Category Archives: In The Biz

Pennies From Heaven

The latest Eilers-Fantini Game Performance Report for July isn’t about revenue, but about the breakdown of denominations and types of games offered on the floors of casinos that participate in its database (U.S. commercial casinos, 53 percent; tribal casinos 34 percent; and Canadian casinos, 13 percent). The data shows the overwhelming number of penny games… Read more »

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TCSJohnHuxley Launches Diamond Rotor

London-based table game supplier TCSJohnHuxley has released the Saturn Auto Diamond Rotor roulette wheel, which incorporates all the features of the existing Saturn Auto wheel, but offers an additional option that not only incorporates a striking design, but also produces a wider variation of bounce as the ball travels around the wheel. This increased bounce… Read more »

The post TCSJohnHuxley Launches Diamond Rotor appeared first on GGB Magazine.

UCLA Athletics Tabs Fast-Growing Sports Nutrition Brand Ready Nutrition As Official Protein

Ready® Nutrition (@ready nutrition), one of the fastest growing sports nutrition companies in America, announced today that it has signed a multi-year partnership with UCLA to become the Official Protein of UCLA Athletics.

As the Official Protein of UCLA Athletics, Ready® will be the exclusive provider of protein products to nearly 700 student-athletes in all 25 Bruin sports. Those products will include Ready’s all-natural, complete line of performance products including their well-known Ready® Protein Water, Bars, Powder and Plant-Based Functional Snacks.

“UCLA Athletics has such a rich tradition and I know they want the very best for their student-athletes. We are committed to helping them continue that tradition by supplying best-in-class products to meet the department’s nutritional goals for its athletes,” said Ready® Founder and President Pat Cavanaugh, himself a former student-athlete and University of Pittsburgh basketball team captain.

UCLA’s Director of Football Performance, Frank Wintrich, first became aware of Ready® Nutrition in 2019, when he had his student-athletes sample the products.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ready® to the UCLA family,” added UCLA’s Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond. “We want to give our student-athletes every edge and opportunity to reach their potential and be elite. Nutrition is such an important factor in athletic performance.”

The relationship between UCLA Athletics and Ready® Nutrition was secured by UCLA Rose Bowl Sports Properties, the Bruins’ multimedia rights holder and locally based sponsorship team for Learfield IMG College. In complete collaboration with Jarmond and the athletic administration, UCLA Rose Bowl Sports Properties works with local, regional and national brands looking to align with the Bruins.

This is Ready® Nutrition’s second big splash in the Southern California market. Two-time pro football Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald was so impressed with their products that he signed on in 2019 as an investor and co-owner of the company. He was joined this past May by global basketball star and reigning MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also became an investor and co-owner after using Ready’s products the past two seasons.

The Jose Effect: How Mourinho has altered the Sack Race odds

Yesterday’s surprising Premier League results included the headline-grabbing shock that Tottenham Hotspur lost at home to Everton. Not only was this the first time Spurs had lost at home in the league to Everton since 2012, but it was the worst possible start to the season for the Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho has previously enjoyed a good track record at most clubs, although the pattern of his appointment and subsequent success, followed by his dismissal around three years later has become predictable in the extreme. It is said that in the first full season, Mourinho provides a major leap forward, buying many new players and developing his team into winners.

A trophy follows, before the real good times begin, around a who season of glorious success for that club. For Real Madrid it was the biggest goals haul in La Liga history and the title at Barcelona’s expense, as well as Pep Guardiola’s. At Inter Milan, it meant everything, Serie A, the Italian Cup and the Champions League, possibly Mourinho’s greatest club football achievement.

At Chelsea, that meant the title too, and at Manchester United, Jose Mourinho did bring home the UEFA Cup (or Europa League) for the first time in the club’s history to ‘complete the set’ of trophies won by the Old Trafford side.

Simulated glory: Is the NFL really impossible to predict?

The forthcoming NFL season is going to notoriously difficult to predict. So what would you say I we told you that the path to Super Bowl glory had already been mapped out? Don’t worry, we’re not venturing in the direction of Russian conspiracies or pre-election fixes. The good folks at ESPN have simulated the 2020/21 NFL season and come up with the team they think will lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy on 7th February next year.

It’s a very hard predicting the outcome of a single game of American football, so to simulate an entire season takes a lot of work indeed. Is it possible to be successful, though, and do the odds tally with the forecasts? Let’s take a look at exactly how it breaks down.

