Jerry Milani is a freelance writer and public relations executive living in Bloomfield, N.J. He has worked in P.R. for more than 30 years in college and conference sports media relations, two agencies and for the International Fight League, a team-based mixed martial arts league, and variouis sports and entertainment properties. Milani is a proud graduate of Fordham University and when not attending a Yankees or Rams game can be reached at Jerry (at) JerryMilani (dot) com.
IDSCA, a pay per head site, will offer players the opportunity to bet on the 2019 NBA Playoffs starting April 13. That is the start date for the playoffs, when the post-season tournament will begin, eventually ending with the crowning of a new champion.
In 2018, IDSCA online bookie software also allowed players to bet on the NBA playoffs. Many players, as well as bookies, made quite a bit of money when the Golden State Warriors won another championship. Compared to last year, the field this year is more wide open. While some teams have separated themselves from the pack in terms of wins, there does not seem to be the clear, consensus favorite that there was a year ago.
“Anything can happen in the NBA this year. Sure, Golden State has to be a favorite, but that record says they aren’t as dominant as they used to be. This makes for a great opportunity for bookies and players. We’re excited to see the kind of money that our bookies are going to make during this playoff season,” said Julio Vargas, marketing manager of IDSCA.
In addition to the NBA playoffs, IDSCA also offers betting on the NHL playoffs, college basketball tournament, baseball season and more. The site also includes online casino games as well as the option to bet on horse racing.
For more information about the 2019 NBA playoffs, betting on basketball or to make a press inquiry, visit https://www.idsca.com/ or contact IDSCA at (866) 225-5437.
The exclusive global partnership will give fans the chance to get involved in UFC-themed PokerStars promotions and products featuring cash prizes and exclusive UFC experiences
PokerStars, the undisputed champion of the online poker world and flagship poker brand of The Stars Group, today announced the launch of UFC-branded Spin & Go’s as part of PokerStars’ exclusive global partnership with UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization.
PokerStars became UFC’s first-ever “Official Poker Partner” at the end of last year, which is a new sponsorship category for UFC. The famous red-spade will be present on the canvas of UFC’s world-famous Octagon® at UFC® 236: HOLLOWAY vs. POIRIER 2 in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, April 13 and at UFC® 237: NAMAJUNAS vs. ANDRADE in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday, May 11, as well as all Pay-Per-View events throughout the remainder of the year.
The PokerStars brand will also be broadcast around the world on exclusive digital advertising real-estate and across social media channels. UFC fans are welcomed into the fold with UFC-themed PokerStars promotions and products featuring cash prizes and exclusive UFC experiences to be won in 2019.
Poker fans will see UFC branding emblazon newly relaunched Spin & Go’s, fast-paced, three-player poker tournaments with randomly assigned prize pools and big cash prizes for the taking. The UFC-branded Spin & Go is now live on PokerStars where, for the first time, players can play poker inside the UFC’s world famous Octagon®, feel the thrill of an arena atmosphere, and win millions. But the fun won’t stop there. More special UFC and PokerStars products and rewards are still to come and select UFC athletes will be announced as sponsors in the future.
“It’s been great to work on exciting, new and innovative ideas alongside PokerStars since our exclusive partnership went live,” said Paul Asencio, UFC Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships. “UFC Spin & Go is a great example of how PokerStars are integrating our brand into their world and bringing exciting new products to our fans.”
“UFC is the perfect pick for PokerStars,” said Christopher Coyne, Chief Marketing Officer, Stars Interactive. “UFC fans have a high propensity to engage in gaming and many of our players are fans of UFC. Our plan is to thrill as far and wide as possible with games, promotions, content and competitions that trigger passions and enhance the overall experience at PokerStars. We’ve so much in store. This is just the beginning.”
Read more about PokerStars’ exclusive global partnership with UFC® at PokerStars Blog.
UFC branded Spin & Go’s will be available on all licenses, other than PokerStars.pt and .cz.
With a presence spanning more than 75 countries, Hard Rock International is expanding its global gaming portfolio, announcing a collaboration with VICI Properties Inc. (VICI) to acquire the JACK Cincinnati Casino. Through the joint purchase, Hard Rock will acquire the operating assets of the casino, rebranding it Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, while VICI will own the land and real estate assets.
“Hard Rock has been the number one operator in Ohio since opening in the greater Cleveland market in 2013,” said Jim Allen, chairman and CEO of Hard Rock International. “And now, we look forward to introducing our unique brand of casino entertainment to Cincinnati. On behalf of the 40,000 Hard Rock team members worldwide, I am pleased to welcome the more than 1,000 JACK Cincinnati employees into the Hard Rock family.”
