Category Archives: Major Sports

Bodog’s sports gambling action moving from football to basketball

With the Super Bowl teams now set and the big game less than two weeks away, there’s not as much going on in football to attract gamblers’ attention. There are still plenty of prop bets and futures that look at who could be the strongest team to make a run for the Super Bowl next year, but most gamblers like to see current action. Bodog has seen NBA and college basketball wagers creep up on NFL wagers, and that trend continued this past weekend. Although the NFL was still out in front, despite only two games being played, the lead the league has enjoyed since last September is coming to an end.

This past weekend, 33.98% of the best placed on Bodog went to NFL games, but NCAA Men’s basketball grabbed 23.22% of the action. The NBA picked up 19.44%, and the combined 41% for hoops wagers took first-place at the sportsbook. Ultimate Fighting Champion (UFC) was up there, as well, as Conor McGregor came back into the ring. That led to UFC wagers accounting for 10.88% of the bets on Bodog.

The NHL is starting to gain momentum among sports gamblers. The hockey league took 5.83% of Bodog’s action this past weekend, beating out Germany’s Bundesliga, the FA Cup and Spain’s La Liga. These three split almost evenly the number of wagers from gamblers, combining for about 3.43% of the bets. eSports soccer was among the top ten, as well, with the GT Nations League grabbing 1.12% of the bets. It barely beat out cricket and the Big Bash League, which took 1.11% of the action.

With the Super Bowl looming and record wagers expected for the showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, gamblers gave a prelude of what to expect when the two Conference Championship Games garnered 69.46% of the attention on Bodog. The AFC game was a slight favorite, with 35.93% of the bets, while the NFC pulled down 33.53%. McGregor and the UFC ended up receiving a lot of attention, as well, with McGregor’s match against Dustin Poirier taking 11.37% of the Bodog wagers. McGregor, favored going in, fell to Poirier in Round 2, making a few underdog gamblers very happy.

Super Bowl 55 betting: Early odds & trends

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

For the first time in NFL history, a team will play a Super Bowl in its own stadium as Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on February 7 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The NFL will allow around 22,000 fans and ticket prices are absolutely skyrocketing with the hometown Bucs in the game.

Kansas City is a 3.5-point favorite and has won its past seven games against NFC foes. That includes last year’s Super Bowl, a 31-20 comeback victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Miami. The Chiefs are trying to become the NFL’s first repeat champions since the 2004 New England Patriots, who were quarterbacked by Brady.

The Chiefs visited Tampa in Week 12 and won 27-24 as 3.5-point favorites. That score is a bit misleading as Kansas City was up 27-10 entering the fourth quarter. Mahomes threw for 462 yards and three scores. Wideout Tyreek Hill had one of the great quarters in league history with an incredible seven catches for 203 yards and two scores in the first. He finished with 13 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns. Kansas City failed to cover the spread and has covered just once in its past 10 games.

Super Bowl LV duel set after Conference champs advance

It’s now down to just two teams in the NFL, both ready to fight in Super Bowl LV to determine who will be crowned champions of an odd, but successful, season. The Green Bay Packers hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yesterday while the Buffalo Bills traveled to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs for the Conference Championship Games and, although the inclement weather that had been forecast never appeared, all four teams created some storms of their own. In two weeks, football fans will gather around the TV to watch two of the greatest quarterbacks in the league battle it out.

The Buccaneers were underdogs heading into the NFC Championship Game yesterday, with the Packers getting only a slight advantage. However, quarterback Tom Brady continues to show why he could be the greatest NFL passer of all time, leading a methodic offense that chipped away at Green Bay’s defense from the start of the game. Brady, at 43 years old, is headed to a Super Bowl for his tenth time after giving the Packers a 31-26 loss yesterday and will add yet another record to his long list of accomplishments. Tampa Bay is going to be the first NFL team ever to play in a Super Bowl in its own stadium. 

For all his talent and skills, Brady can’t take all of the credit for yesterday’s win. He may have thrown for 280 yards and three touchdowns, but if it weren’t for the abilities of players like running back Leonard Fournette, with his Harry Houdini-style escapes, Brady wouldn’t have gotten very far. As it was, the Packers started to mount a comeback in the second half, forcing Brady to throw three interceptions as Green Bay and quarterback Aaron Rodgers added three touchdowns to their score. It wasn’t enough, though, and the Bucs’ defense did its job and held off the rally. 