In the AFC, the predictions of the ESPN super-computer have the Ravens and Steelers both making the post-season from the North, with each side expected to get 12 wins from their 16 fixtures. That’s a tall order for the very best teams, but at 7/1 to win the 55th annual Super Bowl, the Ravens are favoured by the bookies ahead of the Steelers, available at 25/1. At those odds, perhaps the Steelers are the better bet.

In the AFC South, forecasts call a tight division sending the Houston Texans (60/1) through with the Indianapolis Colts (33/1), with both the Titans and Jaguars missing out, the latter to the tune of just three regular season wins, something that would give them the NFL draft’s famous ‘first pick’ for 2021. 

FanDuel Expands Free to Play Contests for Fantasy and Sportsbook Products

credit: MIke Morbeck

FanDuel on Thursday announced the expansion of its industry-leading free to play contests for the start of the upcoming football season. For the first time, FanDuel will be launching free to play Pick’em games with three NFL teams, including the Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, and Washington Football Team.

FanDuel’s expanded free to play lineup will include the following, with more games coming throughout the NFL season:

In partnership with The Ringer, FanDuel is offering The Ringer Mega Contest, a free Survivor-style contest where participants pick games against the spread each week with the goal of making it to the last 100 participants standing going into the playoffs. Players pick five teams each week to beat the spread, including one “Double Down” pick worth double the points. Players will score one point for each correct pick or two points if their “Double Down” pick is correct. Whoever finishes the regular season in the top 100 on the leaderboard makes the playoffs. Then, the top 100 will pick their way through the playoffs to claim a share of $25,000 – including $10,000 to first place.
FanDuel Gridiron Pick’em is a free NFL pick’em style contest, available today on FanDuel. Players try to pick the most correct winners of all of each Sunday’s matchups and split the weekly prize pool of $5,000.
Coming later this week, in addition to the FanDuel Gridiron Pick’em, FanDuel will offer three white label Pick’em games in partnership with three of its team partners, the Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, and Washington Football Team. Each week participants will answer a series of questions about the specific team’s matchups. The participants who get the most correct answers will split the $1,000 weekly payout. Plus, there will be an additional $10K prize awarded at the end of the season to the participant who gets the most correct answers during the regular season. To qualify for the promotion, eligible individuals must have an active FanDuel Sportsbook or DFS member account or sign up for one at https://sportsbook.fanduel.com or https://www.fanduel.com/join.

“Over the past several months, we’ve prioritized giving sports fans innovative games to play and new forms of entertainment,” said John Griffin, GM of Fantasy Sports, FanDuel. “With the upcoming football season right about to start, we have the most expansive selection of free to play games, giving fans more ways to win than ever before.”

FanDuel also recently announced the launch of Best Ball contests, available to enter now, and Daily Snake Drafts for NFL coming ahead of the football season.

FanDuel Sportsbook Becomes PGA TOUR Official Betting Operator

East Lake Golf Club (Wikimedia Commons/Cem0030)

he PGA TOUR and FanDuel Sportsbook agreed today on a multi-year content and marketing relationship designating FanDuel an Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR.

By joining the TOUR’s Official Betting Operator program, FanDuel will have rights in the United States to use PGA TOUR marks, rights to advertise within TOUR media and TOUR partner platforms, plus content and video rights allowing FanDuel to create pre-game and post-game betting programming, as well as distribution of highlights to users who have placed bets. Additionally, the PGA TOUR and FanDuel will collaborate to deliver odds-based content to fans via TOUR Digital Platforms like PGATOUR.COM and the PGA TOUR app.

“We have long admired FanDuel’s brand, product and marketing strategies as well as the leadership position it has taken since the legalization of sports betting in 2018,” said Norb Gambuzza, SVP, Media and Gaming at the PGA TOUR. “We are excited to bring FanDuel into the PGA TOUR’s Official Betting Operator program as we continue to engage new fans in this rapidly growing space.”

FanDuel Sportsbook has seen substantial growth in golf gaming:
Golf has recorded the highest single event handle on FanDuel Sportsbook over nine of the last 12 Sundays.

FanDuel Sportsbook’s total golf handle in New Jersey in 2020 already has surpassed the total golf handle from 2019, even without thirteen weeks of PGA TOUR competitions during the shutdown.

