Category Archives: Sports Betting

Once again, Adam Schefter is in the headlines. But it has nothing to do with the fallout from his email flap.

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Front Office Sports reports the ESPN NFL insider could leave the Worldwide Leader when his contract expires in the summer of 2022. Now for the kicker: Caesars Sportsbook is preparing to go after the 54-year old Schefter.

Both ESPN and Caesars declined to comment for the story, but according to Front Office Sports, ESPN absolutely wants to keep Schefty, said one source. If you notice, theyve been expanding his purview, even allowing him to dabble in NBA coverage if he wants.

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And speaking of the NBA, Front Office Sports also reports Caesars Sportsbook could make a run at basketball insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

The competitive landscape is shifting under our feet as we speak, warned another source. The legacy networks want to cut or maintain talent salaries. The gambling companies are flush [with money] and increasingly willing to spend for sports media talent.

Schefter and/or Wojnarowski going to Caesars Sportsbook would mark the biggest talent coup yet for a sports gambling company, according to Front Office Sports.

However ESPN talent crossing over into sports betting is nothing new. Recently released anchors Trey Wingo and Kenny Mayne landed on the Caesars payroll, according to the report.

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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.

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ESPN could lose top NFL and NBA insiders to sports betting operation, report says - NJ.com

Georgia is set to play its first game of the season as the No. 1 team in the country on Saturday. And it will be hosting the only other undefeated team in the SEC No. 11 Kentucky.

However, it may not end up being a competitive game. The Bulldogs are heavy favorites, and FOX Sports betting analyst Clay Travis believes theyll have no trouble covering that large spread against the Wildcats.

I just dont think the Kentucky offense is dynamic enough to give Georgia real problems here on the defensive side of the ball, Travis wrote on Outkick.com this week.

Travis had plenty more predictions to make regarding this weeks action, including some of the other SEC matchups on Saturdays slate.

Here are all of Travis Week 7 gambling picks, with his SEC predictions in bold:

Syracuse (+14) to cover against ClemsonArkansas (-3.5) to cover against AuburnMichigan State (-4.5) to win at IndianaMissouri (+9.5) to cover against Texas A&MOver 59.5 points for Texas A&M-MissouriGeorgia (-21.5) to cover against KentuckyMississippi State (+17.5) to cover against AlabamaTCU (+14) to cover at OklahomaTennessee (+3) to cover against Ole MissOver 82 points for Ole Miss-TennesseeLSU (+10.5) to cover against Florida

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FOX Sports analyst Clay Travis shares his SEC betting predictions for Week 7 of the 2021 season - Saturday Down South

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owa sports betting has reported an increase in its numbers during September, with wagers exceeding $210 million, providing the state a half million-dollar payout during the football season. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission reported Friday that the sports betting handle increased 94% from $108.4 million in August.

This has been attributed to the betting on the annual Cy-Hawk football game, as well as a full slate of college and NFL games. Septembers numbers broke Iowas single-month record of $161.4 million set during college basketballs March Madness, according to the commissions report, and pushed Iowa sports betting past the $1 billion mark for 2021.

The betting pace rose to an average of $6.8 million a day over the 30 days of the month. Most Iowa sports bettors placed their bets online. Caesars handled $66.5 million in bets, with DraftKings seeing $64.8 million in action, PlayIowa.com reported.

During an interview with PlayIowa.com, Racing and Gaming Commission Administrator, Brian Ohorilko analyzed: The excitement of both college football teams in Iowa has drawn some of the more casual fans"

September 2021s numbers show a significant difference compared to September 2020, when the pandemic left the state with only a couple of Iowa State University football games to bet on. Although Ohorilko has seen a decline in marketing and advertising by sportsbook apps, he pointed out that it is still significant compared to a year ago.

When we were going through a period when in-person registration had sunset and then also leading up to football this year we were seeing levels advertising beyond anything we were seeing in the casino environment before. And so, there truly is an impact there.

Russ Mitchell, lead analyst for PlayIA.com, said: The future looks just as bright as the Hawkeyes remain among the nations best, teams of regional interest litter baseballs postseason, and bettors become increasingly comfortable with online betting. The first full month of football was bound to cross new thresholds, and one of the most-watched Cy-Hawk games in history pushed the volume to another level".

Its important to note that sports wagering and the revenue that is generated from sports wagering is really a very small portion of the overall revenue in the casino industry, Ohorilko pointed out, and said that September sports revenue netted around $5 million for the casinos and sports wagering companies. This figure is down from Augusts numbers which accounted for $6.6 million. Ohorilko attributed most of that to customers redeeming promotional receipts.

Sports wagering is something that people are interested in and we are seeing success in that market and we are seeing it conducted in a way that Iowans can feel safe that they are making bets in a regulated environment, according to Ohorilko.

Still, the state collected $512,951 in tax revenue for the month, pushing the total for the year to $5.2 million.

