Category Archives: Major Sports

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.

NFL odds: Saturday wild card lines & trends

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

NFL fans and bettors are gifted three Wild-Card games on Saturday instead of the usual two because the league added an additional playoff team to each conference for the 2020 season and going forward. Thus, only the top seed in the AFC and NFC is off on Wild-Card Weekend.

Saturday’s schedule starts with the AFC No. 7 seed Indianapolis Colts at the No. 2 seed and AFC East champion Buffalo Bills. The Bills won the division for the first time since 1995 but in a way picked a bad year to do it considering no first-round bye for the No. 2 seed these days.

Buffalo QB Josh Allen had a career season and will get some MVP votes, possibly finishing third. Trade acquisition Stefon Diggs led the league in receptions and receiving yards. That offense improved so much this year that coordinator Brian Daboll likely is lured away as a head coach somewhere.

Latino Players Have Their Say In New La Vida Baseball Show, Mas Que Un Juego

Edgar Martinez (credit: Kuyabribri)

La Vida Baseball, the nation’s leading multi-language Latino baseball lifestyle media company, is gearing up to launch its newest show Mas Que Un Juego, on Thursday, January 7, 2021 via La Vida Baseball’s (@lavidabaseball) social media platforms. The new show celebrates the Latino experience through unfiltered conversations with some of the biggest names in baseball including current and former Latino MLB players. This announcement is the first of several new content initiatives and distribution partnerships planned for 2021.

“As Latinos, it is important that we continue to shape our own narrative. Opportunities like Mas Que Un Juego help us do that,” says Luis Tiant, former Boston Red Sox pitcher.

The first captivating episode features a candid and compelling conversation on culture and identity with Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero and former MLB great, pitcher Luis Tiant.

Mas Que Un Juego is an opportunity for fans to hear the most revered figures in sports openly talk about their experiences and stories. The half-hour long episode features authentic and passionate discussions about the game of baseball and the issues that are important to Latinos and their communities. Listeners are granted unprecedented access as these players share intimate stories about their lives outside of baseball and what it means to be Latino in professional sports in the United States.

“La Vida Baseball is launching Mas Que Un Juego to reflect a time when we’re celebrating all things Latinx and taking a hard look at the lack of inclusion in the United States,” says Jesse Menendez, La Vida Baseball Managing Director. “It’s important to continuously engage the growing Latino audience in authentic ways by sharing our stories and journey – from how we arrived in the U.S., to how our upbringing in our país has shaped who we are, uplifting stories about our beloved communities and hearing how the struggles of being Latinx and immigrants applies to all of us, including pro athletes.”

La Vida Baseball host and producer Jennifer Mercedes (@LaChicaDeportes) is at the helm of this roundtable discussion. Mas Que Un Juego will air on La Vida Baseball’s (@lavidabaseball) social media platforms and LaVidaBaseball.com. The series will run throughout 2021.

For more information about La Vida Baseball and Mas Que Un Juego, please visit lavidabaseball.com.

Sports gamblers begin to show their predictions for the Super Bowl

The NFL regular season is in the books and the playoffs are set to begin this weekend. With the final lineup of teams now established, it’s time for sports gamblers to dig in and place their bets on who will make it to the Super Bowl. There were certainly plenty of futures bets made throughout the season that, if they hold up, will have awesome payouts, but the picture is now clearer and the final race to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on February 7 is going to be a good one. 

The Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV last year and entered this season ready to defend that title. They’ve done a good job, too, and are favorites to win their second consecutive title. William Hill is giving them +150 to be crowned champs again, while the Westgate SuperBook is giving them +175. Bodog is giving them +200, PointsBet has them at longer odds, at +220, and BetMGM lists them at +240. The Chiefs, with their AFC-leading 14-2 record, get a first-round bye in the postseason and home-field advantage, and are getting a lot of support from gamblers. 

On the NFC side of the house, the Green Bay Packers are receiving a lot of attention and, should they make it to the Super Bowl, could give the Chiefs a hard time. The Packers took the top seed in the conference after a 13-3 season and William Hill has them listed at +500 to win the big game. PointsBet is a little more confident, giving them +450, and the SuperBook puts them way out there at +600. Bodog thinks the Packers have a chance – although not as good as the Chiefs – and puts the line at +433 and BetMGM has them at +550. 