There was a time that NFL fans doubted whether or not the Chiefs would have another Super Bowl appearance. But then, the 2020 season started and all doubts were removed. Kansas City dominated almost every game since Week 1 and, with some impressive offensive moves guided by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, secured a return to the big game yesterday after defeating the Bills.

NFL Conference Championship Games offer awesome gambling options

Just two days from now, the NFL will settle the argument of who are the best teams in the AFC and NFC this year. The Conference Championship Games are coming this Sunday and the last four teams standing in the league this season now have everything they worked for all season on the line. There were some definite upsets along the way, which had sports gamblers more than a little upset, but it’s time to focus on what is going to happen this weekend. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers get the show rolling on Sunday when they take to the gridiron to determine the NFC winner. This is going to be a rematch of Week 6, when the two teams last met. However, no one should expect the Bucs to have things too easy. In that game, the Packers came out strong, scoring ten unanswered points in the first quarter before being shut down by the Bucs the rest of the game. Tampa Bay went on to win 38-10, but this is going to be a different ballgame. 

The Bucs are looking at possibly taking the field without wide receivers Antonio Brown and Mike Evans, as well as running back Ronald Jones. These three, and a few others, are being closely watched to see if they’ll be ready for the big game. On the other side, the Packers have a healthy squad with no one sitting out, although several key players are taking it easy this week. Bodog and other sportsbooks give the Packers the advantage, with Bodog listing them as -180 against the Bucs’ +160. The spread is only 3.5 (-105) in favor of the Pack, while the Over/Under of 51.5 would seem to indicate that this is going to be a battle. With potentially bad weather in Green Bay coming this weekend, this could end up being a real snowball game. 

The Kansas City Chiefs have already proven themselves under head coach Andy Reid. The team has now gone to three consecutive AFC championship games, using last year’s contest as a springboard to a Super Bowl win. This time, they’re facing the Buffalo Bills and the big question on most people’s minds is whether or not Patrick Mahomes will be able to lead the Chiefs to another Super Bowl appearance. The answer is, maybe. 

Famer, Alliance Fastpitch Announce Multi-Year Partnership to Deliver Softball Training Curriculum

Famer, the virtual sports coaching and mentorship platform, today announced a partnership with The Alliance Fastpitch, the fast-growing national organization unifying the sport of fastpitch softball with a player-first approach to adding value, purpose, recognition and top-level championship play. Founded in 2020, The Alliance Fastpitch has quickly grown to over 700 teams, and 10,000 members connecting top programs and teams nationwide through six regional Member Leagues including the Pacific Coast Fastpitch League, Heart of America Fastpitch League, Northeast Fastpitch League, Rocky Mountain Fastpitch League, Southeastern Fastpitch League and Texas Fastpitch League.

Under terms of the deal, Famer’s video production arm, Famer Productions, will work with The Alliance Fastpitch to produce a custom library of hundreds of holistic player and coach training videos covering everything from softball skills, drills and game situations, to sport specific training, to leadership and mental toughness. Typically priced at $60 annually per player or coach on the Famer app, this content will be included free to every member of the Alliance as part of their efforts to provide value to their members. Drills will be led by some of the top coaches in the game of fastpitch softball, such as Marty Tyson and Mike Stith, as well as current and former professional and National team players like Natasha Watley. Alliance Fastpitch members will download the Famer app and receive exclusive weekly content from The Alliance year-round.

“Famer shares The Alliance’s mission to deliver content and experiences that allow players and coaches to reach their full potential,” said Famer Chief Revenue Officer Bill Richardson. “We are proud to have been chosen to power The Alliance’s digital member development programming and we are excited to welcome the very best fastpitch coaches, players and organizations in the nation onto the Famer platform. In 2020, virtual coaching and training became a critical component of the way many organizations stay connected to their athletes. As we emerge from the pandemic, physical and digital training has merged forever. This partnership demonstrates the value of virtual coaching and mentorship extending and enhancing the core work coaches and athletes do on the field.”