Ohorilko foresees the state collecting additional revenue in the future, with more sports betting operators entering the Iowa market such as Fubo Sportsbook, Betway Sportsbook and Circa Sports.

Eric Ramsey, an analyst for the PlayUSA.com network, which includes PlayIA.com, said: Iowa will almost certainly triple the wagering compared with 2020 and could go even higher if a few things fall into place. That is dramatic growth by any measure.

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Iowa: sports betting volume reaches all-time high with a 94% increase in Sept. - Yogonet International

BOSTON- DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) announced today it has agreed to a deal with the National Hockey League to become an Official Sports Betting, Daily Fantasy Sports and iGaming Partner of the league in the United States. To complement the deal, DraftKings has also reached an agreement with Turner Sports, including Bleacher Report, to be the exclusive sportsbook and daily fantasy sports provider for their coverage of the NHL.

"The NHL has some of the most passionate fans in all of sports and we are delighted to be working with the league once again, while developing a rich and engaging viewership and content experience that matches this fanbases' enthusiasm through our deal with Turner," said Jason Robins, CEO, chairman and co-founder, DraftKings. "Over the years DraftKings has become a brand synonymous with sports, with a fan-first approach through real-money gaming options, and we look forward to collaborating with the NHL alongside Turner Sports and Bleacher Report to provide hockey fans with what's next in sports."

As an Official Sports Betting, Daily Fantasy Sports and iGaming Partner of the NHL, DraftKings will be granted access to NHL assets which will enhance the DraftKings' product experience including the use of official marks and logos, as well as themed sweepstakes and enhanced promotional efforts both during the regular season, NHL All-Star Weekend and throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Stanley Cup Final. DraftKings will also have the opportunity for a variety of content integrations across the league's digital and linear media platforms.

"As we embark on what promises to be a thrilling 2021-22 NHL season, our partnership with DraftKings, as well as with Turner Sports, will provide for new and exciting experiences to deepen our fan engagement," said Keith Wachtel, NHL Chief Business Officer and Senior Executive Vice President. "We're proud to welcome back DraftKings to the NHL family, and look forward to collaborating together with Turner Sports - one of our valued media partners - to develop unique and exciting content for our fans."

Under the arrangement with Turner Sports, DraftKings will provide sports betting information and daily fantasy content across Turner Sports telecasts and Bleacher Report digital channels including the B/R app. Planned integrations include DraftKings' betting odds and daily fantasy statistics, original content, personalized automated alerts and editorial across B/R channels including the B/R Betting vertical, the most engaged digital sports media brand in the sports betting industry*.

Turner Sports entered into a multimedia rights agreement with the NHL in April bringing the Stanley Cup Final and Stanley Cup Playoffs to TNT for the first time, with the inaugural campaign including a 50-game regular season schedule. The agreement is highlighted by TNT crowning a champion through its exclusive live coverage of the Stanley Cup Final in three of the next seven years and half of the Stanley Cup Playoffs each year (half of the Conference Finals, along with First and Second Round games).

"Turner Sports and Bleacher Report have become the home of innovative sports betting content and integrations across all our channels," said Raphael Poplock, SVP of Strategic Partnerships, Business Development and Content Acquisitions. "Our agreement with DraftKings expands and strengthens our relationship, allowing us to further serve fans with the type of sports betting information, entertainment and quick-resolving betting options that we have pioneered."

In an ongoing effort to create the best in real-money gaming, fan engagement and unique experiential access, DraftKings continually creates hospitality events around the biggest dates on the sports calendar and offers its customers opportunities to secure digital collectibles from some of the world's greatest athletes through DraftKings Marketplace. Additionally, DraftKings is committed to creating inclusive and responsible pathways for people to build, create, imagine, and innovate through the DraftKings S.E.R.V.E.S. program. Responsible gaming is a key pillar of the S.E.R.V.E.S. program and DraftKings' collective mission is to protect the vulnerable with groundbreaking technology, training, resources and the support of evidence-based research.

More information about DraftKings is available at http://www.draftkings.com and fans can download the DraftKings mobile apps via iOS and Android. To learn more about the NHL, 2021-22 Regular Season, fans can visit http://www.nhl.com.

*Based on Sprnklr Data

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DraftKings agrees to become sports betting, DFS, iGaming partner of NHL - NHL.com