JACK Cincinnati is situated on 22 acres in the Broadway Commons area of downtown Cincinnati. The property features 100,000 square feet of gaming space with approximately 1,800 gaming machines and 100 table games. Additionally, the property contains 33,000 square feet of meeting space, six high-quality restaurants and two bars. New property improvements will be announced by Hard Rock later this year.
Credit: Michał Parzuchowski
“We are proud to partner with Hard Rock, further diversifying our tenant roster with an international leader in gaming, entertainment and hospitality experiences and a renowned global platform of 245 hospitality venues across 75 countries,” said John Payne, president and chief operating officer of VICI Properties.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to close in late 2019. The acquisition is expected to be accretive immediately upon closing.
Jones Day served as legal advisor to Hard Rock together with Fox Rothschild LLP, as special gaming counsel.
For more information or to book a stay at any of the Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, please visit hardrockhotels.com.
AGS today announced that Adam Whitehurst is joining the Company as Vice President of Strategic Accounts. Whitehurst joins AGS with 24 years of experience in gaming, technology, and pharmaceuticals.
Whitehurst is an accomplished sales leader and business development executive with more than two decades of experience in Gaming, where he led sales teams to high levels of performance, successfully integrated sales teams after mergers and acquisitions, negotiated complex, multi-year, enterprise-wide deals, and established a strong track record of customer success and building high-performance teams.
He most recently worked at Scientific Games, where he was the Vice President of Game Sales for five years, with responsibility for the eastern U.S. Prior to that, he served with Bally Technologies, which was later acquired by Scientific Games, ending his tenure there as Vice President of Games Sales – Central Region. Whitehurst earned a Masters of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from University of Florida.
AGS Senior Vice President of Sales Robert Perry said, “Adam is an exceptional addition to the AGS team and will help drive further penetration of our slot products across the U.S., with a laser-focus on leveraging his strong relationships with strategic and corporate accounts. He has an impressive track record of establishing and maintaining longstanding, trusted partnerships with casino operators, and his experience will play a major role in taking AGS to the next level of growth. I’m thrilled to have him join our team.”
Whitehurst said, “I can’t think of a better time to join AGS. The Company is on fire with a fast-growing library of slot content and cabinets consistently ranked among the highest-performing games. The senior leadership is top-notch and focused on doing all the right things to grow the business, and the AGS culture is unmatched in our industry for its focus on transparency, leader accessibility, communication, diversity, teamwork, and ownership. I’m honored and excited to join a company that truly makes customers and employees feel valued, heard, and recognized.”
Morten Andersen (Wikimedia Commons/Samjudge. from UK)
Morten Andersen, who holds the all-time record for most games played in the NFL, will be delivering a keynote speech at this month’s Betting on Sports America conference, held from 23-25 April at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey.
Andersen is attending #bosamerica as an ambassador for the Denmark-based igaming affiliate Better Collective – a key sponsor of the event whose US-facing brands include Betoclock.com, the us-bookies.com hub and a fast-growing bet-state network already featuring bet-nj.com, bet-wv.com and bet-pa.com.
The “Great Dane” will be talking about the NFL’s unique ability to connect with its fan base – and particularly those with an affinity for sports betting – as part of the “Sports and Betting”‘ track on Thursday 25 April, the second full day of the conference.
At the age of 17, Andersen did an exchange in the USA from his native Denmark. As there was no European football available at his school, he applied his skills to American football.
What followed was an illustrious career in the NFL, where he retired in 2008 as the all-time leader for games played and points scored in NFL history, as well as being the all-time leading scorer for both the New Orleans Saints – where he spent 13 seasons – and the Atlanta Falcons, for whom he spent a combined eight seasons.
Better Collective CEO Jesper Søgaard said: “It is exciting for us to be joined by Morten Andersen, an undisputed legend of the NFL. Andersen’s journey from starting in Denmark and obtaining such success in the USA is an obvious source of inspiration for us and our US strategy, and we are proud to have him as an ambassador for Better Collective.
“Betting on Sports America was already a key part of the 2019 agenda for Better Collective, as a prime opportunity to increase our knowledge of where affiliates sit in the new marketplace.”
Morten “The Great Dane” Andersen from his inauguration into the NFL Hall of Fame
Andersen added: “I am very honoured to be joining Better Collective at Betting on Sports America. Danish values are something that I have always adhered to throughout my career in the US, and I’m happy to see Better Collective is applying those same values to the betting industry.
“I hope to draw upon my experience from over 25 years in the NFL to deliver some useful insight to betting industry leaders, particularly those focused on making a mark in the newly liberalised US market.”