“One of our goals as The Alliance Fastpitch is to drive athlete-centric programming and create development-based resources that elevate our game and participants,” says Jami Lobpries, Executive Director of The Alliance Fastpitch. “There is a need at the youth level to have a centralized location for continued learning, sharing of best practices, mentorship, and certified training. Famer enables us to bring together our best resources, including our cohesive network of the best minds in the game, and share those amongst our members in an innovative manner. With Famer, we will be at the forefront of education and innovation for our sport and will continue to add even more value to our Alliance membership”.

Famer and The Alliance will work closely to bring the best coaching and mentorship programming exclusively to The Alliance Fastpitch members. Along with the national membership curriculum, local organizations in The Alliance will also be able to use the Famer Team platform to provide interactive team training with group chat and workouts with their own custom content on top of the core Alliance video library. The Alliance Fastpitch empowers all players, coaches and member organizations to develop their skills and be their best both on and off the field.

NFL Odds: AFC championship game lines & trends

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The Kansas City Chiefs will host an AFC Championship Game for a third straight season Sunday as they look to keep their chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions alive against the Buffalo Bills, who are 3-point underdogs despite entering on an NFL-high eight-game winning streak and taking those by an average margin of 17 points per game.

Kansas City will join the Philadelphia Eagles from 2002-04 as the only teams to host three conference championship games in a row. The common link between the franchises? Andy Reid coached those Eagles and of course now coaches the Chiefs.

No question the biggest story that looms over this game is the status of Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He left last Sunday’s 22-17 win over Cleveland with a concussion in the third quarter and didn’t return. Mahomes had led Kansas City to a 19-3 halftime lead, but without him the Chiefs nearly blew it – although backup QB Chad Henne delivered on a late fourth-down conversion to clinch the victory.

UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Magny Odds

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

It’s obviously a bit of an endeavor and probably fairly expensive for the UFC when it stages cards on its Fight Island in Abu Dhabi simply with all the travel expenses and housing fighters, their camps and organization staff and such. Thus, the UFC generally jams as many cards on Fight Island as possible when it visits there over the span of a few weeks.

That’s good news for MMA bettors this week as there’s a Fight Night Card on Wednesday morning Eastern time headlined by a welterweight bout between Americans Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny. The prelims get underway at 9 a.m. ET and the main card at noon ET, shown on ESPN and ESPN+.

A welterweight bout between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev was originally expected to headline this event but both guys ended up catching COVID-19.

NFL Odds: NFC championship game lines & trends

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The first game of the NFL’s conference championship Sunday is from the NFC as the Green Bay Packers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a trip to Super Bowl 55 – Tampa Bay is looking to become the first team to play in a Super Bowl in its own stadium. The top-seeded Packers, though, are 4-point betting favorites.

Rather amazingly, it’s the first time that Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers will get to host an NFC Championship Game in his Hall of Fame career. It’s the second year in a row in it for the Pack as they were blown out at the San Francisco 49ers last season.

Green Bay will be on an extra day of rest as it beat the visiting Los Angeles Rams 32-18 on Saturday in the Divisional Round. Rodgers completed 23 of 36 passes for 296 yards and two scores, and the Packers rushed for 188 yards and two scores on the NFL’s No. 1 defense. That allowed them to possess the ball for more than 36 minutes. The Green Bay defense was the better unit in that game, allowing just 244 total yards.

North, South, East and West to battle following NFL Divisional games

It’s East vs. West, North vs. South for the NFL Conference games. The Divisional Round games wrapped up this weekend, giving football fans plenty of excitement and sports gamblers plenty of action. Not everything worked out as planned, but there are now just four teams remaining. The Conference Championship games will be held this coming weekend, the last hurdle between an unusual NFL season and a Super Bowl title.

The NFC North’s leaders, the Green Bay Packers, have the opportunity to give quarterback Aaron Rodgers something he has yet to accomplish. For the 16 years he has been with the team (the only NFL team of which he’s been a part), he has never been able to play an NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field. That will change this coming weekend after the Packers beat the LA Rams in decisive fashion this past Saturday.

The Packers came out swinging and never relented until the final seconds dissolved on the clock. They won without much work, taking the 32-18 victory that saw Rodgers throw for a touchdown and also run one in on his own. Through three quarters, the Packers scored on five straight drives, and the fourth quarter became a lesson on clock management.