PALM BEACH,Fla., Oct. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --FinancialNewsMedia.com News Commentary - Despite shortened seasons, canceled tournaments, and low sports programming viewershipin 2020, online sports betting thrived in the U.S. According toreported figures from Legal Sports Report, sports bets placed, or 'the handle,' soared by 39% on a year over year basis from roughly $13 billion in 2019 to $18 billion. Sports betting in various formatsis legal in 21 states and Washington DC, but online betting has accounted for most of the incremental growth. Another report from Ark-Invest said that: "While only 15 states and Washington DC have legalized 'online' sports betting, in our view the market has burgeoned based on its convenience and entertainment value." It added: "Since it legalized online sports betting in mid-2018, for example, New Jersey has seen its online handle soar to $15 billion, half of which took place in 2020. Today, 90% of all bets in the state are placed online Based on its $15 billion handle, New Jersey probably has enjoyed a $115 million tax windfall as sports betting companies have generated nearly $1 billion in revenue. New Jersey now rivals Nevada, home of Las Vegas, in total betting volume, as shown in the chart above. Potentially, every state could replicate New Jersey's success with online sports betting. Excluding New Jersey and Nevada, the latest data from states with the largest reported handles provides compelling evidence that consumers prefer mobile and online sports to onsite alternatives." Active gaming and tech companies in the markets today include: Esports Technologies(NASDAQ: EBET), NextPlay Technologies, Inc.(NASDAQ: NXTP), Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ: WYNN), DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ: DKNG), Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited (NASDAQ: MLCO).

Ark-Invest also said: "Data from Pennsylvania and Indiana suggest that that the adoption of online sports betting today is in line with that before the COVID crisis halted all onsite sports betting activities for approximately two months. Since the summer of 2020, for example, the percentage of mobile or online sports betting handles in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Indiana has been 75% or higher. While the share of online sports betting in Nevada, one of the largest in-person gambling destinations in the world, is lower, it still has topped 50% consistently. Opportunity? Legalized online sports betting is presenting sport book operators and sports leagues with an opportunity not only to offer exciting interactive online experiences but also to capitalize on a highly efficient fan demand curve and generate new sources of revenues. A die-hard New York Giants fan who lives in Illinois but otherwise would be a season ticket holder, for example, can reallocate that capital to an online sports betting viewing experience. According to our research, during the next five years, as the handle for online sports betting scales 10-fold from roughly $18 billion to $180 billion, the three major sports betting categories combined could generate 31% revenue growth at a compound annual rate, increasing the online sports betting category from $9.5 billion last year to $37 billion in 2025."

Esports Technologies (NASDAQ: EBET) BREAKING NEWS - Esports Technologies Announces Expansion with Addition of Third Office, in Malta - Esports Technologies, a leading global provider of advanced esports wagering products and technology, announced today the planned opening of a new state-of-the-art office in Malta. The Malta location will house the majority of the Esports Technologies team and direct European market operations, working closely with the Esports Technologies office in Dublin. The additional office location will help accelerate Esports Technologies' aspirations to expand into Western Europe, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands and Ireland. The new office is scheduled to be operational on November 15.

The Esports Technologies Malta office will join the company's existing locations in Las Vegas and Dublin. The office will have an open floor plan that includes breakout spaces for individual work or small-group collaboration, a full boardroom, and a modern design incorporating esports themes. The workplace will also feature an esports-focused leisure area with gaming consoles, a full kitchen and bar, and direct access to Balluta Bay from the terrace.

Aaron Speach, CEO, Esports Technologies, said, "Europe's esports engagement is on a steep growth trajectory, and we foresee tremendous growth in its esports wagering market. With its educated and talented workforce, strong tech infrastructure, and business-friendly environment, Malta offers the ideal location for us to create new opportunities across Europe. We look forward to providing a work setting designed to foster meaningful collaboration, increase productivity and spark creativity."

This move will help accelerate the company's growth strategy in Europe, which has an estimated esports audience of 92 million. Malta has emerged as an influential hub for esports on the continent. The Mediterranean country was chosen as the host location for both 2021 seasons of ESL Pro League, one of the major professional leagues in esports. Malta, a multilingual country and a hotbed for tech and blockchain, has worked closely with the private sector to establish the country as a global leader in the esports sector. CONTINUED READ THIS AND MORE NEWS FOR EBET BY VISITING: https://esportstechnologies.com/news/

In other entertainment and gaming recent news of interest:

NextPlay Technologies, Inc.(NASDAQ: NXTP) recently entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the assets of Token IQ, a leading innovator in digital asset management with its smart compliant token technology. Token IQ has many unique capabilities, but its greatest attributes are its ability to afford cryptocurrency owners a solution to replace their assets should they lose access to, or control of, their assets and its handling of "Know Your Customer" (KYC) issues -- solving many key regulatory requirements. NextPlay will not only look to license the IP, but also plans to integrate the service into its wholly owned Bank NextBank Internationalto better serve its cryptocurrency customers.

Mark Vange, CTO of NextPlay and founder and CEO of Token IQ, stated, "Token IQ was built upon the early recognition that many digital assets may in the future be treated as securities. I'm excited that we can now make Token IQ part of NextPlay, given the many synergies that have developed around digital asset management across NextPlay's ecosystem."

Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ: WYNN) WynnBET, the premier online sports betting and casino ("iGaming") app from the global leader in luxury hospitality, Wynn Resorts, recently announced it has obtained market access inLouisiana.Louisianarepresents the 17th jurisdiction in a rapidly growing footprint of states in which WynnBET has secured varying degrees of market access.

