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.”
NESN, the television home of the Boston Bruins and Boston Red Sox, and VSiN (Vegas Stats & Information Network) announced today that VSiN’s Follow the Money morning show will air live on NESNplus every weekday morning from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET beginning Monday, March 18. Beginning in April, the program will re-air on NESN every weekday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET immediately following NESN Sports Update, the regional network’s regularly scheduled morning sports news program.
“NESN has long been a leader in regional sports television, and there is no better partner to reach sports fans throughout New England,” said Brian Musburger, founder and CEO of VSiN. “As regulated sports betting expands across the country, VSiN will continue to partner with innovators like NESN to help inform the rapidly growing number of Americans wagering on sports.”
Follow the Money is hosted by Mitch Moss and Paul Howard. The three-hour show is an informative and entertaining sports talk show that blends actionable betting information with irreverent commentary, humor and legendary stories. Next week, the show will include expert insight and analysis around March Madness, the annual NCAA basketball tournament which gets underway on Tuesday.
“Sports-wagering regulations are changing quickly and with these changes, we anticipate an increased interest in obtaining relevant and reliable sports information,” said Rick Jaffe, NESN’s vice president of programming and production. “VSiN has both the experience and expertise to deliver the most up-to-date gaming data and analytics to New England’s sports fans.”
Follow the Money will also air live on NESN National, the network’s national programming service available outside the network’s New England territory via select TV providers.
Americans plan to wager $8.5 billion on this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament, with 1-in-5 adults placing a bet, according to a new survey released today by the American Gaming Association (AGA).
Zion Williamson (Flickr/Keenan Hairston)
Key findings from the survey, conducted by Morning Consult, include:
47 million American adults will wager $8.5 billion on March Madness;
$4.6 billion will be wagered on a collective 149 million brackets by more than 40 million people;
Nearly 18 million people will wager $3.9 billion at a sportsbook, online, with a bookie or with a friend;
4.1 million will place a bet at a casino sportsbook or using a legal app;
2.4 million will bet illegally with a bookie; and
5.2 million will bet online, likely at illegal offshore sites.
The plurality of bettors favors Duke (29%) to win, followed by Gonzaga (9%), North Carolina(8%), Kentucky (7%), Virginia (5%) and Michigan (5%).
“During this year’s tournament – the first in post-PASPA America – sports fans are expected to bet 40% more than they did on this year’s Super Bowl,” said Bill Miller, AGA’s president and chief executive officer. “Unlike any other sporting event in the country, March Madness attracts millions who fill out brackets, make casual bets with friends or wager at a legal sportsbook, which Americans can now do more than ever before.”
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in May 2018, more than $5.9 billion has been wagered in the now-eight states with legal, regulated sports betting, enabling consumer protections and generating valuable tax revenue for state, local and tribal governments across the country.
“These results indicate there’s still work to do to eradicate the vast illegal sports betting market in this country, and we’re committed to ensuring sound policies are in place to protect consumers, like the 47 million Americans who will bet on March Madness,” continued Miller.
New Jersey’s sportsbooks took in more than $320 million in February bets, generating strong monthly revenue despite a short month and a predictable post-Super Bowl lull. In all, New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks netted $12.7 million in revenue on $320.4 million in sports bets, down 16.8 percent from a record $385.3 million wagered in January.
The February handle works out to $46 per adult resident of New Jersey, significantly larger than any other legal sports jurisdiction, other than Nevada.
“Because of the strength of New Jersey’s online product, in-play betting during the Super Bowl was significantly stronger in New Jersey than in other legal markets,” said Dustin Gouker, lead sports betting analyst for PlayNJ.com. “In addition, New Jersey’s sportsbooks saw significant action on other sports, particularly on college basketball and the NBA. It adds up to another very good month for New Jersey even after a somewhat disappointing Super Bowl handle.”
New Jersey’s online sportsbook brands accounted for $258.9 million, or 80.8 percent, of total bets in January, according to official reporting. The state’s retail sportsbooks made up the remaining 20.2 percent. That compares to 79.2 percent of total bets flowing through online sportsbooks in January.