“Golf interest is up on FanDuel, so we are excited to deepen our relationship with the PGA TOUR,” said Mike Raffensperger, CMO FanDuel Group. “We will now be able to offer unique gaming experiences on our platform, special TOUR related promotions for our customers and an enhanced content experience across the TOUR’s properties to really prove to bettors across the nation that there are More Ways to Win at FanDuel.”

Following the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, the TOUR instituted an integrity program in collaboration with Genius Sports to protect its competitions from betting-related corruption. Later that year, the TOUR announced a global partnership with IMG ARENA to license its official, live scoring data to betting operators all over the world.

The PGA TOUR is a Platinum Member of the National Council on Problem Gambling, committed to industry-leading responsible gaming practices.

Boyd Gaming, FanDuel Group Launch Sports Betting In Illinois

In a continued expansion of their successful nationwide partnership, Boyd Gaming Corporation and FanDuel Group today announced the debut of the FanDuel Par-A-Dice Sportsbook in the state of Illinois.

Sports bettors across the state of Illinois now have access to FanDuel’s industry-leading online and mobile sports-betting platform, with wagering options available in professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey and more.  Additionally, FanDuel will operate a retail sportsbook located at Boyd Gaming’s Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria, Illinois, pending regulatory approval.

Keith Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Gaming, said: “Given the tremendous success of our existing FanDuel Sportsbooks, we are confident that the FanDuel Par-A-Dice Sportsbook will quickly become Illinois sports bettors’ mobile app of choice.  We are excited for the opportunity to offer both mobile and retail sports betting in one of the most populous states in the country, as we continue to expand our strategic partnership with FanDuel Group.”

“Sports are back and FanDuel, America’s No. 1 sportsbook, is coming to Illinois with our friends at Boyd Gaming and the Par-A-Dice Casino,” said Matt King, Chief Executive Officer of FanDuel Group.  “Boyd Gaming and the Par-A-Dice are perfect partners for us to bring our innovative sports-betting app and retail sportsbook experience to sports fans in Illinois.”

Since launching their partnership in mid-2018, Boyd Gaming and FanDuel have introduced mobile sports-betting apps in Indiana and Pennsylvania, as well as retail FanDuel Sportsbooks at eight Boyd Gaming properties in five states.  The FanDuel Sportsbook has an online leadership position in Pennsylvania, and is one of the top retail sportsbooks in Iowa at Diamond Jo Worth.

The partnership between Boyd Gaming and FanDuel Group includes collaborative efforts between the two companies in mobile and online sports betting and casino games, where permitted by law. The agreement includes states where Boyd Gaming holds gaming licenses, excluding Nevada, as well as additional states covered under Boyd Gaming’s current market-access agreements.  Boyd Gaming currently has access in 15 states nationwide, representing more than 36% of the U.S. population.

In addition to their retail and online sports-betting partnership, Boyd Gaming and FanDuel also operate an online casino in the state of Pennsylvania. The companies are also engaged in extensive co-branding and cross-promotional efforts, as the two companies actively market each other’s properties and products to their respective customer bases nationwide.

Don C’s Jackie Robinson TOPPS Project 2020 Card Posts On Jackie Robinson Day

Jackie Robinson 1952 Topps Now by Don C

A commemorative TOPPS Project 2020 card celebrating Jackie Robinson Day Friday across MLB posted today at http://topps.com/project2020. Artist Don C‘s interpretation of the classic 1952 Topps Robinson card is available through 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The Robinson card, issued today along with Jacob Rochester’s reimagining of the iconic 1955 Roberto Clemente, is one of a series of 20 cards posted by each of 20 commissioned pop artists, two each weekday since the originally scheduled opening of the 2020 season in March. The series has been extremely popular with fans and collectors, and is now more than halfway through the full set of 400.

Don C’s Robinson work places the all-time great in front of his retired #42, which will be worn by all Major Leaguers in games today, with “In Loving Memory” in script above and his signature below the legendary pose from the original card, on a light blue background.

Rookie of the Year Alonso Pulls Topps Curated Set

In (the first) Spring Training, Topps met up with 2019 Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso to develop his own curated card set. Today, Alonso’s inspirations hit the collecting scene, as Topps introduces the 50-card series with a decidedly New York feel.