WynnBET is currently available inArizona,Colorado,Indiana,Michigan,New Jersey,TennesseeandVirginia. In addition, WynnBET currently has varying degrees of market access to 17* states covering approximately 46% of the U.S. population and is in negotiations to obtain access in seven additional states, which would result in WynnBET's footprint covering approximately 77% of the U.S. adult population.

The online sports betting and iGaming industry's legislative and regulatory landscape is rapidly evolving and WynnBET's access is subject to change as a result. WynnBET has market access agreements or opportunities which will become effective if legalized and regulatory requirements, licensee eligibility, and suitability standards are met. Such market access and licensure are subject to legalization and required approvals by regulatory authorities in each jurisdiction.

DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ: DKNG), a leader in the digital sports entertainment and gaming industries, recently announced its latest, state-of-the art office location to be based out of Las Vegas, where the company expects to eventually have an expanded team of more than 1,000 employees. The company's new 90,000-square-foot technology hub will occupy much of an entire building at UnCommons, Matter Real Estate Group's 40-acre modern workplace and stylized mixed-use community coming to Southwest Las Vegas in early 2022.

"Our new office space and Las Vegas expansion further exemplifies DraftKings' investment in its employees and the future of the company, as well as the local community," said Matt Kalish, DraftKings co-founder and president, North America. "Our goal is to create another world-class workplace environment that will foster DraftKings' innovation, further bolster our local presence, and deepen community involvement. With these lofty aspirations, we were thrilled to discover that UnCommons mirrors these high standards."

Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited (NASDAQ: MLCO) recently reported its unaudited financial results for the second quarter of 2021.

Total operating revenues for the second quarter of 2021 were US$566.4 million, representing an increase of approximately 222% from US$175.9 million for the comparable period in 2020. The increase in total operating revenues was primarily attributable to an improved performance in all gaming segments and non-gaming operations as a result of a year-over-year increase in inbound tourism in Macau. Operating loss for the second quarter of 2021 was US$128.1 million, compared with operating loss of US$370.8 million in the second quarter of 2020.

DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates Financialnewsmedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. Except as set forth below, FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM was compensated two thousand five hundred and ninety-five dollars by Esports Technologies Inc. for news coverage of the current press releases issued by Esports Technologies Inc. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or Form 1-K, as applicable, and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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Online Sports Betting Industry Projected to Grow From $9.5 Billion Last Year To $37 Billion In 2025 - PRNewswire

The state has announced that a seven-day soft launch of online sports betting and gaming will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 12.

The Department of Consumer Protection announced Friday that the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, Meohan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribe may begin a soft launch Tuesday for their online wagering programs. Once the soft launch is complete, online gaming can open statewide. There will be certain restrictions during the soft launch period.

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation has different parameters than the tribes. They will offer online sports wagering within the state only, limited in scope to 750 people through the online platform. Customers will only be allowed to make bets during certain times of the day during this soft launch - 3-11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, 12 p.m.-11:59 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, then running on a 24-hour cycle through the rest of the soft launch period.

The tribes will be allowed to launch online sports betting within the state, online casino gaming, limited to the games approved by DCP for the soft launch. This does include over 100 games, according to DCP. The soft launch will not include live dealer or peer-to-peer online casino games, and will be limited to wagering by 750 customers. They will follow the same hour limitations as the CT Lottery.

FanDuel, DraftKings and Rush Street Interactive, which have contracted with the tribes and CT Lottery, are allowed to start establishing customer accounts for the 750 individuals that will take part in the soft launch.

The rollout of statewide retail and online sports betting was originally planned for Thursday, October 7, but state officials announced Wednesday that there would be a delay.

Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun opened their sportsbooks Thursday as legalized sports betting began in Connecticut.

Sports betting began at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun last week. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe is working with Draft Kings while the Mohegan Tribal Nation chose FanDuel to operate its sports betting.

Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun opened their sportsbooks Thursday as legalized sports betting began in Connecticut.

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Soft Launch of Online Sports Betting, Gaming in CT to Begin Next Week - NBC Connecticut

Thirteen of Louisianas 20 traditional casinos have applied to handle sports wagering the other seven are expected to apply before the Jan. 1 deadline and the first applicants are close to being able to start booking bets on baseball, football, and other events.

Gamblings chief regulator, Ronnie Johns, has the power to sign a temporary certificate of operation that would immediately allow a casino to start offering sports betting at least for in-person, on-premises wagering.

Its possible, but I seriously doubt Ill have any to sign in the next two weeks, said Johns, who chairs the Gaming Control Board. But I am anticipating some recommendations very soon.

He is still awaiting the results of the Louisiana State Polices required vetting of operators, personnel and procedures. Casinos are required to set up a lounge that limits access to bettors 21 years of age and older. All those plans and security procedures need to be reviewed, too.