Rasmus Sojmark, SBC Founder and CEO, commented: “The so-called European betting ‘invasion’ – led by software providers, front-end operators and affiliates – has been a major talking point post-PASPA repeal, and something that will form a key part of the discussion at the inaugural Betting on Sports America conference.
“Therefore it is fitting that we can present Morten Andersen – one of the finest European exports across the top four US sports – as part of the stacked up agenda. We’d like to thank our friends at Better Collective for making this happen.”
STATS, the revolutionary leader in sports AI, announced today the extension of work with FantasySpin, a patented fantasy sports game, to provide player-specific projections and game data to the platform.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Kelly Bailey
FantasySpin offers a unique fantasy application, allowing users to create a lineup with a “spin” or “spins,” rather than drafting, bringing luck and strategy to who a user will pick. By extending with STATS, FantasySpin customers can connect with the latest scores, while using STATS’ fantasy projections to make an educated decision on how a player is expected to perform. The agreement extends a longstanding partnership between FantasySpin and STATS, which includes data and projections for NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL games.
“Fantasy games have become a major part of the second-screen experience for sports fans, and FantasySpin offers a unique competition through random spin and skilled drawing,” said Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at STATS. “STATS continues to invest in the latest artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to scour through our immense database faster, making fantasy predictions more accurate. We couldn’t be more thrilled to extend our agreement with FantasySpin.”
FantasySpin has already begun development of a new PGA golf fantasy game using STATS’ data. As part of the agreement, FantasySpin and STATS will explore expanding their offerings into even more leagues.
“As a fantasy sports app, we want to connect with all ranges of fantasy players—from daily fantasy sports experts, to novices,” said Steve “Dakota” Happas, CEO and Co-Founder of FantasySpin. “By using STATS data, we can connect our users with all the games going on and provide updates on how their players are performing. The player projections make this a true game-changer, allowing fans to pick their team based on AI-driven suggestions.”
Fans looking to test their luck and fantasy skill can download the FantasySpin app in the Apple Store, Google Play, or at https://www.fantasyspin.com/.
Monkey Knife Fight, which bills itself as North America’s fastest-growing sports gaming platform, confirmed today its plan to redefine the baseball experience with the debut of hundreds of daily prop contests for every Major League Baseball game.
Monkey Knife Fight launched with last fall’s NFL season, and has already registered more than 10 million entries on football, basketball, hockey, and golf contests, with projections to top more than $100 million in gaming through the upcoming baseball season.
Sports fans play against the house with contests such as, “Will Bryce Harper have more than 2.5 total bases?”, “Who will have more RBIs and home runs on Thursday night: Mike Trout or Khris Davis?”, and “Will Chris Sale have more or less than 9.5 strikeouts?”.
Industry’s Fastest-Growing Sports Gaming platform
Since its launch in Fall 2018, Monkey Knife Fight’s dynamic new prop contests have quickly become the go-to destination for sports fans. With Monkey Knife Fight, fans avoid annoying salary caps, position quotas, and, best of all, having to play against the sharks that dominate traditional Daily Fantasy Sports sites. Real sports fans actually have a chance to win real money since they’re playing against the house – not ringers.
The Monkey Knife Fight platform is the brainchild of owner Bill Asher and President Nic Sulsky – two sports fans who have been frustrated with Daily Fantasy Sports sites because of how hard they are to play and how difficult it is to win.
“The fan reaction to Monkey Knife Fight has been overwhelming. We’ve had more than a few Holy Sh#t moments. We hit a million plays almost overnight and have had fans flocking to us at an amazing rate ever since,” says Asher. “Playing prop games always makes watching sports so much more entertaining. I mean, drinking beer is still the top thing to do when watching sports, but playing Monkey Knife Fight is definitely second.”
Century Casinos, Inc. announced the opening of its racing entertainment centre at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in South Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
At 9:30 a.m. MDT the doors opened for the first time and the public was invited by Century’s staff to explore the brand new casino featuring 550 slot machines and electronic table games, 14 video lottery terminals, an innovative REPLAY gaming stadium with 28 unique play stations and an interactive digital wall display, an off-track betting room, a restaurant and a lounge area.
With the racing entertainment centre open, Century is now preparing for the first weekend of Thoroughbred racing on the one-mile racetrack, which is scheduled for April 28, 2019.
Century Mile Racetrack and Casino is the Company’s latest development, located on Edmonton International Airport land and close to the city of Leduc, south of Edmonton. The location is ideally positioned exiting off the Queen Elizabeth II Highway, which is the main corridor between Calgary and Edmonton and one of the most heavily used highways in Western Canada. It is close to the airport, a shopping mall, retail outlets, hotels, a golf course and an abundance of other businesses. The Company is investing approximately $46.6 million USD, based on the exchange rate in effect as of February 26, 2019, in the development.
