SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
Why I Gamble: Sports Betting Is A Labor Of Love
I’ve voluntarily purchased new clothing three times since 2007. I clip coupons. I have an annual September calendar reminder to call SiriusXM, to threaten to cancel my subscription. They don’t like to lose customers, so each time they give me their latest promotional rate. I regularly sign up for and track my credit cards in a spreadsheet to take advantage of new promotional offers and maximize rewards. The point is, I’m frugal and financially savvy in many regards.
But when it comes to sports betting, I take risks. Lots of them, every week, mainly during the NFL season. It’s a 22-week long grind that requires adherence to a weekly routine, involving several sports betting podcasts, numerous articles from trusted writers and keen football observers, a dash of film study, some prognosticating, modeling/power ranking, some intuition and a sense of smell, like the pinball wizard, for bad lines and trap games.
Full story here.
Super Bowl LIII: Getting A Handle On The Underwhelming Handle
This year’s Super Bowl hangover may be longer lasting than in the past. That’s because the expected record handle in Nevada never materialized. In New Jersey, the newly created industry also had less-than-predicted betting action with Garden State books losing money on Super Bowl LIII, in which the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3.
Full story here.
Alliance of American Football (AAF) league launches this weekend: An Overview and betting breakdown
The NFL season ended with the New England Patriots defeating the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 to capture their sixth Super Bowl title. Already suffering from withdrawal? This year football doesn’t end with the Super Bowl, as the Alliance of American Football (AAF) league launches this weekend and better yet, you can wager on it.
Full story here.
The case for and against legal Academy Awards betting
If you think allowing people to bet legally on the results of the Academy Awards will be a controversy-free endeavor, wake up — you must be in La La Land.
Oh, no, wait. Correction: You’re in Moonlight.
The point of that hacky attempt at humor is to remind everyone that the Oscars can be as controversial as an un-flagged Nickell Robey-Coleman pass interference.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for would-be Oscars gamblers in New Jersey’s regulated sports betting market the last several days, as what had always been an outlawed activity in Nevada suddenly became a legal offering in New Jersey last Thursday … only to see the odds come off the board on Saturday … then reappear hours later.
Full story here.
Controversial D.C. Council Closer To Awarding Sole-Source Betting Contract To Intralot
With little discussion, but clear opposition, the D.C. Council on Tuesday voted to approve a measure that will allow it to bypass a bidding process in finding a sports betting vendor. The measure would also extend the contract of current D.C. Lottery vendor, Intralot, with no competition. The Committee of the Whole voted, 7-6, to pass Bill 23-25, the “Sports Wagering Procurement Practices Reform Exemption Act of 2019.”
According to testimony given by D.C. Lottery Executive Director Beth Bresnahan at a committee meeting last week, the Lottery should be able to get sports betting in the District of Columbia up and running within six months of signing a new contract with Intralot. If D.C. had decided to go with an open-bid process, the city CFO said it would take a minimum of 27 months.
Full story here.