Some of the elements selected by Alonso include NYC street art (bright colors, graffiti lettering, bright textures); and “Molon Labe” derived from King Leonidas, leader of the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae, which Alonso says captures his approach at the plate.

Included are 20 base cards featuring top stars of today, plus 30 insert cards with Alonso’s season award picks, the 50-homer club (of which Alonso became a member last year), franchise favorites and more, all with strong ties to the second-year Mets star.

NBA Alumni Launch Legends Media & Entertainment To Unify Storytelling Efforts

The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) today announced the expansion and launch of Legends Media & Entertainment (LME), a multifaceted storytelling platform that will produce, distribute and quantify the wide reaching stories of many of the NBA and WNBA’s biggest stars. The content will span the history of both leagues and feature more recent alums of the game ranging from Sheryl Swoopes and Grant Hill to the sport’s greatest legends and business successes on and off the court, delivered through all forms of media, from print and spoken word to long and short form video.

The NBRPA represents over 1,000 former NBA and WNBA players, making it the largest agency of its kind in basketball. This has allowed for direct access to players for opportunities domestically and internationally.

“With the creation of LME, we are building a multimedia platform for some of the most compelling men and women connected to basketball’s history and culture under one umbrella, something which has been asked for, and needed for some time,” said NBRPA President and CEO Scott Rochelle. “LME will be a vibrant stop for fans, businesses and others who want to enjoy, learn and explore the amazing stories of our Legends both on and off the court. These stories are some of the best in the global business of sport, and now we can house them under one impactful roof.”

NBA Champion and NBRPA Director Caron Butler adds, “Every NBA and WNBA player has a story to tell and Legends Media & Entertainment offers ALL Legends a platform to tell their stories and let their voices be heard,” NBA Champion and NBRPA Director Caron Butler added.

Some of the key unified elements of LME will include:

Legends Magazinewhich debuted in 2018 and is the official publication for NBA and WNBA Legends. Produced quarterly, Legends Magazine has featured cover stories about NBRPA Director Caron Butler, Jerry Stackhouse, Elton Brand, Jamal Mashburn and “The Knuckleheads” – Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles. Each issue is delivered to all former players, active players, coaches, stakeholders, influencers and league officials worldwide.

Legends Studios also debuted in 2018 with the launch of original live-action and animated short videos and two podcasts, the All-Access Legends Podcast and On Deck with Scott Rochelle. In April 2020, Legends Live, a weekly web series broadcasted to multiple social media platforms featuring live conversations with NBA and WNBA Legends, was added to the Legends Studios portfolio. In addition to 32 standard episodes, Legends Live also covered the 2020 WNBA Draft and ESPN’s The Last Dance with live commentary from Legends. Last week, media personality Tyler Johnson, aka Trill Withers joined the LME team as host of Legends Live, where he will spend time with many of the game’s most successful and dynamic personalities and business people. Johnson will also be a key contributor to Legends Magazine, the All-Access Legends Podcast and the NBRPA’s social media strategy and content.

To follow along with LME content from the NBRPA, find them on social media at @NBAalumni on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch or on Facebook at NBA Alumni.

Covers Predicts That Sports Betting Won’t Go Bust If College Football Is Canceled

As COVID-19 continues to reshape upcoming seasons for professional and collegiate sports, Covers asks the burning question, what will the impact be on sports betting if the 2020 college football season is canceled?

Covers’ Senior Writer Patrick Everson spoke with Executive Vice President of Race and Sports at the Superbook at Westgate, Jay Kornegay, the American Gaming Association’s Casey Clark, and gambling industry strategist Chris Grove, about the potential effects of a canceled or delayed college football season on sportsbooks across the country.

“I’m not sure any of us really knows how that will impact us,” Kornegay said, speaking to the sportsbook industry as a whole. “If it’s completely canceled, it’s certainly going to be a punch to the gut. However, it’s not as bad as some might think, as long as we still have the NFL. Last year, 65 percent of our total football handle was NFL.”

Some NCAA football betting statistics include:

  • Although sportsbooks don’t separate NFL versus NCAA football in terms of total handle (bets placed) on football, estimates are approximately 35% of total handle in Nevada came from NCAAF football in 2019.
  • Based on total handle on football in Nevada sportsbooks in 2019, approximately $650 million was bet on NCAAF football.
  • New Jersey took in $939 million in football handle in 2019 and given that same 35% estimate for college football action, over $328 million was bet on NCAA football in 2019 in New Jersey.
  • The best NCAAF football bets in 2019 were Kentucky and Navy, both went 10-3 Against the Spread.