The Chiefs have a lot of talent on the roster that was carried over from last year. However, they have also run into a little difficulty at times this year, which could be an issue in the postseason. PointsBet Senior Sports Content Analyst Andrew Mannino told Casino.org, “The Packers have an easier path through the NFC than anybody in the AFC, with the Chiefs having to deal with the Bills and the Ravens and the Steelers. In the NFC, Seattle’s a very good team, New Orleans is a very good team. But I think this is shaping up to be Green Bay’s conference.”

Heat favored hosting Celtics on Wednesday NBA odds

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The marquee matchup on a busy Wednesday around the NBA is Boston at Miami, and the last time the Celtics “visited” the Heat it was it was Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals about 250 miles north of Miami in the Orlando bubble. Young Heat star Bam Adebayo dominated in that game with 32 points and 14 rebounds as Miami won 125-113 to reach the NBA Finals – which it would lose to the Lakers. It was the third time in the past four seasons in which Boston lost in the East Finals.

It’s quite possible both get back to the East Finals next summer. Boston isn’t quite full strength right now as All-Star point guard Kemba Walker has yet to play this season due to offseason knee surgery. He’s not expected to debut by Wednesday, either. Miami is -2.5 for the contest and 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings.

Wednesday will also complete an unusual Florida Swing for the Celtics as they played “at” the Toronto Raptors on Monday with the Raptors’ temporary home in Tampa due to COVID border restrictions in Canada. This has to be the first Tampa/Miami swing in NBA history considering Tampa has never had an NBA team.

Must the show go on? COVID-19 infections hit record high in Premier League

Over the course of the current 2020/21 Premier League season, there have been plenty of cases of players testing positive for COVID-19. Despite the protection of protocols that have been put in place to insulate players and staff at the 20 Premier League clubs, modern football heroes such as Kyle Walker, Gabriel Jesus and Ederson at Manchester City have all contracted the virus.

In the last seven days, positive cases in the Premier League have doubled, and with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnston instigating a third national lockdown, should elite football such as the Premier League go ahead?

West Bromwich Albion manager Sam Allardyce thinks that a two-week ‘circuit breaker’ period where Premier League football stops is the solution. 

https://youtu.be/LWC1P-f0YR8?t=154Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Should Premier League pause season for two weeks? (https://youtu.be/LWC1P-f0YR8?t=154)

Sports on Screen: Manchester United: Beyond the Promised Land (2000)

Some sports are born for the television. In football, that applies to clubs too. But when should the light be shone on a football team? In their darkest hour, such as the Netflix documentary Sunderland Til I Die, or in their moment of glory, like the Amazon Prime series Manchester City: All or Nothing? 

In the 2000 documentary, Manchester United: Beyond the Promised Land, the cameras go behind the scenes at Old Trafford, Carrington and even the plains of Brazil as the world’s biggest football club at the time moves into a new future having just won a prize – or rather three prizes – that have not been gathered in the same season before or since by an English side.  

In the 1998/99 season, Manchester United won the English Premier League, F.A. Cup and UEFA Champions League. Not only has no other team done exactly that in football history, no-one has come close. In that respect, this documentary which follows the action in the following season of 1999/2000, everything was set up for United to fail. Any team would find it virtually impossible to achieve the same level of success, but United lost one of their key players in the months between that treble victory and kicking off the new season – Peter Schmeichel.  

With pressures of the FIFA Club World Cup added into the mix, it was a season unlike any other, with United failing to take place in the F.A. Cup for that reason. That caused a deal of controversy at the time, but the documentary frustratingly swerves the debate for completion of including the footage of United in Brazil. While the Red Devils would eventually miss out on the latter stages, losing to Vasco da Gama to crash out at the group stage, the hullabaloo about United pulling out of the F.A. Cup as arguably a storm they didn’t need and it affected the rest of the season.  

Bodog starts the year strong with football wagers

The NFL regular season is now officially in the books and, with it, the last push for sports gamblers before taking a look at who is in the playoffs and who has a shot at winning the Super Bowl. The Bodog sportsbook continued to see a lot of wagers on both NFL and college football games this past weekend as the final games were played but, with its season just getting started, the NBA is slowly gaining more ground. By this time next month, with only the Super Bowl remaining, NBA wagers will rule the charts. 

The NFL gave Bodog 33.67% of its action this past weekend, followed by college football and its 25.8%. The college football championship game is going to be played next Monday, pitting the Ohio State Buckeyes against the Alabama Crimson Tide in what is going to be a rematch from several years ago. This game is certain to find a lot of wagers, with both teams enjoying nationwide support. 