“New Jersey’s sports betting market is less driven by major events than in Nevada, and February’s numbers bear that out,” Gouker said. “The market’s consistency will eventually help New Jerseyovertake Nevada as the largest legal sports betting market in the U.S., which is now more a question of when rather than if.”
PlayNJ.com
FanDuel Sportsbook/Pointsbet overtook DraftKings Sportsbook as the state’s dominant online sportsbook with $6.6 million in February gross revenue, up from $5.9 million in January. DraftKings Sportsbook fueled Resorts’ $3.7 million in February online gross revenue, down 46 percent from $6.9 million in January.
FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands continues to dominate the retail market, posting $1.5 million in February gross revenue, up from $1.2 million in January. FanDuel was followed by Resorts AC’s $142,846.
“DraftKings and FanDuel show few signs of relinquishing their top spots,” Gouker said. “But with football now over, it will be interesting to see if a change in focus to college basketball and Major League Baseball alters the dynamic in the coming months.”
LEGAL ONLINE CASINOS
A month after crossing the $30 million threshold for monthly revenue for the first time, legal online gambling generated $31.8 million in February, up 44 percent from $21.99 million in February 2018. Though monthly revenue was down from a record $33.6 million in January, the industry generated $1.1 million per day in the 28 days of February, even with the 31 days in January.
“New Jersey’s online casinos are among the biggest beneficiaries of legalized sports betting,” said Steve Ruddock, lead online gambling analyst for PlayNJ.com. “Online casino revenue has grown by at least 25 percent in seven of the eight months since online sportsbooks made their first appearance in the Garden State. It would not be surprising if the industry hits $40 million in monthly revenue at some point before 2019 has ended.”
UMBC after its win over UVA in the 2018 NCAA First Round
Want a shot at one million dollars? Looking to have more fun playing fantasy sports? Do you want to have a chance to beat the competition – every time – up until the final buzzer, whistle or gun? Introducing SpeedBrackets, the new app that allows players to change their original pick at any point during a sporting event and still and have a chance to win. And to celebrate their launch, SpeedBrackets is offering a One Million Dollar Perfect Bracket Challenge for March Madness 2019. The best part? Even if you can’t be perfect, you can still compete and ensure you never lose another game the rest of the tournament. With SpeedBrackets, your brackets never bust, and you are never out of the game.
Initially conceived to solve the ‘busted brackets’ problem so often faced during the excitement of March Madness, with participants’ interest waning once they were eliminated (often in the first round). No matter what happens to your team throughout a game, you will be able to continuously adjust your picks to maximize your points as much as possible, even down to the last seconds.
How SpeedBrackets Works:
Users can customize competitions for individual rounds of a tournament or for the overall championship. At the end of each game, points are allotted on a leaderboard in real-time, allowing pool managers and their members to monitor instant results of first through last place. To get started, simply:
Register: Easily register and create your profile.
Join: Join pools or create your own. Invite all of your friends, family, coworkers, clients, customers, etc., with a simple email address. Many pools will award prizes at the completion of each tournament or playoff round, as well as for the total overall championship
Fill out your bracket. Pick your favorites from the “play-in” games to the championship.
Watch the games: SpeedBrackets makes the perfect “second-screen” while watching the action on TV or even live courtside. All the games and all their information on one screen, even the ones being played simultaneously, all on one screen.
Adjust your picks: Switch your selection of winning teams, right up to the last second of a game. Remember, the sooner you choose the correct winner, the more points you earn.
Notifications: Easily toggle notifications on or off for alerts, from “Games about to start in 5 minutes” or “Your team is losing with 5 minutes left in the game” And just in case you don’t switch a losing team and pick the winner, it conveniently reminds you that “Your bracket needs attention” – telling you that one of your teams lost and didn’t make it to the next round and you have to adjust your bracket.
SpeedBrackets’ Men’s College Basketball 2019 Championship app is currently available for free download from the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android). Please visit (https://speedbrackets.com/) to learn all about SpeedBrackets and how to take your fantasy sports experience to the next level.
FastPick, the number-one game for head-to-head and over/under fantasy match-ups between the world’s biggest sports stars, is coming home to ResortsCasino.com, the first casino in Atlantic City.