The Buffalo Bills were first in the AFC East and, for the first time in almost three decades, are going to the AFC Championship Game. They leaped over the Baltimore Ravens this past Saturday to get to where they are in a game that was about as lopsided as they come. The Ravens were 11-5 going in; the Bills were 11-3. However, nothing went right for the Ravens, who ended the day with just three points in a 17-3 loss.

Legends Media & Entertainment Names Julio Manteiga As Head Of Content And Communications

Julio Monteiga

The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) announced today that veteran NBA communications specialist Julio Manteiga has joined the organization in the newly-revamped role of Head of Content and Communications. Manteiga joins the NBRPA from the NBA, where he served in a dual role as Director of NBA’s Latin America communications and Media Monitoring Departments. He will oversee all of the NBRPA’s growing digital and social efforts as well as handle the day-to-day proactive communications for the organization.

“We are proud to be able to bring Julio into this new and expanded role,” said NBRPA Executive Director Scott Rochelle. “His experience as a global strategic storyteller will be invaluable to us as we grow our scope, our partnerships and our strategy.”

“I am looking forward to be joining Scott and the team he is assembling,” Manteiga said. “The stories and the personalities of the men and women that make up the NBRPA are more valuable today than ever before, and we now have a great structure to tell them to a wide global audience.”

Manteiga started at the NBA in 2003 and rose within the ranks at the league, eventually serving as Director of Communications for Latin America for five years. He developed communications plan for daily and weekly dissemination of league announcements to key media stakeholders in the U.S. and Latin America, ensuring accurate league information was published by media partners and regional news outlets. He also integrated standardized operations for local PR/Marketing agencies in Brazil, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico to enhance the NBA’s efforts in region and vastly increasing relevancy with local fans and business partners. The New York native also developed, implemented, and executed NBA’s global influencer program for all influencer appearances and promotions at key events that expanded the NBA’s global social media presence among many other duties.

A graduate of Five Towns College in Dix Hills, NY, Julio is fluent in English and Spanish and conversational in Portuguese.

The NBRPA represents over 1,000 former NBA and WNBA players, making it the largest agency of its kind in basketball. In three months LME in both audio and video has drawn almost 600,000 views and listens, more than three times the combined numbers of audio and video around the players in the previous nine months. Viewers and listeners have come from over 20 countries, and have enjoyed content from some of the most unique storytellers in the history of professional basketball. The key unified elements of LME include: Legends Magazine, Legends Studios, 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.

ShotTracker Secures $11M Financing Led By Evertz Technologies And Verizon Ventures

Pexels-Markus Spiske

DDSports Inc. (ShotTracker), a revolutionary sports technology that captures rich performance data via sensors and provides statistics and analytics with sub-second latency, today announced an $11M USD funding round led by Evertz Technologies Limited (“Evertz”) and Verizon Ventures. ShotTracker will use the funds to accelerate its deployment across NCAA Division I Power 6 Basketball Conferences, expand hiring, further key partnerships and enhance sensor capabilities and data capture for players, coaches, fans and broadcasters.

ShotTracker brings elite-level real time analytics to the court. The company’s patented technology tracks data in three parts: a ShotTracker-enabled ball, sensors on players’ jerseys, and court sensors that map the court in 3D. Data is processed through the company’s proprietary algorithm displayed on the ShotTracker app and dashboard and will also be integrated with Evertz cloud based live production solutions. The real time data can be used to automate camera productions from remote locations and can be licensed by media and sports data companies.

With more than 63 Division I men’s and women’s basketball programs and a growing relationship with Learfield IMG College and their partner schools, ShotTracker’s cutting-edge technology is well-positioned to deliver deep data and analytics as well as video, scoreboard and broadcast integration. For its media company and broadcast customers, it currently delivers experiential activations and crossover content opportunities distributed via digital and social platforms.

The Evertz partnership brings to ShotTracker a global leader in providing professional video/audio infrastructure and cloud-based solutions to content creators. The partnership with ShotTracker’s advanced real time analytics, will enable content owners to create tailored content for their audience across multiple platforms. With automated camera operations, advanced statistics, and cloud services, producers can augment live production by telling unique stories that enhance the audience’s experience (in-venue and/or the broadcast) while realizing additional revenue opportunities.