Bet Construct, in partnership with Atlantis Gaming Corporation, has entered into a relationship with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The three entities have agreed in concept on the launch of a premium fantasy sports experience in the United Statesmarket.
Bet Construct, through a deep understanding of the players’ needs, developed a fully customizable fantasy sports software with reliable fantasy data and marketing guidance to 40-plus partners around the world.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame, as one of the most recognized organizations in sports, is examining how the use of its brand can bring an instant fan base to jumpstart the new Fantasy Sports Platform.
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame is pleased to be exploring how a partnership in the gaming industry can support its important mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values and Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE,” commented Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker.
“We are thrilled to provide our fantasy sports technology for this exciting venture with the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Tribal Gaming Network. Through Bet Construct’s world-class fantasy sports platform, the leverage of the Tribal Gaming Network, and the trusted brand of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this partnership will deliver a truly exceptional fantasy sports experience to players,” saidBet Construct Head of US Operations, Jonathan Aiwazian.
“Atlantis Gaming is proud to introduce this exciting Daily Fantasy Sports product nationwide in states that offer legal Daily Fantasy Sports via our Tribal Gaming Network,” states Atlantis Gaming Corporation, President & CEO, Donald L. Bailey
A formal announcement is expected soon by the Hall of Fame with Bet Construct and Atlantis Gaming.
Kentucky Derby Online Betting (KDOB) recently unveiled the results of its latest media poll regarding the favorite picks for the eagerly anticipated 145th Run for the Roses. After a cancelled race at the San Felipe Stakes, and recent wins by contenders in Florida and the Gotham Stakes, this year’s race looks to be more robust and unpredictable than ever for betting enthusiasts.
KDOB is currently running an ongoing media poll to tally favorite horse picks leading up the first jewel of the Triple Crown. With the Tampa Bay and Gotham Stakes derby wins achieved by Tacitus and Haikal respectively, the top ten contenders for that media poll shifted somewhat, and now include:
Game Winner
Improbable
War of Will
Code of Honor
Bourbon War
Mucho Gusto
Tacitus
Country House
Hidden Scroll
Haikal
As the race on Saturday, May 4th at Churchill Downs rapidly approaches, KDOB maintains a comprehensive list of betting odds, with constant updates of those odds to reflect new information. The most popular betting platforms are presented in an easy and streamlined way, with the KDOB webpage prominently displaying bold links for the top-three-ranked racebooks. The website also offers extra tips to help gamers choose between racebooks by listing extra betting features and the overall popularity of each racebook.
Those looking to bet on the upcoming Kentucky Derby with Bitcoin and/or credit cards should take some time to familiarize themselves with the online racebooks available. Some racebooks do not offer Bitcoin bets at all, while others give signup bonuses for credit card use. Most bettors find that it pays to research a specific racebook choice ahead of time.
Some of the latest odds include Teeth of the Dog at 30/1; Danza, known to be a strong finisher, coming in at 25/1; and Tapiture at 20/1 odds, a strong bet for the top three who hails from the same camp as Bodemeister.
To see the entire list of media picks, and for all of the latest in Kentucky Derby betting odds, please visit https://www.kentucky-derby-online-betting.com/.
William Hill US, America’s leading sports book operator, today announced a strategic partnership agreement with the National Hockey League (NHL), naming William Hill as an “Official Sports Betting Partner of the NHL.”
“This new partnership is yet another example of the innovative yet practical approach our League is taking with the emerging sports gaming industry,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “We continue to work directly with stakeholders to cultivate relationships across the sports betting landscape. Partnering with William Hill US, a leader in both the sportsbook and mobile betting marketplace, provides a tremendous opportunity to further fan engagement.”
“We are thrilled to become an official sports betting partner of the National Hockey League,” said Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US. “Commissioner Bettman and his team at the NHL have been at the forefront of understanding the opportunities to engage fans through sports betting. Combined with our existing partnerships with the Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils, we are extremely excited to continue to build our relationship with the NHL.”
Betting on NHL games has increased 38% during the 2018-19 season at William Hill’s Nevada Sports Books. Additionally, according to a recent Nielsen Sports report, NHL fans, when compared to fans of other sports leagues, are more likely to not only wager on their own sport, but also on all other major ‘Big 4’ sports leagues. “We appreciate the progressive and collaborative approach of the NHL and are encouraged by the early results,” Asher said.
As an official sports betting partner of the NHL, William Hill will receive promotional media in relevant NHL markets and will leverage branding opportunities in connection with the League’s calendar of marquee events.
