Bet Bash 3 is on Tap!
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
Hey all, this is Marcus DiNitto pinch-hitting for Travis Pulver, who is on a well-deserved vacation…
The sports betting community can’t wait for Bet Bash 3 next week in Las Vegas, where pro bettor Spanky brings together bettors and bookmakers from across the country for four days of networking, high-level discussions, and open bars.
Top of everyone’s mind ahead of the conference is Spanky’s one-on-one with Billy Walters, who is universally regarded as the greatest sports bettor of all time. The interview will be only the third the usually reclusive Walters has ever done.
I caught up with Spanky over the phone on Tuesday, one week from the start of his conference, and asked him for a taste of what to expect when he sits down with Walters.
“This is a sports betting conference, and I want people to get actionable information or some type of tips,” Spanky said. “(I’ll) get into the weeds a little bit.
“The first question I’m going to ask him is, ‘How do you do it?’ To be able to be the best at what you do for as long as he’s done it is incredible. Everything’s going to be sports betting focused.”
Walters headlines the inaugural class of the Sports Gambling Hall of Fame, which will be inducted during a black-tie ceremony on Friday night to top off Bet Bash 3.
The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame will sit within the lavish sportsbook at the Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Vegas. Creating the Hall, Spanky wanted to make sure legends from both sides of the counter – bettors and bookmakers – are recognized for their contributions to this industry.
In addition to Walters, the inductees are Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, Roxy Roxborough, Bob Martin, Jackie Gaughan, Charles Kline McNeil, Jack Franzi, Jimmy Vaccaro, Scott Schettler, and Billy Baxter.
For more on Bet Bash 3, check out my sneak peek here.
Hall of Fame Game is Tonight
Okay, so this isn’t exactly September 21, 1970, when these teams clashed in the first-ever Monday Night Football game, but it will, temporarily at least, satiate the appetite of the hungriest football bettor: The Jets and Browns meet tonight in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton.
We won’t see Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson in action, but there’s a point spread, total, moneyline, and even some props, and some of you out there will surely have a few dollars on the game. If you’re among them, check out Bob Christ’s preview and prediction.
The NFL Preseason kicks off in earnest next week, and Kris Johnson offers five tips and trends for your handicapping toolbox.
NFL Preseason Betting Tips & Trends: No. 1, Ride the Ravens
Women’s World Cup: Not So Sweet 16
The USA snuck into the knockout round of the Women’s World Cup with a scoreless tie against Portugal on Tuesday, and while the team celebrated its advancement, the betting market is not that impressed.
The clear favorite heading into the tournament, the USWNT has been bumped from the top of the oddsboard, a spot now occupied by England; Spain has the second shortest odds going into the Round of 16.
Hey, at least the US is in. The same can’t be said for Brazil, Germany, or China, who have all been sent packing.
Gaming Today’s Emma Carlin looks here at updated WWC futures odds.
Sweden is next up for the US, and Tyler Everett puts the Stars & Stripes on upset alert, even recommending a moneyline play on the underdog.
Another Week, Another Scandal
With the good comes the bad, and the era of legal sports betting has certainly had its share of blemishes.
The latest controversy involves four current or former Iowa State athletes, including Cyclones QB Hunter Dekkers. Dekkers allegedly placed bets with DraftKings, including those on games involving his own team, while using his parents’ information to conceal his identity and the fact that he was under 21.
Former Iowa State defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike – who was drafted by the Broncos in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft – is also among the school’s athletes who have been charged with tampering with records for gambling purposes.
Read more from Rebecca Hanchett: Iowa Betting Scandal Latest to Rock College Sports World
More From Around the Industry
With FoxBet and PlayUp becoming the latest sportsbooks to bow out of the US sports betting market, Gaming Today’s Brant James dove deep into the Darwinian history of this young industry.
Check out Brant’s chart detailing the status of all the mobile sportsbooks that have been licensed in the US.
More industry news from Brant and Rebecca:
Could Federal Bill Aimed at Protecting Kids Impact Gambling Industry?
Oklahoma Sports Betting Depends on Thaw in Tribal-State Relations, Says Legal Expert
‘Winning Time’
In a bit of a departure from his sports betting beat, Brant James had the opportunity to speak with Idan Ravin, the basketball training guru who works with the actors on the HBO drama “Winning Time” to teach them how to look like real hoopsters on film.
“It was the smallest things, from learning how to master how dramatic the pass is from his fingers, how he extends his fingers, where the release point is on his jump shot, how he runs, how he smiles, how he like looks away,” Ravin said of turning Quincy Isaiah, who played lineman for his college football team, into Magic Johnson.
Read the Q&A: How Superstar Trainer Idan Ravin Made Magic, Bird, Kareem Out of Actors for HBO
Season 2 of Winning Time debuts Sunday night.
Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz
Jake Paul, the YouTuber-turned-pugilist, steps back into the ring Saturday night after suffering his first defeat as a boxer, to Tommy Fury in February. Up next for Paul is Nate Diaz, who defeated Conor McGregor at UFC 196 back in March 2016 but won’t be able to use the rear-naked choke this weekend in Dallas.
Paul is the large favorite in Saturday’s bout, and Dave Bontempo writes, “the odds reflect a sentiment that he’s hanging around for the payday of at least $500,000, or more if he wins.”
Said DraftKings’ Johnny Avello,“What made the line difficult to make … is that we don’t know much about Diaz as a boxer and if he can go 10 rounds.”
Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz Odds, Props, Predictions: Betting Line Leans Heavily Toward YouTuber
I’ll be at BetBash in Vegas next week, so if you’re there, please say hello. Also, I’ll have plenty of coverage from what should be a fantastic event.
— Marcus DiNitto, managing editor, Gaming Today