“Combining ShotTracker sensor data and our DreamCatcherTM suite of products will enrich live productions — on-premise and cloud-based — for broadcasters, leagues, teams, and fans.” said Vince Silvestri, Evertz VP of Software Systems. “We are excited to be working with the ShotTracker team to bring enhanced and personalized game experiences to fans everywhere.”

“As real-time data tracking and analytics become critical components for coaches and players, instantaneous and interactive delivery powered by 5G is critical,” said Michelle McCarthy, Verizon Ventures Managing Director. “ShotTracker’s real-time sports data will transform fan experiences, athletic performance, sports broadcast and more. We’re proud to invest in a team of industry veterans as they pave the way for data capture in game play to improve all areas of the sport.”

“The entire ShotTracker team is excited to have the opportunity of working with two such farsighted technology leaders as Evertz and Verizon Ventures, each of whom brings special capabilities to enable us to fulfill our vision of what truly real time statistics and analytics can mean,” said Bill Moses, ShotTracker CEO. ShotTracker Founder and COO, Davyeon Ross, added: “The impact of tying the cameras to the ShotTracker sensors, in cost savings and in the quality of unique content which then can be delivered, will be dramatic and literally game changing for the sports world.”

Harden looms over Thursday night NBA betting slate

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The NBA on TNT doubleheader Thursday this week was to open with two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference facing off when the Miami Heat visit the Philadelphia 76ers in a rematch. The two played the first of their “baseball” series Tuesday in Philly and the Sixers won 137-134 in overtime.

The Heat and Sixers are both good enough as is to reach the NBA Finals, and what else do they have in common? Both are on the short list of teams where Houston Rockets star James Harden would like to be traded, and a deal could be imminent.

There was no early line for Thursday’s game – Philly will be favored – because the Heat were down eight players in COVID protocols Tuesday, including their two best in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and the 76ers were down a handful as well. Welcome to the NBA in a pandemic. The Heat have covered six of the past 10 in the series including Tuesday.

NJTHA, sports leagues agree to disagree, settle their differences

The New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NJTHA) had a leading role in helping bring sports gambling to the US. It was partially responsible for pushing the Supreme Court into sending the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) to the grave, giving states across the country the ability to develop their own sports gambling markets. Many have gone that route already and more are following, and the hundreds of millions of dollars now flowing into state coffers is a direct result of the NJTHA’s actions. Now, after almost seven years of fighting the NFL, the NBA, MLB, the NHL and the NCAA, the organization is almost ready to close this chapter and ride off into the sunset. The NJTHA and the sports leagues have reportedly settled their differences in court, with the final details to be laid out this week.

The tale goes back to 2014 when the Monmouth Park racetrack wanted to introduce its own sportsbook. The leagues got wind of it and sued the property. The next several years led to a lot of back-and-forth and orders for restitution, including the requirement that the leagues offer a bond for $3.4 million, the amount the NJTHA said it would have made if it had been allowed into the sports gambling business, which later grew to over $140 million. In September 2019, with the case still being discussed in court, the NJTHA won a small victory when the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the organization had grounds for trying to collect on that bond. 

While the latest details of the case haven’t been revealed completely, a district court judge, Freda L. Wolfson, received and approved an agreement between the warring parties this past Monday. Judge Wolfson is intimately familiar with the case. Last month, had decided that the NJTHA’s claim for $140 million in damages was more than a little excessive and rejected it, but added that the money from the bond might still be on the table. 

Judge Wolfson reportedly received the agreement the sports leagues and the NJTHA created last Friday before responding at the beginning of the week. The battle will come to a close with the NJTHA halting its efforts to collect the bond, as well as interest and other damages, “without prejudice,” which would give it the right to refile if it changes its mind. However, to try to ensure the final nail in the coffin is hammered into place, the two sides have 30 days to file a proposed order that would lead to a complete dismissal “with prejudice” and release the bond. If they cannot deliver that order in the required timeframe, the NJTHA might get back in the saddle to try to lasso the sports organizations once again.

NFL Sunday divisional round betting preview

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The winners of Sunday’s two NFL Divisional Round games will be at a slight disadvantage from the two winners Saturday because those latter two will have an extra day of rest for conference championship Sunday.

The first game Sunday is the Cleveland Browns at the Kansas City Chiefs, who are 10-point favorites. As the conference’s top seed, the Chiefs will host the AFC Championship Game with a victory. They remain the betting favorites to repeat at Super Bowl 55.

