decided to kill someone that day. He expressed regret that he had failed to kill the man, police said.

The evidence in this case is not in dispute, prosecution counsel Charles MacCreanor QC told the jury in Belfast. In this case, Mr. McClements accepts he repeatedly stabbed the victim. He accepts he tried to kill him with a knife.

The key issue in this case is one of insanity, he added. The defense has raised the defense of insanity on the functioning of the mind of Mr. McClements at the time of the attempted murder.

The defense has to produce evidence of this to you that it is more likely than not that Mr McClements was insane, that he was suffering from a mental abnormality at the time, MacCreanor said.

Two consultant psychiatrists testified that McClements was suffering from psychosis and an acute first episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the attack. The prosecution did not contest the diagnoses.

The jury saw security video from inside the building showing McClements attacking the victim before chasing him down a hallway while office workers looked on in horror. The footage showed police arrive to arrest McClements, who was hunched down beside a door at the time.

The victim was taken to Belfasts Royal Victoria Hospital for two stab wounds to his back which had punctured both lungs two knife wounds to his chest, and one to his elbow.

Assailant and victim had reportedly met one through mutual friends and had got along amicably before the attack.

McClements had been reported by friends and family five days before the stabbing after disappearing from the Electric Picnic Music Festival, where he had been working. He was located a day later. The disappearance was described as out of character.

The jury unanimously found McClements not guilty of attempted murder and possessing a bladed article in a public place by reason of insanity.

The judge adjourned the hearing for two weeks when a date will be set for sentencing.

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Northern Ireland Man Who Tried to Kill Gambling Consultant Ruled Insane - Casino.Org News