The NBA accounted for 15.74% of the wagers on Bodog this past weekend, slightly lower than what was seen a week ago. This was undoubtedly due to the final push in the NFL regular season. Men’s college basketball wasn’t too far behind, at 15.48%, a hint of what’s to come once the NFL and college football seasons wrap up. Following on the heels of football and basketball, soccer continues to grab some of the action, but not a whole lot. Spain’s La Liga picked up 1.97% of the Bodog wagers, Germany’s Bundesliga followed with 1.87%, England’s Premier League was next with 1.55% and eSoccer and the GT G-26 League rounded out the soccer segment with 1.39% and 1.31%, respectively. Table tennis continues to hang in there, capturing 1.21% of the wagers. 

When the Buckeyes met the Clemson Tigers to find out if they were good enough to make it to the championship game, they found bettors giving them a lot of attention. That game was the top-ranked game on Bodog this past weekend, getting 19.13% of the action. The NFL managed to claim the second spot, with the game between the Washington Football Team (WFT) and the Philadelphia Eagles grabbing 16.82% of the wagers. Washington won that game and are headed to the playoffs after demonstrating what determination and stubbornness in the face of adversity can deliver. From an owner being called out for sexual harassment to a head coach battling cancer, the WFT has had a difficult season.

Carabao Cup semi-final preview

The first trophy of any domestic football season is always fiercely competed for, but in particular in England. The big clubs see it a way of putting down a marker, smaller less successful teams want to book a trophy win of any sort to buy time. Minnows dream of breaking the hierarchy to claim a precious piece of silverware.

Who’ll prevail in this week’s semi-finals? Of the four teams, each of those types are represented, with the holders, a big rival, a sleeping giant and a minnow all going into battle. 

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Brentford (Tuesday, 7.45pm GMT kick-off) 

This match-up pits Jose Mourinho’s Spurs against West London club Brentford in a David vs. Goliath fight to the death… well, a one-legged semi-final at Spurs’ home ground. It’s likely to be the Lilywhites who make the early moves as getting to the Wembley showpiece would be massive for Mourinho and a club in general who have been starved of trophies in recent decades.

Diamond Anniversary For Strat-O-Matic As Sports Simulation Leader Celebrates 60th

Now sixty years after Hal Richman launched the first set of Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com) baseball cards, the market leader in sports simulation is set to celebrate its Diamond Anniversary (how appropriate!) with a full lineup of new items, including upgraded seasons, updated popular series including Hall of Fame and Negro League sets, and branded 60th Anniversary merchandise that longtime fans and newcomers alike will enjoy.

Strat-O-Matic, which has become legendary in the gaming industry and in sports, particularly in baseball, since Richman launched that initial set in 1961, will be upgrading the 1972 and 1956 seasons, two hugely popular years based on fan feedback, to Super Advanced status, for board and digital game play, as a highlight of new products for 2021.

The company is coming off a landmark year, which saw baseball board and Windows platform sales, game product sales, Baseball 365 sales and membership all saw steep increases. The 2020 Strat-O-Matic daily baseball season simulation also brought the company unprecedented attention from popular sports and entertainment personalities and media outlets. Basketball, football and hockey board, Windows, and 365 products also saw increases in sales and interest.

“It is hard to believe that it has been 60 years since we launched our first set of baseball cards,” said Richman, Strat-O-Matic founder. “This year’s offerings will be exciting for our fans, and I’m particularly pleased to be upgrading our first-ever ‘classic’ season of 1956, as it holds a special place for me.”

In addition to the classic baseball seasons, Strat-O-Matic will introduce numerous new products to commemorate the occasion. The popular Heroes series returns for a third edition, along with the 2021 Career Historical Update, Hall of Fame 2021 for Windows and three new Negro League seasons for Windows (1918, 1928 and 1943). 

And Strat-O-Matic enthusiasts can show their fandom even more and help celebrate the anniversary with hats, t-shirts bearing the new 60th logo and the classic red game box, available in limited quantities.

Pre-orders for these products, as well as the 60-game and imagined full 2020 season sets, will begin on January 26. The Strat-O-Matic Headquarters will be closed to the public, and while pick up will be available “curbside” beginning on March 5, the company strongly encourages ordering via the strat-o-matic.com website for delivery this year.

“While it’s disappointing to not have our annual Opening Day activities that thousands have enjoyed as tradition for years,” added Richman, “we hope that making available the new seasons and products that so many have been requesting will renew everyone’s excitement for the new year as they help us celebrate.”