Despite a slow down because of Hurricane Ida, eight casinos as of Thursday have applied to offer sports betting in Louisiana, according to the

Johns said Hurricane Ida delayed the process for about two weeks as the troopers handling the investigations were reassigned to storm rescue and recovery. Theyre now back to doing the required suitability studies on sports betting applications.

Several of the casinos are ready to go, once the paperwork is out of the way, said Wade Duty, executive director of the Louisiana Casino Association. The Baton Rouge-based organization is the trade association for the 20 so-called brick and mortar establishments that the state has licensed to operate casinos on riverboats, at racetracks and on land in New Orleans.

Initially, wagers will be taken only in temporary sportsbook lounges inside a casino, Duty said. Several of casinos are building multi-million-dollar facilities with banks of televisions and other amenities, but thats down the road. The 80-some-odd pages of new laws and 30 pages of new regulations also will allow sports wagering on smartphones and from computers.

Each of the 20 casinos will contract with two providers to handle geofencing, software and other equipment for betting over the phone and online. Unlike the casinos, which already have been investigated by the State Police, the contractors need a time-consuming full review, Duty said.

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Additionally, the Louisiana Lottery Corp. was authorized to oversee sports betting kiosks that would be placed in the bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. The Lottery is still working on its rules and doesnt expect to be up and going until January or later.

Louisiana regulators approved emergency rules Thursday to jump-start the ability for adults to wager on sporting events in Louisiana by midway

Meanwhile, Paragon Casino Resort, which is owned by Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana south of Marksville, opened its sportsbook lounge Wednesday. Several television stations showed Joe Horn, the retired New Orleans Saints wide receiver, enter the casinos new lounger and place the first bet. Horn played a longshot parlay with a large payout, in which Horn had to pick the winners in seven games to win his bet.

Paragon and four other Louisiana casinos owned by Native American tribes are licensed by the federal government and not regulated by the state. Their compacts allow Native American casinos to operate games that the state's voters approve. Otherwise, those casinos pay no state taxes and don't answer to state law.

In November 2020, voters 55 of Louisianas 64 parishes approved allowing sports betting in their parishes. Earlier this year, the Louisiana Legislature and Gov. John Bel Edwards established laws that spell out how sportsbooks would be licensed, operated, and taxed.

Wagers would be taxed at 10%, if the bets are placed in casino sportsbook lounges and at 15% on cellphones or websites. The taxes would be on the net proceeds the amount left over after bets are covered and would be paid by the primary licensees.

Gambling is expected to contribute $644.2 million in revenues, without including sports betting proceeds, to this fiscal years budget. Behind income and sales taxes, gambling is the largest contributor to the states $9.9 billion general fund.

The Gaming Control Board meets on Oct. 21.

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13 of Louisiana's 20 casinos have applied for sports betting licenses, becoming close to operational - The Advocate

Joe Asher, President of Sports Betting at IGT, at the Global Gaming Expo on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. Photo: Jeff Scheid / The Nevada Independent

Statewide, sports betting revenue figures and wagering totals during August were both down from a year ago. The advisory firm described August 2020 as a COVID-impacted, on-steroids calendar that tracked well-above the months historical totals.Still, with eight months completed, Nevada sports gamblers have wagered $4.2 billion while sportsbooks have collected $255 million in revenues, the Nevada Gaming Control Board said last week. Both figures are well ahead of 2019s record-setting year of $5.3 billion in wagers and $329.1 million in revenues.Caesars Entertainment, through Caesars Sportsbook, and Circa Sports, which is operated by downtown Las Vegas casino owner Derek Stevens, trended up in their shares of Nevadas sports betting market for 2021.The difference in market share was striking, however. Caesars is the states leader, according to Eilers & Krejcik, with almost 60 percent of sports betting revenue in the state through August. In April, Caesars completed its acquisition of William Hill U.S. and added the companys Nevada locations.Circa has five locations including Stevens three downtown casinos, the off-Strip Tuscany and The Pass Casino in Henderson, It accounted for just 2.6 percent of the overall revenues.The results from BetMGM during August, which is operated by MGM Resorts International, was viewed as flat by the firm. Still, BetMGM is considered Nevadas No. 2 operator, with more than 15 percent of the market.Several operations experienced a decreasing trend, according to the firm, including Wynn Resorts, which operates just a retail sportsbook on the Strip. The company has yet to launch its mobile WynnBet in Nevada.Station Casinos STN Sports, despite having the states third highest market percentage almost 11 percent fell under the declining trend, according to the firm.Eliers & Krejcik Gaming analysts Chris Grove and Chris Krafcik said Nevada is mirroring other sports betting states where three brands have control of the market.(Caesars) massive retail footprint (80-plus locations) remains its key structural advantage in Nevada, where in-person registration is required for online sports betting, the analysts wrote in a research report. The recent share gains at BetMGM reflect a big increase in BetMGMs Nevadas app download activity.Eilers & Krejcik cautioned that it used information from different data providers and proprietary assumptions and it regards these estimates as low-to-medium confidence because of the states lack of transparency into gaming revenues.Meanwhile, sports betting operators are flooding the airwaves to push their products.Caesars told investors in August it will spend more than $1 billion over the next two years nationally to promote its Caesars Sportsbook, including ads featuring Smoove as Caesar. The comedian grew a following through the TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm. BetMGM was one of the first sports betting operators with a national advertising presence through Foxx, an Academy Award-winning actor, as the King of Sportsbooks.Meanwhile, retired NBA superstar ONeal is a brand ambassador for WynnBet and appeared in an online television ad for the product that starred Oscar winner Ben Affleck, who also directed the spot.Station Casinos has been running an advertising campaign on Las Vegas airwaves for its STN Sports app featuring Cutshall, an Instagram comedian.Howard Stutz is a reporter for The Nevada Independent, a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization. The following people or entities mentioned in this article are financial supporters of The Indy: Caesars Entertainment - $155,200; Station Casinos - $100,000; and IGT - $7,500. Thesestories were first published Oct. 6by The Nevada Independent within its weekly Indy Gaming newsletter and are republished here with permission. Go tonvindy.comfor more Nevada news and go tothenevadaindependent.com/newslettersto sign up for the newsletter.