VSiN (Vegas Stats & Information Network), the first media network dedicated to sports gambling information, is launching on Sling TV, America’s number-one live TV streaming service. Available on Sling TV today as a standalone channel for $4 per month, VSiN will deliver dynamic content to the growing number of Americans who wager on sports.
VSiN delivers more than 80 hours of live linear programming each week, including legendary sportscaster Brent Musburger’s “My Guys in the Desert,” which airs weekdays at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. All VSiN shows originate from a showcase studio in the busiest sportsbook in Las Vegas at the South Point Hotel Casino & Spa – the equivalent of CNBC being on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
“With more subscribers than any other live TV streaming service, Sling TV provides an amazing opportunity for us to reach the large and growing group of sports fans seeking credible, actionable sports betting information,” said Brian Musburger, founder and CEO of VSiN. “With this distribution deal, as well as others we’ve announced over the past several months, we are better able to reach the folks who wager on sports wherever they may be, while securing our position as the only full-time network dedicated exclusively to sports gambling.”
Starting at $25 per month, Sling TV is an over-the-top (OTT) content platform that delivers live TV and on-demand entertainment instantly to a variety of smart televisions, tablets, game consoles, computers, smartphones, virtual reality headsets and streaming devices. Sling TV is the pioneer of live, OTT multichannel TV services that can be taken anywhere, helping form and define the rapidly growing OTT/streaming industry. Sling TV lets users pick their personal channel lineup, starting with a base service and adding only the genre-based extras, premium channels and à la carte channels they want. With no long-term contracts, rental equipment or hidden fees, Sling TV is an advanced and affordable alternative to watch favorite cable television programming at home or on the go.
Mercurius Tradr, a new app in the Betfair App Directory that makes successful sports trading as simple as pressing a button
Mercurius is today announcing the launch of its new application, Tradr, in the Betfair App Directory, which makes successful sports trading as simple as pressing a button. Consistently positive returns are possible thanks to, Mercurius’ proprietary Artificial Intelligence algorithms that powers fully automated value betting strategies.
For 2 years Mercurius has been developing its proprietary trading algorithms and today it’s able to provide a fully automated trading system, that enables professional traders and sophisticated investors to invest in sports betting according to their chosen risk profile.
The app is a very simple interface connected to a very powerful and sophisticated AI engine; Betfair users just have to connect their Betfair account to Mercurius’ App, choose their initial investment amount for their bankroll and then activate their chosen strategy; Mercurius Intelligence does the rest.
Mercurius technology stands out from the usual value betting strategies because it’s able to calculate its own fair odds instead of using sharps bookies and line movements as a reference. This is possible because more accurate probabilities are calculated through fundamental analysis, meaning their AI analyses how well players and teams are playing by crunching millions of data points (goals scored, shots location, player skills).
This innovative approach has several benefits: strategies do not depend on market sentiment, but rather exploit it; clients don’t need to have hundreds of soft books accounts nor they incur into restrictions.
“It’s a great time for data science and betting, as the Big Data revolution has completely redefined how successfully you can analyse sports betting opportunities. Deep quantitative analysis allows Mercurius to forecast millions of outcomes and probabilities in seconds in order to uncover value bets: our AI crunches millions of data points describing matches second by second and creating a numeric picture of events and teams strength with much greater precision than was ever previously possible.” – Lorenzo Malanga, Data Scientist and CRO at Mercurius.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will share his vision for the future of sports betting in the state at next month’s Betting on Sports America conference, the biggest sports wagering trade event in the U.S.
Murphy, who will make a keynote address to the conference, being held across April 23-25, joins a stellar cast of thought leaders and innovators drawn from the global sports betting industry and U.S. political arena. The core of the event is being held at Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey, with networking parties in both NJ and NYC.
SBC organizes the world’s biggest sports betting trade events in Europe and the United States via its event brand SBCEvents.com. SBC also manages a network of betting and gaming industry news portals including SBCAmericas.com, an online news and analysis resource dedicated to the developing sports betting industries in North and South Americas.
The Governor’s inclusion at Betting on Sports America is entirely fitting given the vital role New Jersey played in getting legal sports betting on to the statute books. As a long standing supporter of sports betting, he not only championed its legalization, but was instrumental in ensuring that the regulation was workable in a real world sense and, above all else, fair.
Commenting on his forthcoming attendance at Betting on Sports America, Murphy said: “It is my pleasure to address delegates from the international sports betting industry who will join us here in New Jersey for the inaugural Betting on Sports America conference. We are immensely proud of the integral part that New Jersey played in taking down PASPA and in doing so laying the solid foundations for legal sports wagering to be enjoyed by Americans across the nation. New Jersey has been a sports betting success story and we hope that other states seeking to go legal will replicate that positive experience.”
SBC CEO and Founder Rasmus Sojmark heralded the Governor’s involvement in the discussions, saying: “We are delighted to have someone with the huge political standing and stature of Phil Murphy join us for what will be an unmissable event. The Governor will play a fundamental part in shaping and delivering legal sports wagering for New Jersey and we’re looking forward with high anticipation to his keynote address at Betting on Sports America.”
When Murphy signed New Jersey’s sports betting bill into law, he set in motion a new era for the Garden State’s casinos and racetracks, enabling them to attract new business and new fans, and giving a boost to their long-term financial prospects. Avid soccer fan Murphy also placed the historic first legal sports wager at Oceanport’s Monmouth Park racetrack with a $20 bet on Germany to win the 2018 FIFAWorld Cup and $20 on the New Jersey Devils to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Top-tier sportsbook operator PointsBet today announced a Good Karma Payout in response to last night’s Duke vs. UCF game, after a dramatic, unexpected and heartbreaking ending with a missed tip-in by Aubrey Dawkins, that led the Duke on a continued path for the championship. PointsBet’s Good Karma Payout has refunded all UCF moneyline bets in the form of bonus bets as part of the payout.
Good Karma Payout, which provides bettors relief in the event of unlikely circumstances that sway the fate of the game, is yet another feature in PointsBet’s offering that proves the company has the back of the bettor. The sportsbook is also offering refunds to sports fans who backed UCF via other sportsbooks and didn’t receive refunded wagers on the game. Bettors will just need to sign up with code KARMA and send PointsBet their bet slip through social media to receive up to $100 in bonus bets.
“PointsBet’s Karma Kommittee knew this morning’s meeting was going to be eventful following last night’s heart-wrenching finish,” said PointsBet U.S. CEO Johnny Aitken. “We know how wildly disappointing a loss like that feels, and we’re here to have the back of all bettors when the outcome of a game just isn’t fair. This Good Karma Payout gives bettors a chance to redeem themselves as March Madness continues on.”
PointsBet has previously announced Good Karma Payouts as a result of the Karma Kommittee meetings, most recently for the Duke vs. UNC game, where Zion Williamson left with an ankle injury after 33 seconds. The Karma Kommittee also refunded all bets in January’s notorious blown pass interference call in the Saints vs. Rams NFC Championship game.
To begin betting with PointsBet, visit www.PointsBet.com. New customers will receive a free $25 bonus bet (no deposit required). In addition, new users will be given the opportunity to place two risk-free bets, with coverage up to $1,000. Customers will have up to $500 in losses covered for both their first traditional wager and their first PointsBetting wager, designed to give bettors a chance to try out PointsBet’s signature offering risk-free.
STATS, the revolutionary leader in sports AI, announced that Dr. Patrick Lucey, vice president of artificial intelligence, will provide keynote remarks and a data case study at this week’s Strata Data conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
On Tuesday at 10 a.m. PST, Dr. Lucey will present the data case study, “Sports Analytics in the Wild Using Player-Tracking Data.” The 30-minute presentation will cover interactive sports analytics that allow a coach or analyst to virtually diagram plays to predict player performance and positioning outcomes. The presentation will also cover using multi-agent trajectory data to predict fine-grained plays through in-stadium optical tracking cameras. Finally, Dr. Lucey will detail how the revolutionary new technology, AutoSTATS, has the ability to go beyond center-of-mass tracking to capture body-pose information from broadcast video.
On Wednesday, March 27 at 9:15 a.m. PST, Dr. Lucey will present his keynote, “Interactive Sports Analytics.” A summary of his data case study, Dr. Lucey will discuss the advancements in player tracking and how the influx of new data provides greater possibilities for data science in sports.
“Player tracking data has become a vital part of international analysis in sports, especially in basketball and soccer,” said Dr. Lucey. “With recent advancements in AI and computer vision, STATS has recently created AutoSTATS, a brand-new technology that can pull tracking and body-pose data directly from broadcast video. With a wealth of new data, sports analysis is on the precipice of a boom where we can diagram plays and accurately simulate outcomes of in-game events. It is an exciting time for data science in sports, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share our recent developments with computer vision and machine learning experts who may be interested in joining our team.”
Strata Data brings together some of the top data scientists, analysts, engineers and executives from across industries. For more information about the conference, visit: https://conferences.oreilly.com/strata/strata-ca.
One of the world’s most popular video games, League of Legends is estimated to gather a total viewership of over 76 million people during their LCS Spring Finals this coming April. But Payperhead.com – the leading sportsbook software company in the industry – is expecting an unprecedented number of wagers being placed on the eSports event, a never-before-seen phenomenon.