Kansas City is very healthy coming off the bye week and having rested most starters Week 17, but it’s not yet clear if good-looking rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be ready after suffering an injury in Week 15 and not playing since. The Chiefs have not been a good wager for weeks this season, failing to cover their past eight games.

CELSIUS Teams Up with MMA Superstar Dustin Poirier

Celsius

Celsius Holdings, Inc., maker of the leading global fitness drink, CELSIUS®, today announced that they have officially signed Dustin Poirier to Team CELSIUS to act as an ambassador and engage with fans and consumers on behalf of the brand.

“I’ve been a fan of CELSIUS for a long-time – I’m very careful about what I put into my body, and I know that CELSIUS is a healthy way to get a boost of energy. Plus it’s been scientifically proven to help boost your metabolism, which obviously doesn’t hurt when it comes time for weigh-ins,” said celebrated MMA fighter and current #2 UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier. “It just made a lot of sense for me to get involved with CELSIUS – not only do I drink it regularly but the company is right in my backyard in Boca Raton where I spend half my year.”

“We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to collaborate with an athlete of Dustin’s caliber who happens to be a huge fan of the product and is also practically a neighbor,” added Celsius Holding Inc.’s CEO John Fieldly. “We look forward to working with Dustin to introduce CELSIUS to new fans and to get our existing fans even more excited.”

CELSIUS® is a lifestyle fitness drink and a pioneer in the rapidly growing performance energy sector.

CELSIUS has four beverage lines that each offer a property, functional, healthy-energy formula with distinct clinically-proven benefits such as boosting endurance and burning body fat.

CELSIUS® is backed by six university studies that were published in peer-reviewed journals validating the unique benefits CELSIUS® provides.

4th Test Australia vs India: Preview & match tips

Test cricket is well and truly alive after India made history with a historic draw at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The two sides head into the Fourth Test in Brisbane with the series still tied at one game apiece.

The home side will be ruing four dropped chances that cost them the chance to close out the series, but India were magnificent in holding out for a draw in Sydney. At one stage of the game, the visitors were forced into five injury changes to their starting side.

Moving to Brisbane for the final Test, India will be without spinner Ravindra Jadeja who dislocated a finger in Sydney. Batsman Hanuma Vihari is certain to join him on the sidelines after tearing his hamstring in his heroic innings in Sydney. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is tipped to play as a batsman, with keeper Wriddhiman Saha tipped to come into the side. The biggest injury news for the Indian side is the absence of star pacemen Jasprit Bumrah.

The Indian quick picked up an abdominal strain in the second innings in Sydney and is unlikely to take the field in Brisbane. Bumrah’s withdrawal will leave India with four quick bowlers who only have four games experience between them.

Underdogs show spirit in Super Wild Card weekend

This was a wild Super Wild Card Weekend as the NFL Playoffs kicked off with six games. There were certainly a few surprises Saturday and Sunday, with a couple of wins that would have been almost impossible to predict. The race will tighten up even more now and this weekend’s action showed repeatedly why every play counts if you want to be a winner. 

The first game saw the Buffalo Bills take on the Indianapolis Colts in a game that almost could have gone either way. The Bills were favored going into the game on Saturday, but only won by three, 27-24. The Colts had a couple of opportunities throughout the game to claim the lead, but blown calls and missed plays forced them into an early playoff exit. Bills quarterback Josh Allen was on fire, picking up 324 yards as he completed 26 of his 35 passes – two of which ended in a touchdown. The Colts missed one of their chances to pick up some points when they went for a touchdown on fourth down late in the second quarter instead of opting for the field goal. They missed the opportunity and also missed a field goal to fall short, and the Bills are back in business. This is the first time they’ve advanced to a Divisional Round game since 1995.

The LA Rams met the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday and acted like bulldogs throughout the game. The underdog team took an early 20-10 and never looked back, keeping Seattle to just 28 yards in the first half. Jared Goff got his chance to come back and shine after Rams starting quarterback John Wolford took a nasty shot to the head that required a trip to the hospital, and helped his team secure a 30-20 win, despite having three pins stuffed in a broken thumb just a couple of weeks ago. Goff wasn’t at his best, but he was good enough to keep the Rams on top and send the distraught Seahawks home. 