Cryptocurrency exchange wants to be able to list NFL futures

At a time when cryptocurrencies are seeing massive gains that could rival those of 2017, one exchange specializing in digital currency wants to become a more diverse platform. Eris Exchange (ErisX) wants to give its users more than just crypto options and has asked (pdf) the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for permission to include NFL futures contracts among its list of available options.

ErisX reportedly reached out to the CFTC in December, submitting a request to be able to offer “fully collateralized and financially settled contracts” that would be generated off NFL wagers, including moneyline, Over/Under and point spread futures. It explained that its target for the futures contracts are sportsbooks, vendors and stadium owners, adding, “Contrary to popular belief, licensed sportsbooks do not seek to make money based on the outcome of sporting events; rather they seek to maximize their revenue from the collection of fees.”

It all comes down to risk management for sports gambling operators and ErisX has a solid argument for its futures contracts. Sports gambling lines can, and sometimes are, skewed by the markets they serve – a sportsbook in Louisiana, for example, could have different lines than a Colorado sportsbook for a home game for the New Orleans Saints. Many industries, including airlines and large food stores, play the futures game with their prices on a daily basis, so having it come into sports gambling an outrageous concept.

Currently, most sportsbooks try to balance the odds based on different data points, but this sometimes falls short. As ErisX points out, “One notable example of an imbalanced book relates to the 2019 Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams, when an imbalance in the books caused New Jersey Licensed Sportsbooks to lose more than $4.5 million based upon the outcome of the Super Bowl. Similarly, Rhode Island Licensed Sportsbooks reportedly lost $2.3 million on a total of $6.5 million wagered on that same game – more than a third of the total volume wagered.”

NFL season comes to end with spectacular upsets

2020 was an interesting year for sports, with COVID-19 causing all kinds of grief for leagues everywhere. At the same time, though, sports fans were also kept entertained with some unexpected outcomes. The NFL season is close to the finish line, having survived a couple of coronavirus scares, with the Super Bowl coming up in just about a month. The final lineup for the postseason was cemented this past weekend as Week 17 games concluded and football fans can now get busy wagering on who’s going to advance in the playoffs and who’s going home. 

There was some doubt whether the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be able to survive to make it to the playoffs this year, despite the fact that they brought on five-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady to lead the charge. They made it, but showed yesterday that they still have work to do in order to become a championship team. The Bucs, at times, looking like they might lose to the Atlanta Falcons, who were able to rebound and come to within three points with just over eight minutes left in the game. However, relying on the veteran QB, the Bucs kept it together and ended up clinching the fifth seed in the NFC as Brady pushed his team to a 44-27 victory. It was good enough for an NFC wild-card spot, and the Bucs will meet the Washington Football Team (WFT) in the wild card game next week.

The WFT gets to head to the playoffs in spectacular fashion. The team has had to deal with major adversities this season, from its owner being blasted for sexual misconduct to its head coach going through treatment for cancer. It survived all of it, though, taking the NFC East yesterday against the Philadelphia Eagles, 20-14, for its first playoff appearance since 2015. Not bad for a team that finished the season at 7-9. The WFT is the first team ever in the NFL to hit the postseason after starting the regular season 2-7.

The Miami Dolphins were on the verge of making it to the playoffs, but fell apart yesterday against the Buffalo Bills. Several interceptions and bad plays, coupled with an outstanding performance by Bills QB Josh Allen, left the Fins on the sidelines as they fell 56-26. The Bills will hope Allen, who is in contention for an NFL MVP award, will keep up his performance in the playoffs, as the number-two AFC seed take on the Indianapolis Colts in the wild-card round. 

NFL odds roundup: Week 17 lines & trends

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

Rather amazingly, the NFL is going to be able to complete its full regular season during a coronavirus pandemic, something that Major League Baseball, the NBA or NHL couldn’t do. Week 17 is upon us, meaning every game is played Sunday and is an intradivisional matchup.

Some spreads will look a bit unusual this week where perhaps an inferior team is favored over a clearly better one. That’s because some playoff-bound teams have nothing to play for and likely will rest starters. For example, when the Los Angeles Chargers visit the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City has wrapped up the top seed in the AFC, and Coach Andy Reid already has acknowledged he’s going to rest some key guys – a list that starts with quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It concludes a fabulous season for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who should win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Los Angeles is a 3.5-point favorite despite winning just once in the past 13 in the series.