“League of Legends is one of the most popular games in the video game industry. Their last Spring Split gathered a total viewership of over 75 million people worldwide.” explained Nate Johnson, Product Manager of PayPerHead.com. “This year’s ‘Split’ has been quite the rollercoaster ride of excitement and upset. During their Spring Finals this April, we’re expecting a 75% increase of wagers.”
Recently, PayPerHead has improved their list of eSports to their software, where agents can choose which eSport they provide to their players and the ability to set their own lines. Currently, their platform supports games like League of Legends, DOTA, CS:GO and Overwatch. While the company admits that their supported games can be seen as a limited list, PayPerHead commented that the majority of eSport industry revenue stems from these major titles.
“People who are not quite versed in eSports, many compare the industry to a league like the NBA or NFL, however, this relation is completely wrong.” Explained Johnson. “Each video game can be seen as a league of their own. League of Legends can be related to the NFL, and Fortnite to the NBA.”
(Flickr/downloadsource.fr)
In previous months, PayPerHead.com reported an increase of users and agents in their 18-32 year old demographic. The company is anticipating that an increased amount of adult millennials are creating sportsbooks of their own, and including esports as one of the leading betting options they offer.
“Our sales team is getting bombarded with calls with inquiries regarding the eSports leagues we support and options for betting.” Explained Johnson. “People are specifically asking for League of Legends, which is a clear sign that we’re going to see a significant increase in bets throughout their spring finals.”
STATS, the worldwide leader in sports data and intelligence, announced that media and gambling sales director Roy Clements will speak on a panel at Betting on Football at Stamford Bridge in London today.
Clements will present on the panel, “Data – do you get what you pay for?” at 15:30 on Thursday. The panel will focus on types of data feeds, delivery mechanisms, and creating the right data package for a business. Assaf Stieglitz, founder of Odds1x2, will moderate the panel with participation from other panelists spanning the sports data gambling space.
“Data is the backbone of the sports gambling sector, and having the right data feeds and integration is paramount to getting a sportsbook or other sports betting company off the ground,” said Clements. “Fast and accurate live data is obviously important, but we are also seeing a new wave of AI-powered predictions that are more accurately anticipating the events in a match. With third-screen experiences becoming a new part of following a match, it is important for companies to consider data integration when creating a fan experience on their platform. At STATS, we’re committed to investing in faster and more accurate data, and creating new match insights through AI-powered data solutions.”
Betting on Football brings together decision-makers from international operators to address the recent issues and opportunities in the sports betting industry. For more information, visit: https://sbcevents.com/betting-on-football-2019/
Thuuz Sports, the most powerful automated video highlights production platform for worldwide sports, today announced their 2018-19 Top 10 most exciting games for the men’s basketball season. Despite not making the NCAA Tournament, The University of West Virginia, by virtue of their February 26 win over TCU, topped the list. The Mountaineers, appeared twice on the list, just behind Tennessee and Duke, who are each on the list for three games. The regular season matchup between top seeds Duke and Gonzaga also qualified in the Top 10.
Using their custom designed algorithms to measure real-time event excitement, Thuuz will provide a unique look into what games have gotten fans the most excited and engaged as 2019 rolls along.
The game excitement ratings are measured on a 0 to 100 scale and take into consideration game pace, team parity, play novelty, momentum shifts, social buzz, and historical context. The algorithms behind the excitement ratings are statistically calibrated to insure the appropriate distribution of ratings across the duration of a season or course of a tournament.
Using the Thuuz excitement measurement platform, the top ten most exciting games were:
1) West Virginia 104, TCU 96 (Big 12): 2/26/19
WVU outlasted TCU in a triple OT showdown in Big 12 conference play. WVU had 4 players play over 50 minutes in the game, led by Derek Culver who ended the game with 22 points and 21 rebounds. This is the only game in the top 10 that was between 2 teams that did not make March Madness.
2) Duke 71, Louisville 69 (ACC): 2/12/19
Louisville was winning 59-36 with under 10 min left in the 2nd half, before Zion Williamson and Duke began a massive comeback that ended in a 2-point victory. Duke freshman Cam Reddish made 2 FT’s with 15 seconds remaining to give Duke their 1st lead since they were up 21-20 in the 1st half. A defensive stand after those FT’s led to an improbable Duke victory.
3) Tennessee 76, Gonzaga 73 (NCAA): 12/9/18
A battle between two veteran-heavy teams came down to the wire as Rui Hachimura and Gonzaga came up just short against 2-time SEC player of the year Grant Williams and Tennessee. Admiral Schofield was the standout performer for Tennessee with 30 points and 6 rebounds as Tennessee picked up a great non-conference win against the #1 seed in the West in Gonzaga.