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Joe Asher's 'retirement' didn't last long; sports betting executive joins IGT - Northern Nevada Business Weekly

According to an article in Florida International University student-run publication Panther NOW, petitioners in busy parts of campus have verbally harassed and coerced students while gathering signatures for efforts connected to the future of sports betting in Florida.

These petitioners are legitimately harassing students, meaning they are going to them, insisting and calling them different names and curse words, David Luis, a Student Government Association senator at FIU, said in an article published Tuesday quoting various students.

A petition photographed in the story was allegedly handed out Sept. 22 within a classroom and is tied to the measure sponsored by Florida Education Champions (FEC), a political action committee financed by DraftKings and FanDuel. That petition seeks to allow statewide mobile sports betting by qualified commercial interests. The effort will require 223,000 signatures before the ballot proposal can reach the attorney general for a fiscal analysis and the state Supreme Court for an advisory opinion before it can go on the November 2022 ballot as a constitutional amendment question.

However, as signature-gathering efforts are underway for multiple petitions connected to gambling-related initiatives, there appears to be confusion about how each group is conducting itself on FIUs campus in Miami. The photos within the Panther NOW story also show a booth manned by two persons with four images that contain the text Support The Seminoles Compact and Sign Petition Here. One of the individuals pictured in that photo is also shown pictured in the Green Library Breezeway, despite university policy prohibiting signature gathering within 50 feet of FIU libraries.

A spokesperson for the FEC, Christina Johnson, told Sports Handle Thursday that paid petition gatherers for FECs ballot initiative have not appeared on the FIU campus since mid-September, which would be after the harassment described in the Panther NOW report.

Florida Education Champions have not had an organized presence of paid petition gatherers on the Florida International University campus since mid-September due largely in part by other groups using irresponsible, threatening and potentially criminal, signature-gathering practices, Johnson said.

Meanwhile, representatives for the Seminoles petition have remained on the campus, in a location that meets university guidelines, said Gary Bitner, a spokesperson for the Seminoles.

We are aware of the FIU article and our team has already followed up to ensure all representatives continue to act appropriately, including being courteous and respectful at all times, Bitner said. Its important to note that no accusations of bad behavior have been made toward anyone working on behalf of the Seminole Compact.

They obtained permission in advance to be on the FIU campus and they have been focused on obtaining pledges of support for the compact as part of an overall public awareness and education effort that includes a statewide digital and broadcast advertising campaign.

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Separate from verbal harassment as well as an allegation of sexual harassment in the story sexual comments toward [women], complimenting their bodies, per the report it is illegal in both Miami Dade County (as of 2018) and the state of Florida (as of 2019) to pay signature-gatherers per signature, as opposed to paying gatherers hourly, which is permitted.

According to the Panther NOW report, petitioners on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus in West Miami-Dade County said they were paid per signature.

[Petitioners] seem to be getting more and more aggressive towards students, said Daniel Jones, a sophomore studying international business at FIU. Theyll chase students down as they walk through the Green Library (GL) breezeway. If you dont want to sign their petition, they use very vulgar language.

It is unclear if any additional allegations of harassment in signature-gathering efforts in general have continued since the campus article. The Florida International University media relations office referred an inquiry to the FIU Police Department, which did not immediately respond.

Also according to the Panther NOW report, some petitioners actually entered and interrupted a Crisis Communications class and a Finite Math lecture to obtain signatures, confusing both students and one professor who assumed the petitioning was sanctioned by the university.

To be sure, petitioning is activity protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which was noted by FIU Police Chief Alexander Casas. He told the school paper that, for that reason, we do not ask if persons collecting signatures are being paid to do so. Casas also said that the department would assign officers to the areas of campus where petitioners usually visit campus.

