College Football is Back, Baby!
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
Are you tired of the NFL preseason? Are you ready to put some money down on a competitive football game played by teams trying to win? If your answer is yes (and if you are reading this newsletter, it probably is), you are in luck this weekend.
Why? Because college football is back, baby!
We will not see marquee matchups featuring big-time programs, but it's football. I don't know about you, but I've missed it. I am thrilled it's back.
Not sure how to bet on these teams you've never watched? No problem. We've got you covered (more on that in a minute).
Shop around: Best Sports Betting Bonuses
Not willing to put your money down on Illinois, Hawaii, or Nebraska? No worries. We've got the latest and greatest on MLB, UFC, PGA Tour, NBA, and more! There is plenty to talk about, so let's get right to it!
2022 College Football Season: Week 0
It's been a long time coming, but it is finally here — the start of the 2022 college football season. No ranked teams are playing, and only a handful of teams from Power 5 conferences are in action. But it's football, and you can bet on it!
We've covered a few of the matchups taking place Saturday:
Vanderbilt vs. Hawaii Odds & Pick: Woeful Commodores Lay Points on Road
Nevada vs. New Mexico State Odds & Pick: Betting Market Moves Toward Aggies
Nebraska vs. Northwestern Odds & Pick: Big Ten Foes Open 2022 Season In Ireland
I know it is hard to believe, but it's true — Vanderbilt is between an 8- and 8.5-point road favorite.
Once the season gets rolling, futures odds are bound to change. So, if you want to go for that longshot while it's still a longshot … there is no better time than the present:
CFP National Championship Odds: Alabama Favored, But Tide Won't Roll
Big 12 Football Odds & Picks: Oklahoma, Texas Top Betting Board
SEC Futures Odds: Alabama, Georgia Favored, But Texas A&M Offers Value
ACC Football Futures Odds: Clemson Atop Betting Board But NC State Offers Value
MAC Futures Odds: Toledo Favored Over Defending Champ Northern Illinois
Pac-12 Football Odds: USC Favored, Utah a Solid Bet, UCLA the Value Play
Let's Not Forget About The NFL!
This is the last week of the preseason, which means we are two weeks away from the 2022 regular season getting underway! So, if you want to use the DraftKings promo during the preseason, time is running out for you. If you would like help with some preseason betting strategies, Jim Robinson has you covered. Ken Bates offers his best bets on the Week 3 preseason slate.
If you are a futures guy like me, then you may find these articles of interest posted/updated at GamingToday.com by some of our writers this week:
NFL Touchdown Scoring Props and Predictions: Bet These WRs and RBs
2022 AFC South Betting Odds: Colts Are Favored, Jaguars Could Compete
Rams Odds: 2022 Futures, Season Win Total, Game Lines & Props
2022 NFC West Odds: Season Win Totals, Division & Playoff Betting Lines, and More
Elsewhere in the Wide World of Sports Betting...
Football will dominate the sports betting landscape for the next few months, but there is so much more to the wide world of sports betting than the NFL or NCAAF. There is almost always a UFC event to look forward to, there was big news in the NBA this week, and the MLB regular season is hitting its stretch run.
Here are some of the events we covered this week:
UFC 279 Odds & Props: Diaz Heavy Underdog vs. Chimaev in Possible Farewell
PGA Tour Championship Odds: Don't Look Too Far Down the Betting Board
Also check out our dedicated 2022 World Series page for the latest World Series odds.
This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…
California could legalize online sports betting in November if Prop 27 gets passed. If that happens, it would be a game-changer for the industry. What's Prop 27, you ask? Check out Mary Shaffrey's article, which includes the nine sportsbooks California would be likely to see, to find out:
Our friends in the Great White North have something to look forward to at the Canadian Women's Open this week (which began today at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club). Bettors looking to enjoy a VIP experience should check out theScore Bet Greenside Lounge. I'd want to spend the day there if I ever attended a live golf event.
Sportsbooks often use bonuses to attract attention, but theScore Bet is trying something else by providing fans with an unforgettable experience. The VIP tent mentioned above is a great example. At the Canadian Open earlier this month, the company used a crane to lift spectators 100 feet over the first and 18th holes.
Next to the VIP tent, I couldn't imagine a better way to watch golf.
In other business-related news:
Sports Betting Execs: It's Time to Reimagine Retail Sportsbooks in Mobile Era
Are States' Sports Betting Laws Shutting Out Smaller Operators?
Penn Entertainment Completes $387 Million Acquisition of Barstool Sports.
Sportsbook Promotions: August 25, 2022.
Sports betting is coming to Kansas next week, and the promo DraftKings is running makes me want to visit the Jayhawk State. Not because of the four $25 free bets (which are nice), but a shot at a $100,000 free bet might be worth the trip.
Anyway ... the following are some promotions sportsbooks are running that could come in handy in the coming week:
FanDuel: Super Bowl 57 Win Bonus. Place a $50+ straight wager on the "Super Bowl LVII - Outright Betting" market and get a $5 Free Bet for each game your team wins during the 2022-2023 NFL regular season.
DraftKings: New Users: Get $200 In Free Bets Instantly! Bet at least $5 on any NFL or College Football game and get $200 in free bets instantly!
DraftKings: CFB Week 0 100% Profit Boost Bet & Get. Bet $75 in MLB Parlays or Same Game Parlays & earn a 100% profit boost for any College Football Week 0 game!
As always, terms and conditions apply.
Beginner's Beat: Don't Get Greedy
Every bettor wants to hit it big when they bet. But the experienced gambler knows you win some, you lose some. It's inevitable when you bet on sports, which makes it vital that you keep a level head and don't get greedy.
No matter how good one side of a bet looks, don't assume it's a “sure thing” and try to cash in (sure things do not exist). Bet what you usually bet and nothing more. Betting more gives you a shot at winning more, but it also means a good chunk of your bankroll could disappear in a heartbeat.
Stick with what you are comfortable wagering. Your bankroll will live longer, and you'll enjoy betting on the college football season even more.
Newsletter is done, Coach.
That's it for this edition of the Gaming Today Playbook. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much or more as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any questions or want to request a topic to get covered in a future newsletter, you can reach me via email at travis.pulver@catenamedia.com or via Twitter at @FatManWriting.
To close out the GTP this week, I'd like to share this clip from Hard Knocks:
Bet wisely, my friends, and have a great weekend!
Bye, bye, bye!
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer