Tag Archives: sportsbiz

Las Vegas Sands woos Oakland Raiders with promise of Vegas domed stadium

Casino operator Las Vegas Sands wants to build a $1b stadium in Las Vegas and they want the Oakland Raiders to call it home.

On Thursday, Sands senior VP Andy Abboud confirmed that the company was spearheading a group of investors looking to build a 65k-seat domed stadium near the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The complex would host the UNLV football team and possibly an NFL franchise.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal quoted Abboud saying Sands and/or the family of its owner, Sheldon Adelson, would contribute a significant portion of the funding for the public-private partnership. Abboud said Sands would present a formal plan sometime over the next two months to the branch of local government tasked with identifying ways to drive tourism.

On Friday, Raiders owner Mark Davis is scheduled to meet with Adelson and to scout out the 42-acre plot on which Adelson wants to build his stadium. The Raiders were in the running to move to Los Angeles (for the second time) but lost out to the St. Louis Rams (another L.A. fugitive) earlier this month.

Golf body sees no signs of fixing; Lefty schools young ‘un on betting talk

The UK golfing world’s governing body says it has no evidence that the sport faces the same claims of of match fixing currently embroiling the tennis world but it’s taking the matter seriously all the same.

R&A CEO Martin Slumbers told the BBC that his group had “not been made aware of any evidence of the type of issues” that have dominated this year’s Australian Open tennis tournament. Regardless, Slumbers insisted the authority wasn’t being “complacent” on the subject.

Slumbers noted that European Tour and British Open players were already required to sign documents declaring their inability to wager on golf events. But Slumbers said the R&A was keeping the betting issue “under careful attention” and if further restrictions were deemed necessary, “we will go further because inappropriate betting will undermine sport.”

MICKELSON SCHOOLS YOUNGSTER ON THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING ONE’S GOB SHUT

Golf body sees no signs of fixing; Lefty schools young ‘un on betting talk

The UK golfing world’s governing body says it has no evidence that the sport faces the same claims of of match fixing currently embroiling the tennis world but it’s taking the matter seriously all the same.

R&A CEO Martin Slumbers told the BBC that his group had “not been made aware of any evidence of the type of issues” that have dominated this year’s Australian Open tennis tournament. Regardless, Slumbers insisted the authority wasn’t being “complacent” on the subject.

Slumbers noted that European Tour and British Open players were already required to sign documents declaring their inability to wager on golf events. But Slumbers said the R&A was keeping the betting issue “under careful attention” and if further restrictions were deemed necessary, “we will go further because inappropriate betting will undermine sport.”

MICKELSON SCHOOLS YOUNGSTER ON THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING ONE’S GOB SHUT

A History of the Best Scoring Teams and Defenses for Super Bowl 50

The last time Peyton Manning made it this far, he was the driving force behind the most prolific offense in NFL history. That’s not going to be the case in Super Bowl 50 when he lines up against the Carolina Panthers. Make no mistake – the reason that the Super Bowl 50 betting line favors the Carolina Panthers so strongly is because of Peyton Manning’s inability to be the same player that’s racked up so many wins and records.

The Panthers and Broncos ranked 6th and 4th respectively in points allowed during the 2015 campaign. Both have surpassed their regular season standards in the playoffs. Each team ranks 1st and 2nd in points allowed during the playoffs. Carolina’s given up just 19.5 points against in two games, while Denver has allowed 17.0 points on average against Pittsburgh and New England.

We could wax poetic about the differences between the defenses, but the fourth and long of it is that they’re both brilliant.

The bigger concern is the offensive disparity between the two teams. Denver ranked 19th in points gained with just 22.2 on average, while Carolina led the league in this category with a mind shattering 31.2 points per game.

A History of the Best Scoring Teams and Defenses for Super Bowl 50

The last time Peyton Manning made it this far, he was the driving force behind the most prolific offense in NFL history. That’s not going to be the case in Super Bowl 50 when he lines up against the Carolina Panthers. Make no mistake – the reason that the Super Bowl 50 betting line favors the Carolina Panthers so strongly is because of Peyton Manning’s inability to be the same player that’s racked up so many wins and records.

The Panthers and Broncos ranked 6th and 4th respectively in points allowed during the 2015 campaign. Both have surpassed their regular season standards in the playoffs. Each team ranks 1st and 2nd in points allowed during the playoffs. Carolina’s given up just 19.5 points against in two games, while Denver has allowed 17.0 points on average against Pittsburgh and New England.

We could wax poetic about the differences between the defenses, but the fourth and long of it is that they’re both brilliant.

The bigger concern is the offensive disparity between the two teams. Denver ranked 19th in points gained with just 22.2 on average, while Carolina led the league in this category with a mind shattering 31.2 points per game.

Super Bowl 2016 betting to surpass $4B, but mostly in unauthorized wagers

Americans will bet more than $4 billion on the upcoming Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA). The bad news: only a fraction of those bets will be placed legally.

Of the estimated $.2 billion in bets that will be placed on February 7, nearly 97 percent—or about $4.1 billion worth—will be wagered with internationally regulated sportsbooks, the casino industry trade group said in a statement. That number was a lot higher compared to last year, when Americans bet $3.8 billion with internationally regulated sportsbooks on the Super Bowl matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.

The AGA said the illegal marketplace is about 35 times more lucrative than the legal forms of sports betting, such as those offered in Las Vegas.

“As Americans celebrate a milestone Super Bowl, they’ll also bet a record amount on the Big Game,” said AGA President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement. “Just like football, sports betting has never been more popular than it is today. The casino gaming industry is the leading conversation around a new approach to sports betting that enhances consumer protections, strengthens the integrity of games and recognizes fans’ desire for greater engagement with sports.”

The Many Gambles of Riverboat Ron Rivera

As much as I’ve touted Bruce Arians over the course of the season, there’s no doubt that Carolina’s Ron Rivera is destined to be awarded the AP NFL Coach of the Year for what he’s accomplished thus far. It’s a well deserved accolade for the man behind the top scoring offense in the league, and one of its most fearsome defenses. Would you believe that it would be the second time Ron Rivera’s been honored with this award?

I talked to a lot of people who both write about football and love the game as much as I do to see what they thought of Ron Rivera. The consensus was simple: not much. For a coach as accomplished as Rivera, he leaves a strangely small footprint on the mainstream consciousness.

In the Internet era, almost every coach as successful as Rivera has some sort of defining quality. Arians is a football genius. Belichik is stone cold with the media. Even a guy like Jim Caldwell is known for his dumb face.

There’s no such hot take on Riverboat Ron Rivera. Why not?

The Many Gambles of Riverboat Ron Rivera

As much as I’ve touted Bruce Arians over the course of the season, there’s no doubt that Carolina’s Ron Rivera is destined to be awarded the AP NFL Coach of the Year for what he’s accomplished thus far. It’s a well deserved accolade for the man behind the top scoring offense in the league, and one of its most fearsome defenses. Would you believe that it would be the second time Ron Rivera’s been honored with this award?

I talked to a lot of people who both write about football and love the game as much as I do to see what they thought of Ron Rivera. The consensus was simple: not much. For a coach as accomplished as Rivera, he leaves a strangely small footprint on the mainstream consciousness.

In the Internet era, almost every coach as successful as Rivera has some sort of defining quality. Arians is a football genius. Belichik is stone cold with the media. Even a guy like Jim Caldwell is known for his dumb face.

There’s no such hot take on Riverboat Ron Rivera. Why not?

Major League Baseball headed to London despite presence of big bad bookies

Major League Baseball says it’s okay with playing games in London, despite the fact that bookmakers will be legally taking wagers within spitting distance of home plate.

In an interview with the Associated Press, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred (pictured) said the league hopes to play a regular season game in London during the 2017 season. In doing so, baseball would join the NFL, NBA and NHL, which have all scheduled regular season games in Europe in recent years.

Manfred was cagey on details, but London’s Olympic Stadium has been suggested as a likely venue to host whichever MLB teams are selected to cross the pond for the league’s first European foray.

The NFL and the other leagues that have staged UK matches have been criticized for maintaining a double standard regarding sports betting. All four leagues have actively fought New Jersey’s efforts to bring legal sports betting to the Garden State based on their claims that sports betting threatens the integrity of their sporting product.

Major League Baseball headed to London despite presence of big bad bookies

Major League Baseball says it’s okay with playing games in London, despite the fact that bookmakers will be legally taking wagers within spitting distance of home plate.

In an interview with the Associated Press, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred (pictured) said the league hopes to play a regular season game in London during the 2017 season. In doing so, baseball would join the NFL, NBA and NHL, which have all scheduled regular season games in Europe in recent years.

Manfred was cagey on details, but London’s Olympic Stadium has been suggested as a likely venue to host whichever MLB teams are selected to cross the pond for the league’s first European foray.

The NFL and the other leagues that have staged UK matches have been criticized for maintaining a double standard regarding sports betting. All four leagues have actively fought New Jersey’s efforts to bring legal sports betting to the Garden State based on their claims that sports betting threatens the integrity of their sporting product.