The third gambling-related petition for which signature-gathering efforts are underway is 21-15, which would authorize a limited number of new casinos. This initiative is backed by the Las Vegas Sands Corp., which has donated $17 million to the Florida political action committee Florida Voters in Charge, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. The elections website does not show any valid signatures yet for that initiative.

Both the Sands-supported and FEC-backed initiatives would, if they gain the required 891,589 signatures, make the November 2022 ballot. Signatures must be submitted to the state for verification by Jan. 2, 2022, and verified by Feb. 1, 2022, in order for an initiative to get on the November ballot. Once there, they would need a 60% majority to make the constitutional amendments effective. These ballot initiatives require that signature-gatherers and circulators register with the Secretary of State and provide information such as names, addresses, dates of birth, and a circulator affidavits.

The Seminoles petition is not aimed at amending the state constitution, but is apparently more symbolic in nature. Petitioners for that measure have appeared on at least one other campus the University of Central Florida located in East Orlando.

According to a Sept. 16 report in NSM Today, published by students from UCFs Nicholson School of Communications, canvassers visited campus in early September to gather signatures in response to lawsuits challenging the Seminoles compact, which would allow the tribe to have an effective monopoly on statewide mobile sports betting.

From the story: The canvassers said they sought the signatures of UCF students to demonstrate to the federal court that there is public support, in hopes of bypassing the lawsuit.

That sweeping new 30-year compact executed in April would deliver Florida annual $500 million payments from the Seminoles. The compact also allows the tribe to offer sports betting at physical sportsbooks at its six casinos in the state, and the legality of that part of the compact is not disputed. The compact was approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior on Aug. 6, but multiple lawsuits are now challenging its validity for other reasons.

But it is unclear if the canvassers supporting the compact, or any who have appeared on the FIU campus on behalf of the Seminoles effort, are being paid by signature, or hourly, or at all.

As for the FECs ballot initiative, a heavy lift for which time is of the essence, its effort continues. The group has so far validated nearly 29,000 signatures with 100,000 pending as of Sept. 27.

Johnson said: Florida Education Champions is leading its signature-gathering efforts across the state through digital ads, direct mail, and via petition gatherers going door-to-door and at collegiate and professional sporting events and locations to collect the more than 890K valid petitions needed by Floridas Feb. 1, 2022 deadline.

On at least the one campus, though, the streams have crossed and confusion abounds. This is not only a higher education lesson but instructive for all: Read the fine print.

More:

Campus Efforts Tied To Florida Sports Betting Allegedly Lead To Harassment Of Students - Sports Handle

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Greg Wyshynski

David Purdum

Betting on hockey is a bit like stargazing. The sights are breathtaking. The time is well spent. Your patience for something -- really, anything -- to happen is rewarded when you see that sudden streak across the sky. Then another. Then, hopefully, another.

Which is to say that hockey is not basketball nor football in frequency of scoring events. NHL teams averaged 2.94 goals per game last season, which ended a five-year upswing in scoring. But what the NHL lacks on the scoreboard, it makes up for in strategy. There are a number of ways to bet the sport in interesting and profitable ways.

Here's a guide to wagering on the NHL. For some expertise, we spoke with Ed Salmons, vice president of risk management for the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas. A veteran Las Vegas bookmaker, Salmons is on the SuperBook's oddsmaking team that oversees hockey for the sportsbook.

There are a few ways to answer this. The general answer is "not as many people who bet on other sports." Hockey is the fourth-most popular sport by betting handle. At the SuperBook, the average MLB game draws five times as much betting handle as the average NHL game. But it's difficult to really pin down specifics on hockey betting totals, as only Colorado reports bets on "ice hockey." It is lumped into categories with other sports in most states.

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Another answer is "more people than used to bet on hockey." The arrival of the Vegas Golden Knights to The Strip in 2017 created heavier volume on hockey at the sportsbooks, especially from fans visiting the city to see their teams play. So did the spread of legalized single-game sports betting around the U.S., giving fans access to hockey wagering (and allowing teams to inundate them with advertising about hockey wagering).

Beyond the casual bettors, there are also those hockey wiseguys who bet the NHL frequently -- and successfully.

"One guy has been beating us for two years straight now," Salmons said. "He bets a ton of games, too. I give that guy all the credit in the world, to bet that many games and win. It's hard to do."

High-volume betting syndicates, who search for variances in odds at sportsbooks, also get involved in hockey any time a price on a game gets out of whack with the consensus market price.

According to Salmons, the most popular wager on the NHL is the money-line bet. That's essentially betting on a team's odds to win the game outright. Let's say you like the Washington Capitals to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers and they're a -140 favorite to win that game. Bet $20 and the payout is just over $34. But let's say you like the Flyers here, and they're +115 to win the game. Your $20 will net you $43 if they win.