Could the college football season be postponed to the spring? Many in the media and the sports betting space are speculating that a spring college football season would provide a huge boost on the wagering front. Among the main reasons for such speculation is that NCAA football wouldn’t be competing with the NFL every week.

Return Of Live Sports, Season Simulations Gives Strat-O-Matic Board, Digital Baseball Games A Record Setting Run

Strat-O-Matic Baseball

With baseball, basketball, hockey and others back on the fields, courts and ice, and football training camps underway, fans have been able to enjoy live sports that the COVID-19 pandemic has denied them. With hopes high that the delayed seasons can continue through to their conclusions, fans’ enthusiasm for Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com) baseball board and digital games set records for sales and engagement, according to numbers released today by the market leader in sports simulations.

For the period of March through July 2020, Strat-O-Matic sales far surpassed the same time frame in 2019:

  • Baseball Board and Windows platform sales are more than 70% higher
  • Baseball Board game product sales are more than 85% higher
  • Baseball Windows platform sales are more than 50% higher
  • Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365 sales are more than double
  • New Members on Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365 are more than 200% higher

And this past month, as the pro squads were returning, interest in Strat-O-Matic baseball was even more pronounced, as compared to July 2019:

  • Baseball Board game product sales were more than 80% higher
  • Baseball Windows platform sales were more than double
  • Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365 sales were more than double

The Strat-O-Matic daily baseball season simulation also brought the company unprecedented attention from popular sports and entertainment personalities and media outlets:

““I am proud our incredible team was able to pivot in this complex market,” said Adam Richman, Strat-O-Matic President. “We are thrilled live sports have come back, and through the pandemic, simulation’s crucial place in sports has become clear. 

“We look forward to providing more entertainment and connection for sports fans,” he added. “Strat-O-Matic has been and will continue to be the bridge to fill holes as professional sports leagues awaken and occasionally pause as our country moves through this difficult time.”

BetMGM signs with PGA TOUR as an Official Betting Operator

Wikimedia Commons-Cem0030

The PGA TOUR announced today that BetMGM has signed a multi-year content and marketing relationship to become an Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR.

By joining the TOUR’s Official Betting Operator program, BetMGM will have rights in the United States to use PGA TOUR marks, rights to advertise within TOUR media and TOUR partner platforms, plus content and video rights allowing BetMGM Sportsbook platforms to create pre-game and post-game betting programming, as well as distribution of highlights to users who have placed bets.

“BetMGM is part of a premium brand that is deeply connected to golf through sponsorship of various PGA TOUR players and tournaments,” said Norb Gambuzza, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, Media and Gaming. “Through the power of the BetMGM brand and resources, this new relationship will help accelerate our sports betting strategy, and enable the TOUR to reach new fans and further engage current fans who enjoy betting on golf.”

The PGA TOUR is one of the most popular offerings on BetMGM’s platform. Currently available for download on iOS and Android, the BetMGM mobile app offers the latest betting odds, enhanced offers and multiple betting formats, from money line and point spread bets to parlays and futures. BetMGM is currently licensed for sports betting in seven states including Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada as well as West Virginia, and has plans to be in eleven states by the end of 2020.

Matt Prevost, BetMGM Chief Marketing Officer said, “We look forward to working with the PGA TOUR to integrate great experiences for BetMGM customers. BetMGM’s advanced betting technology, combined with the PGA TOUR’s world-class competitions and iconic players, will not only advance the TOUR’s position at the forefront of professional sports, but the entire betting industry as well.”

BetMGM has access to existing sponsor relationships with several members of the PGA TOUR, including Max Homa, Jimmy Walker, Kevin Na, Pat Perez, Ryan Moore, Joel Dahmen and Boo Weekley.

Following the Supreme Court’s repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, the TOUR instituted an integrity program in collaboration with Genius Sports to protect its competitions from betting-related corruption. Later that year, the TOUR announced a global partnership with IMG ARENA to license its official, live scoring data to betting operators all over the world.

The PGA TOUR is a Platinum Member of the National Council on Problem Gambling, committed to industry-leading responsible gaming practices.