Just click the FastPick tab on the ResortsCasino.com site to get some skin in the game, as your fortunes rise and fall alongside the performance of your favorite players.
Ever wanted to ride LeBron James’ hot hand? Feeling Aaron Rodgers will rack up more passing yards than Tom Brady any given Sunday? Or think Mike Trout will outhit Bryce Harper?
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Commented Ed Andrewes, Owner of EAGC, lead consultant to Resort Digital Gaming: “We originally designed FastPick to accommodate every sports fan who wanted to get a slice of the action but didn’t have the time to compete effectively against those predatory DFS sharks.
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Michael Grenham has been appointed to the role of Managing Director, Racing and Sports Betting, at PA (the Press Association), the UK’s leading provider of multimedia sports editorial and data.
Previously Head of Business Development within PA’s Racing and Betting operation, Michael will be responsible for delivering the ongoing growth of the business. In addition to building on relationships with existing partners, Michael will develop new business opportunities and lead work to broaden PA’s portfolio of products and services for the betting market.
Michael Grenham/via LinkedIn
Under his leadership, PA this month launched ‘Bet Engage’, a feed of ready-to-publish sporting predictions for betting sites and social media channels, at ICE London.
Michael takes up his new role with immediate effect, reporting to Andrew Dowsett, Chief Operating Officer of parent company, the PA Group. He will be based in PA’s offices in Howden, Yorkshire.
Michael joined PA in May 2018 from William Hill where he held several senior roles and oversaw the development of new betting products and services, including an industry-leading online betting channel and successful sportsbooks for the US market.
Andrew Dowsett, Chief Operating Officer at the PA Group, said:
“Michael brings to the role a wealth of experience across online betting, operations and broadcast. His 20 years’ experience in the betting industry will be critical as PA looks to enhance its rapidly growing racing services and develop new sports products for the betting market.”
Michael Grenham, Managing Director, PA Racing and Betting, said:
“PA’s Racing and Betting operation has built a reputation for excellence over many decades. In recent years the business has increased the number of rights holders it works with and expanded its betting data operation. I look forward to continuing to work with the team and wider market as PA enters a new phase of growth.”
Photo by Gene Devine on Unsplash
Michael’s promotion follows news that Jim Donnelley, Director of Racing and Betting at PA, will retire at the end of 2019. Michael and Jim will continue to work alongside each other for the remainder of the year.
Online bookmaker PointsBet announced this week that it has issued Early Payouts on all bets for James Harden as MVP of this year’s NBA season. The Early Payout comes nearly four months before the winner is officially announced in late June.
James Harden (photo credit: Keith Allison)
All PointsBet customers who wagered on Harden to win the 2019 MVP award have received payouts at the odds they placed their bets on those specific markets.
“Our number one goal right now is to provide unmatched value to our customers,” said PointsBet US CEO, Johnny Aitken. “There are many operators in the New Jersey space, but PointsBet is the only one offering unique promotions like these. We want to prove that no one has the bettor’s back like we do, and this is just another example of that philosophy in action.”
This bettor-first initiative is just one of many seen by PointsBet customers since their launch in January, including their most recent NBA Early Payout, where all MoneyLine NBA wagers were paid out early if that team led at Halftime, even if they went on to lose the game. The promotion produced many “Double Payouts,” or scenarios where the team that is leading at halftime goes on to lose the game. In each of those instances, both sides of MoneyLine bets on the game are ultimately graded as winners for bettors.
For more information on PointsBet, Points Betting and how to sign up visit www.PointsBet.com.
The National Lacrosse League (NLL), the largest men’s indoor professional league, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with GEICO, the second-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States, as the official insurance designation of the NLL.
NLL action
As of the games on March 8th, all NLL teams’ away uniforms will have the GEICO patch featured on the jersey tail for the remainder of the 2018-2019 NLL season.
This is the NLL’s first large non-endemic partnership, a historic achievement for the league, which has expanded by four teams in just over a year.
“As we expand and grow our league, we have been looking to align ourselves with known and successful organizations,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “GEICO is a world class organization and innovative partner. With the increase in viewers we have seen this year, we’re excited to deliver GEICO’s message to our fans and partner with such a major brand.”