The next most popular bet is the "puck line." (Some people call it the "goal line," but that's a little confusing given there's an actual "goal line" on the ice in hockey.) This is essentially "betting the spread" for hockey, where you get odds based on a team winning or losing by a certain number of goals. Since hockey is a low-scoring event sport, the typical puck line is plus or minus 1.5 goals. This can change if there's a lopsided matchup or if money is flooding in on one result or another. It can also change via your wager, as "alternate puck lines" are available with longer or shorter odds.

The other popular hockey bet is the total, aka the "over/under" for a game. The total number of goals in an NHL game is usually set between 5 goals and 6.5 goals, but there are times when the total will be set higher or lower than that range based on matchups or betting trends. This is another wager where alternative totals can get bettors friendlier odds if, say, one result is more heavily favored than another.

According to Salmons, hockey fans aren't known for only betting games one way. "Tons of parlays, big parlay sport," he said. "They'll parlay the money line or the goal line."

To quote Anakin Skywalker in "Revenge of the Sith," this is where the fun begins. Here are a few of the prop bets on NHL games that we fancy the most:

Player props: Most of the familiar names in an NHL game will have stat props attached to them, where you can wager an over/under bet on their total number of goals, assists and points for a game.

One of our favorite wagers is betting on shot totals. Goals contain a lot of variables, from the play of teammates to the actions of the opposing goaltender. While shots can go wide or get blocked, it's a more controllable outcome and a more predictable one based on a player's typical shot generation.

Same goes for goalies and betting save totals. You can base it on the defense in front of them or the expected game situation, e.g., if his team is leading in the third period, there's a good chance he'll still be facing multitudes of shots. There are also wagers on when a player scores and player vs. player props. Much more will be available through the NHL's puck and player tracking technology, like the distance a player traveled in a game. Sportsbooks have already licensed that data.

Team props: Arguably the most popular team prop get is total goals -- not for the game, but for an individual team. This is a good wager if you think you know how one team will perform in the game but you're not sure how the opponent will hold up their end of the scoring bargain on your game total bet. There are also prop bets for when a team scores and other events.

Game props: As we said, hockey is a low-event sport. Over the last two seasons combined, 22.8% of games went to either overtime or a shootout. Well, there's a prop for that: betting on whether a game will end in regulation, or whether a team will win the game in regulation -- a bet that can give a favorite more profitable odds through specificity. There are also props regarding goals scored by period and other totals. Game props also feature more "coin flip" type bets, like whether the final score will be even or odd. (Bet as you'd like, but we'd rather separate our hockey-style bets from our roulette-style bets.)

These are some of the most popular wagers among fans. You can bet on teams to win the Stanley Cup, either conference title or their respective divisions. There are also season wins and points total prop bets. You can also wager on whether a team will make the playoffs. (The Buffalo Sabres are +1400 to make the playoffs and -3500 to miss the playoffs, to present one extreme example.)

For individual futures, the NHL is blessed (or cursed) with no fewer than seven major awards that get odds every season, from MVP (Hart Trophy) to coach of the year (Jack Adams).

Limits vary book to book and are typically based on the size of the overall handle on a particular sport. You'll find much larger betting limits on the NFL, for example, than the NHL. A big bet on NHL is $5,000 at the SuperBook. "But on Knights games, you'll see 10- and 20-dime [$10,000/$20,000] bets all the time," Salmons said.

Salmons compared the amount bet on his book's odds to win the Stanley Cup to how much is bet on The Masters in golf. Anecdotally, the arrival of the Golden Knights increased the amount of action on Stanley Cup futures, as fans who visited the city would drop a few dollars on their teams. But that was before legalized hockey betting started spreading through the U.S.

The Colorado Avalanche (+550) are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning in a bid for a three-peat (+700), the Vegas Golden Knights (+750), the Toronto Maple Leafs (+1200) -- which would require them to win a playoff round for the first time since 2004 -- and the Boston Bruins (+1400). Along with the Avalanche (-220) and the Lightning (+130), the New York Islanders (+350) and the Golden Knights (-180) are favored to win their respective divisions.

For individual awards, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers is the heavy favorite for the Hart Trophy (MVP) at +200; Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Lightning (+400) is the favorite to win the Vezina (best goalie); Cale Makar of the Avalanche (+500) is the favorite for the Norris (best defenseman), while Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens (+300) is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy (top rookie).

Entering October, the Islanders had received more bets to win the Stanley Cup than any other team at the SuperBook. Another interesting betting trend to watch involves the NHL's newest team, the Seattle Kraken. In July, Caesars had them at an over/under of 73.5 points. But as money surged to the over, that total is now 90.5 points -- and both the over and the under currently stand at -110.

To repeat the feat of the Vegas Golden Knights and play for the Stanley Cup in their first season? Seattle is +2200 to win the West. Odds can change fast. If you like that wager, better get ... Kraken.

See the rest here:

How to bet on hockey - The ins and outs of wagering on the NHL - ESPN