Churchill Downs News Latest Indicator Of Volatile Sports Betting Market
Sports betting news and picks for bettors by bettors
Sports betting news has had its ups and downs over the past few months. Recently, it seems, mostly downs. DraftKings stock has plummeted below $20 a share, Caesars called for a drastic reduction in advertising, and today, Churchill Downs Inc. announced it is pulling its TwinSpires platform from the online sports betting and casino space.
The reality is many gambling operations are seeing dollar signs, others not so much. If you aren’t all in, you should be all out.
But with online sports betting on the horizon in Maryland and Ohio, and Californians voting on the issue in November, there are big opportunities in the industry.
DraftKings and FanDuel are likely to continue dominating market share, but there is plenty of room for more than those two operators.
See below for links to some of this recent news.
UFC Vegas 49 Picks And Parlay
This parlay was outlined in my full breakdown of UFC Vegas 49, which is linked at the bottom of this section. For all of my picks for Saturday’s card, check that out.
UFC Vegas 49 Parlay +413: Ignacio Bahamondes -210 + Altamirano/Hernandez GTD -150 + Brahimaj/Gillmore Fight Starts Round 2 -225 + Arman Tsarukyan -225
Here are more UFC plays to consider:
Arman Tsarukyan Wins by Decision +225 (PointsBet)
This line does not make much sense to me. Tsayukyan has excellent grappling, and while his opponent, Joel Alvarez, is dangerous with submissions off his back, that’s the worst position to be in in MMA. Just because Alvarez has good armbar attempts and guillotines does not mean he can win a decision. Staying on your back while your opponent controls you on top does nothing but lose you minutes. Tsarukyan by decision is his most likely win condition, and +225 is the best market price by a lot.
Wellington Turman Wins by KO/TKO in Round 1 +1100 (FanDuel)
This line was just released, so expect it to move swiftly. You can also get Turman by second-round KO at +1600. I am betting a quarter of a unit on each of these lines. Turman is made of glass, so he could easily get submitted. Fortunately, his opponent, Misha Cirkunov, is also made of glass and has been KO’d four times in his last seven fights – all in the first round, too.
Islam Makhachev Wins by Unanimous Decision +490 (FanDuel)
This is another interesting prop loaded by FanDuel for the main event between Islam Makhachev and Bobby Green. While I recommend (in the article linked below) to bet Makhachev to win by submission in round 1 or 2 (+230), the nearly +500 on this unanimous decision prop is a joke. Other books have this in the +300s.
Read: More Of My UFC Vegas 49 Picks
Today In Sports Betting Biz: BetRivers Maryland, Uncertainty For California, Alaska Sports Betting?
BetRivers Sportsbook has qualified, but not yet landed, a license to offer sports betting services in Maryland. It is still unknown when Maryland will launch mobile sports betting, however. This is just a retail license, for now.
Read: Gaming Today’s Rebecca Hanchett Discusses BetRivers In Maryland
California is the giant looming in the sports betting market. The expectation is Cali would explode in the business. However, with as many as four initiatives on November's ballot, a poll conducted by the University of California revealed tepid support for sports betting.
Read: Gaming Today’s Mary M. Shaffrey Breaks Down The Poll
A few weeks ago in this very newsletter, we discussed that Alaska wanted to introduce sports betting to its residents. Well, that is coming closer, although still in the early stages.
Read: Alaska Sports Betting Bill Introduced To The State House
Sportsbook Promotions, February 24: DraftKings’ NBA Futures Bet + Get
Each week, I search the sports betting market for promotions. Sometimes they are awesome, other times not so much. Rest assured, you will not miss another “no-brainer bet” again.
DraftKings Sportsbook: Opt in and bet $25 or more on any team to win the NBA Finals and earn free bets for every regular-season win your team gets after the All-Star break AND get a $10 free bet for an NBA Same Game Parlay the next day. The rewards of the “per-win free bet” are tiered based on how much you bet on the NBA Finals winner. Check out the promos page for more information.
BetRivers Sportsbook: College basketball has taken center stage now that the NFL season is over. BetRivers has a great weekly promotion where you can bet $25 on a college basketball game and receive a $10 free bet, win or lose. Each leg must be -200 or longer. Opt-in at the promos page.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Get a $10 free bet every Monday. Place a combined $50 of qualifying wagers (Monday-Sunday), and BetMGM will hook you up with a $10 free bet that ensuing Monday. Check out Terms and Conditions on the promos page.
Fanatics Sportsbook Looks To Make Global Splash
Michael Rubin – CEO of Fanatics, the popular sporting gear company – is a visionary and has his eyes on the sports betting market. While Fanatics missed out on a sports betting license in New York, Rubin has bigger things in mind.
“We can be the No. 1 player in the world in that business in 10 years,” Rubin said.
Read: Gaming Today’s Mark Ashenfelter Discusses The Potential Of Sports Betting For Fanatics
As always…. “Bet with your head, not over it…” -- Furio Giunta
~ Erich Richter, GamingToday Sports Betting Expert
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