Eric Kelly: Nothing personal, just business

Filipino mixed martial artists have come a long way. Together with the fast rise of the sport, Filipino fighters have upped their games to be able to compete on the world stage. Focus on the grappling arts has taken priority while still maintaining signature striking capabilities.

Baguio City’s Eric “The Natural” Kelly (12-1) returns to the ONE Championship cage this Friday, January 29, at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia against hometown favorite Ev “E.T. Ting (10-3).

They will do battle in a three-round featherweight main event at ONE: CLASH OF HEROES that will bring the victor one step closer to a shot at the ONE Featherweight World Championship, held by reigning champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov.

“Training has gone well. I feel great. I’m ready,” said Kelly. “I feel strong and ready to bring honor to my country.”

Eric Kelly: Nothing personal, just business

Filipino mixed martial artists have come a long way. Together with the fast rise of the sport, Filipino fighters have upped their games to be able to compete on the world stage. Focus on the grappling arts has taken priority while still maintaining signature striking capabilities.

Baguio City’s Eric “The Natural” Kelly (12-1) returns to the ONE Championship cage this Friday, January 29, at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia against hometown favorite Ev “E.T. Ting (10-3).

They will do battle in a three-round featherweight main event at ONE: CLASH OF HEROES that will bring the victor one step closer to a shot at the ONE Featherweight World Championship, held by reigning champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov.

“Training has gone well. I feel great. I’m ready,” said Kelly. “I feel strong and ready to bring honor to my country.”

Unusual wager volume prompts site to stop bets on obscure Australian Open match

Sports betting site Pinnacle Sports suspended wagers for a mixed doubles match at the Australian Open on Sunday after a suspicious large amount of money came in on the obscure match.

According to The New York Times, the match in question was the first-round mixed doubles game between the pairing of Czech Republic’s Andrea Hlavackova and Poland’s Lukasz Kubot against Spain’s David Marrero and Lara Arruabarrena.

Macro Blume, head of the sportsbook at Pinnacle Sports, told the news outlet that an unusual amount of bets came in for the Hlavackova and Kubot pair about 13 hours before the match started, indicating that the match might be fixed.

“We saw a small number of people placing a large amount of money.” Blume said, according to The New York Times.

Unusual wager volume prompts site to stop bets on obscure Australian Open match

Sports betting site Pinnacle Sports suspended wagers for a mixed doubles match at the Australian Open on Sunday after a suspicious large amount of money came in on the obscure match.

According to The New York Times, the match in question was the first-round mixed doubles game between the pairing of Czech Republic’s Andrea Hlavackova and Poland’s Lukasz Kubot against Spain’s David Marrero and Lara Arruabarrena.

Macro Blume, head of the sportsbook at Pinnacle Sports, told the news outlet that an unusual amount of bets came in for the Hlavackova and Kubot pair about 13 hours before the match started, indicating that the match might be fixed.

“We saw a small number of people placing a large amount of money.” Blume said, according to The New York Times.

Premier League Week 23 Review: Can Leicester Become No. 6

Leicester go three points clear at the top of the Premier League with only 15 games remaining. Can the unlikeliest of unlikely happen? Can the Foxes become only the sixth team to win the Premier League in its history?

It’s difficult to explain to a teenager how monumental it is to see Leicester City at the top of the Premier League table with 15-games remaining. I know. I tried as I drove my son along the M4 today. He hardly glanced up from his mobile phone.

“Yeah, Vardy is awesome,” was the only murmer I heard.

Only five teams have ever won the Premier League.

Synot Tip scraps all sports sponsorships in protest over Czech gambling tax hikes

Czech gambling operator Synot Tip has cancelled its high profile sports sponsorships in protest over the country’s new gambling tax hikes.

On Thursday, Synot Tip issued a statement saying it was scrapping “most of its sponsorship and advertising activities” with Czech sports organizations. The company says it is doing so due to the “sudden increase in taxes in the lottery industry.”

Czech legislators recently approved a new gambling tax regime, which saw them shift from a flat 20% on all gambling winnings to a tiered rate, with lotteries and sports betting taxed at 23% and slot machine tax rising to 28%. The increase was the second rate hike in the last four years.

Neofytos Neofytou, director of Synot Tip International Ltd, claimed to be “shocked” by Czech legislators’ “unprofessional and populist approach” to revenue generation. Neofytou said the new tax would cost Synot Tip “hundreds of millions of crowns” and thus it “simply can not support” sponsorship activities any longer.