It’s no secret that many were rooting for the Washington Football Team (WFT) as they entered the postseason. The team has dealt with a lot of adversity this season, but going up against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would prove to be a little too difficult. Brady, now the oldest NFL player to ever throw a postseason touchdown pass, showed why experience counts throughout the game as he completed the game with a passer rating of 110.7 as the Bucs took a 31-23 win. The WFT gave it a valiant effort and deserves a lot of credit for getting this far but, in the end, what they offered in the game was a chance for Tampa to figure out where it needs to tighten up as it advances in the playoffs. 

A look at NFL injuries ahead of Super Wild Card Weekend

This weekend marks the start of the NFL Playoffs and it’s do-or-die for several teams. Super Wild Card Weekend will see the regular season finalists begin to set the stage for who could appear in the Super Bowl, and several teams are dealing with player changes that could make or break their chances. Sports gamblers will want to pay special attention to the results before they place their bets.

The LA Rams take on the Seattle Seahawks tomorrow and will bring back tackle Andrew Whitworth. He’s been out since Week 10 due to a knee injury, but the Rams might not be able to count on the services of quarterback Jared Goff. He’s dealing with a thumb injury that, as of yesterday, had him listed as questionable for the game. For their part, the Seahawks are waiting to see if defensive tackle Jarran Reed and cornerback Shaquill Griffin will be able to play. Bodog has the Seahawks as the heavy favorites at -175 and the Over/Under sits at 42 (-110).

The Indianapolis Colts might have to play without defensive lineman DeForest Buckner when they take on the Buffalo Bills tomorrow, as he is still trying to nurse an injured ankle back to health. The good news is that he practiced yesterday, alongside safety Khari Willis, previously out on concussion protocol. However, cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and offensive tackle Will Holden are out. For the Bills, they’re going to look at how to change the playbook, with wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley listed as questionable. They practiced yesterday, but are still not 100% back in the game. Bodog oddsmakers don’t think the Colts stand a chance, giving the Bills -290 and the game an Over/Under of 51 (-105).

It’s still unclear if wide receiver Mike Evans will take the field for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tomorrow when they face off against the Washington Football Team (WFT). His participation won’t be known until just before the game, and the Bucs are still unsure if cornerback Carlton Davis will be in. The WFT has given quarterback Alex Smith limited duty because of a calf injury and is questionable, as are running back Antonio Gibson and wide receiver Terry McLaurin. Most people never thought the WFT would make it this far and Bodog believes the team’s luck may have run out. The Bucs are getting -400 on a game that has an Over/Under of just 44.5 (-110).

F.A. Cup 3rd round sportsbetting preview

The third round of the F.A. Cup is one of the red-letter days on the English football schedule. Packed with incident, the odd ‘cupset’ often provides betting fans with some much-needed profit to kick off the year.

In 2021, which teams will see their way safely through to Round 4, and which will be knocked out of the oldest cup competition in football to ‘focus on the league’?

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Crystal Palace (Friday, 7.45pm GMT kick-off)

If Aston Villa’s home match against Liverpool is called off, then this game will kick off the action. Even if the game at Villa Park goes ahead, it’s likely that due to a COVID outbreak for the hosts, it’ll be an easy victory for Liverpool.

NFL Odds: Sunday wild card lines & trends

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

There are three more Wild Card games Sunday, and NFL fans/bettors should enjoy it because it’s the last time there will be more than two NFL games played on that day of the week until next season.

At 1:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, the AFC fifth-seeded Baltimore Ravens visit the fourth-seeded and AFC South champion Tennessee Titans – who won that division for the first time since 2008. While the Ravens are playing as well as anyone except perhaps Buffalo entering the postseason, it’s a bit interesting that the Ravens and 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson are 3-point favorites.

That’s because the Titans rode Derrick Henry to a Divisional Round upset in Baltimore last season and then Henry again led a 30-24 overtime upset victory in Charm City back in Week 11. Henry is a one-man wrecking ball after repeating as NFL rushing king this season with a career-high 2,027 yards. He has been historically good in his playoff career, while Jackson is 0-2 as a starting QB in his postseason career. That this is on the road may bode well for the Ravens, who are 10-2-1 ATS in their past 13 away games overall. The Titans are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games in the playoffs at home.