4) Duke 74, UNC 73 (ACC): 3/15/19
The two heated rivals faced off for the 3rd time this season after the Tar Heels had won both regular season games. The difference between this game and the 1st two was that Duke didn’t have their star freshman and likely #1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, Zion Williamson. In his first full game against UNC, he posted 31 points and 11 rebounds as Duke defeated UNC and went on to win the ACC Championship, with Zion being named MVP.
5) Gonzaga 89, Duke 87: 11/21/18
A matchup between two #1 seeds in March Madness went down to the wire in what remains Duke’s only loss of the season with Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cam Reddish all on the floor for a full game. Gonzaga was led by recently announced 1st team All-American Rui Hachimura, who had 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. He out-dueled Duke’s 1st team All-American duo in Barrett and Williamson, who both had 20+ points in the loss.
6) West Virginia 79, Texas Tech 74 (Big 12): 3/14/19
WVU became the only team to make it in this top-10 list twice and not be in March Madness by pulling off a major upset during the Big 12 tournament over Texas Tech. Two of the better players in the Big 12 battled it out in an entertaining matchup as Emmitt Matthews Jr (WVU) posted 28 points and 8 rebounds against likely NBA lottery pick Jarrett Culver, who had 26 points and 10 rebounds in the defeat.
7) Tennessee 82, Kentucky 78 (SEC): 3/16/19
A back and forth affair between 2 of the top 3 teams in an SEC semifinal saw Tennessee edge Big Blue Nation behind their back-to-back SEC player of the year Grant Williams. Lamonte Turner hit the game-winning 3-pointer for the Vols with 30 seconds remaining after having previously been 0-14 in 3-pointers in his 2 prior games against Kentucky.
8) Arizona State 80 Kansas 76: 12/22/18
Arizona State is one of the final teams in the field, and they can likely point to this monumental win over Kansas at home as the big reason why. Remy Martin (ASU) hit a pull-up jumper with just under a minute remaining to put ASU up 78-76 and become the 5th Sun Devil to reach double figures. That depth outlasted Kansas’ star Dedric Lawson who had an impressive 30 point, 14 rebound performance for the Jayhawks.
9) LSU 73, Kentucky 71 (SEC): 2/12/19
LSU defeated Kentucky on a controversial buzzer-beating tip-in for their 1st win over Kentucky since 2009. This incredibly close game was within 5 points for the final 14 minutes of the game, as the 2 SEC rivals went back and forth in a conference showdown.
10) LSU 82, Tennessee 80 (SEC): 2/23/19
After a crucial foul by Tennessee with less than a second remaining, LSU’s Ja’vonte Smart drained the go-ahead FT’s and as Tigers beat the Vols in OT. This was LSU’s 2nd victory in 2 weeks over a top-5 SEC team. Smart scored a career-high 29 points in the win.
Following Selection Sunday, the first year of legal sports betting in New Jersey for the NCAA Tournament is underway. To celebrate, PlaySugarHouse.com has announced a unique bracket promotion offering entrants a shot at their share of over $50,000 in payouts. For more information, click here.
Heading into Selection Sunday, Duke (+250), Gonzaga (+550), and Virginia (+600) were the betting favorites to win the National Championship. North Carolina joined those three teams as the final #1 seed in the Tournament, and collectively these #1 seeds are a remarkable 81-44-3 “Against the Spread” (ATS) on the season.
The most widely bet teams at PlaySugarHouse.com over the course of the season were #1 Duke (17-15 ATS), #2 Michigan (17-14 ATS), #2 Tennessee (15-14-1), #6 Villanova (20-12 ATS), and #1 North Carolina (20-9-3) showing that this season, the most popular teams have also been good bets
The most popular game to bet this season was the matchup between Duke and North Carolina on February 20th. The second most popular game was on February 17th between Villanova and St. Johns, two teams with significant fan bases in New Jersey.
The best team ATS this season, Drake (25-6), did not make the NCAA tournament
Teams in the tournament with particularly poor ATS numbers are #15 Montana (12-18), #11 Ohio St. (13-19), and #10 Iowa (13-19)
PlaySugarHouse.com will be offering unique bets throughout the NCAA Tournament, including Zion Williamson prop bets and parlay bets with boosted odds payouts
“We are pleased to give New Jersey residents and visitors in the state their first chance to legally bet on the NCAA Tournament,” said Mattias Stetz, COO, Rush Street Interactive. “We’re especially excited to introduce our free to play March Mania bracket promotion, which will pay out entrants on each correct bracket pick, totaling over $50,000 in prizes over the course of the tournament.”