The March 8th game between the Philadelphia Wings and Buffalo Bandits will kick off the start of week 13. You can catch this game at 8:00 p.m. EST and all remaining games on B/R Live by downloading the B/R Live app through iTunes or Google Play; and/or via Apple TV, the Roku platform and Amazon Fire TV.”
“This partnership with GEICO, the first non-endemic, is a testament to the growing enthusiasm for indoor lacrosse and the outsized leadership position the NLL has taken within the sport,” said Will Funk, EVP of property marketing and corporate partnerships for Turner Sports, which represents the league for sales and marketing opportunities. “We look forward to bringing this partnership to life across B/R Live and beyond.”
By the time you’ve read this press release, you could’ve saved 15% or more on your car insurance by switching to GEICO!
Thuuz Sports, the most powerful automated video highlights production platform for worldwide sports, today announced their February Top 10 most exciting games across all broadcast sports events. While the Patriots Super Bowl win and the NBA and NHL All-Star Games missed the list, the NBA and college hoops dominated for the second month of the year, with both Miami Heat vs Golden State Warriors matchups making the list. LSU was on the list twice, winning two nail-biters, and three Boston games made 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.
“We head to March Madness, but February was all about basketball,” said Thuuz CEO Warren Packard. “It is always amazing to show how even regular season games can bring the most excitement, while some of the games we anticipate the most, like the Super Bowl, can fall short. We look forward to seeing what will dominate and surprise once again this month, using our custom ranking system.”
Using the Thuuz excitement measurement platform, the top ten most exciting games were:
1. West Virginia 104, TCU 96 (NCAAMB): 2/26: 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.
2. Boston 6, San Jose 5 (NHL):2/18: Controversial ending saw the Bruins score a tying goal against the Sharks with under two minutes remaining in regulation, a goal that should have been called off for a high touch. Hockey legend “Jumbo” Joe Thornton scored his 1st hat trick in 9 years, and did it against the Bruins, the team that drafted him. Young D-man Charlie McAvoy won the game for Boston in OT.
3. Duke 71, Louisville 69 (NCAAMB):2/12: 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.
Mike Krzyzewski (DoD photo by D. Myles Cullen)
4. LSU 73, Kentucky 71 (NCAAMB): 2/12: #19 LSU defeated #5 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.
5. LSU 82, Tennessee 80 (NCAAMB): 2/23: 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.
6. Los Angeles Lakers 129, Boston Celtics 128(NBA): 2/7: The NBA’s 2 most historic franchises played a nail-biter in Boston that saw former Celtic Rajon Rondo hit a jump shot at the buzzer to down his former team. LeBron James led the Lakers with a 28-12-12 triple-double.
7. Golden State 120, Miami 118 (NBA): 2/10: The Warriors were down by 19 before staging a massive comeback and withstanding a late Miami push to win by 2. KD hit a tying 3-pointer for his 25th point in the 2nd half, before getting away with a double-dribble that led to a DeMarcus Cousins offensive rebound and game winning FT’s.
8. Miami 126, Golden State 125 (NBA): 2/27: Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade hit the most improbable one-legged, buzzer-beating bank-shot to give the Heat a 1-pt victory. The rematch between these 2 teams saw a very similar storyline play out. The Warriors were down early in the game once again, this time by 24, before staging a huge comeback and holding a 2-pt lead with 8 seconds remaining before Wade sank the Warriors with his game-winner.
9. Oklahoma City 148, Utah 147 (NBA): 2/22: OKC came out on top in this double OT thriller behind 88 combined points from their superstars: Russ and PG13. PG13 owned OT as he had a windmill dunk and the eventual game-winning floater with 0.8 seconds remaining over last season’s defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert.
10. Milwaukee 98, Boston 97 (NBA): 2/21: Two Eastern Conference favorites battled in a low-scoring playoff atmosphere as a Khris Middleton hit a critical 3-pointer in the last minute to give the Bucks a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The Greek Freak led the Bucks with 30 points and 13 rebounds as they improved to 30 games above .500 with this win.
