Enjoy The Show (And Bet On It!)
The word of the day must have been simplicity when MLB came up with its slogan for the 2022 MLB season -- enjoy the show. There's nothing wrong with simplicity, of course. “Enjoy the Show” is family-friendly and makes for an easy hashtag. It can also be morphed into so many different things, i.e., enjoy the park, enjoy the flips, and my personal favorite— enjoy the action.
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I am not referring to things like Aaron Judge hitting bombs or Shohei Ohtani making opposing hitters swing and miss. No, I'm referring to the many betting opportunities the MLB season brings.
There are eight games today and 60 more over the holiday weekend (including Monday). Each of those games have numerous betting markets, and then there are all the futures markets, i.e., the World Series, MVP races, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and so much more.
Don't worry. If baseball is not your thing, there are plenty of other betting opportunities to enjoy this weekend in the wide world of sports betting. Let's talk about them.
MLB: Batter Up!
Baseball is the one sport where the old saying "any team can win on any given day" holds true. The best team in the league will lose 40% of their games (or more) throughout the season.
So, a team with a lousy record could beat one of the better teams in MLB. Does that mean you should bet on someone like Pittsburgh when it takes on Milwaukee this weekend? Not necessarily. But you shouldn't rule the Pirates out, either.
But if you're not sure about that game and would rather opt for a different one – no problem. Our MLB page has all of the odds for upcoming games.
Not sure about picking a winner for a particular game? This article by Craig Williams highlights several MLB player props and home run bets for this weekend.
If you are like me and prefer to bet on futures, then check out these great articles:
MLB Rookie of the Year Odds and Predictions at Midseason: A +550 Wager to Consider
World Series Odds Update: Yankees, Dodgers, Astros, Mets Top Betting Boards
Golf: LIV and PGA Action
I know many people have strong feelings about the new LIV Golf Tour. From a bettor's perspective, it's another chance to get in on the action. Since the talent is spread between two tours now, it might be a little easier to bet on golf.
Then again, it might not. In golf, like every other sport, the best players in the world are not always the best on any given day. They have off days just like everyone else. Former No. 1 in the world, Dustin Johnson, was nowhere to be seen on the final day of LIV's first event.
It's a little more challenging to find odds on LIV events, but if you can, you'll want to check out Bill Bowman's take on this week's LIV Portland event. But if you’d rather stick with the PGA Tour, Bill has you covered there with his breakdown of the John Deere Classic.
Since the John Deere is already in progress, some markets may have already closed, or odds may have shifted.
Elsewhere in the Wide World of Sports Betting
Are you looking for something other than baseball or golf? No worries. Like most weekends, there will be something going on to interest every sports bettor:
Now that the NHL season is over, it is time for bettors to do like every team in the league and start looking to next season. Who will win the Stanley Cup next year?
The USFL wraps up its season Sunday night with the Birmingham Stallions and Philadelphia Stars battling it out in the championship game.
In the NFL, sportsbooks have been keeping a close eye on any developments with Deshaun Watson. Some are trying to play the middle ground, but the odds are already getting longer for the Cleveland Browns.
UFC fans will undoubtedly enjoy this weekend's UFC 276 card on Saturday featuring not one but two title fights!
Must-Read Articles at GamingToday.com
We want to do more than keep you informed about the odds for the latest games and offer our two cents. At GamingToday.com, we aim to keep you informed on the burgeoning US sports betting industry. This week saw quite a few developments:
Fanatics Looks to Acquire Sportsbook Tipico With Eye on US Market
Deposits and Withdrawals Among Sportsbook's Biggest Customer Service Issues
This Week on the Sports Betting Legal Landscape…
As sports betting grows in popularity and states that have yet to legalize it see how much revenue some states are generating, they'll probably get on board—or at least try to. While it may sound like a great idea, legalizing sports betting is easier said than done for some states.
Mary Shaffrey took a look at where sports betting legislation stands for many states in an article posted to GamingToday.com yesterday:
The future of sports betting has taken an exciting turn in California. Voters will have two sports betting referendum questions on the next ballot. Mary posed an interesting question in her article on this development—what happens if both questions pass?
There's good news for bettors in Maryland. It looks like the state has taken a step forward with mobile sports betting. State regulators are reviewing proposed regs and rules related to the competitive licensing process. There is still a lot of work to do, but it is a step in the right direction.
Promotions: June 30, 2022
Following are some of the promotions sportsbooks are running that could come in handy this weekend:
DraftKings: New users -- bet $5 on UFC 276 and get $100! (opt-in required).
BetRivers: Wimbledon Bet and Get -- place a $25 pre-wager on any match and get a $10 free live bet.
FanDuel: New users -- bet $5+ and get $150 in free bets.
Caesars: UFC parlay insurance -- opt-in and place a 4+ leg parlay, and If you lose exactly one leg, receive a free bet equal to your stake, up to $25!
Terms and conditions apply to every promo. If you need a good reason to give one of these many promo offers a shot, check out what one better turned a free bet into (hint: he won a lot of money).
Pulver's Picks: Coach of the Year
I prefer to bet on futures over games. Yes, that means I have to wait until the end of the season for a payoff, but it also means I can take $10, and if I put it on the right guy and he wins, it turns into a lot more.
The NFL Coach of the Year has the potential to do just that—especially if you bet before the season starts when everyone's odds are longer.
I know that may seem a little crazy since you have no idea how any team will perform, but the lowest odds for COY at DraftKings right now are +1400 (for Brandon Staley).
That means if Staley wins and you bet $10 on him, you win $140. But if Todd Bowles wins (+2000), you win +200, or if Matt Eberflus (+4000) turns the Bears into contenders, he wins and you cash a $400 ticket.
Betting before the season starts means you have a great shot at turning a little into a lot.
COY winners tend to be coaches that take teams coming off bad years and get them turned around (i.e., Kevin Stefanski in 2020) or guys that guide their team to an incredible season (i.e., John Harbaugh in 2019 when the Ravens went 14-2).
Cyrus Eshaghoff's article is a great starting point if this market interests you. My pick right now is Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. First-time head coaches tend to be great candidates since they are taking over teams that have not been playing well. With the offseason that the Fins enjoyed this year, they will be dangerous if Tua can step up his game.
Should that happen, McDaniel will have a great shot at winning COY.
Beginner's Beat: Props.cash
As you start your sports betting journey, you will turn to websites like GamingToday.com for guidance and valuable information. Sifting through all the sportsbooks and promos can be daunting; it certainly was for me when I started.
Researching your potential bets is not easy. There are so many; where do you start? We post articles highlighting various markets, but if we have not published an article on the market you are interested in, check out this app: Props.cash.
Kris Johnson wrote an article on the app this week, Props.cash App Helps Sports Bettors Find Data-Driven Value Plays. The title speaks for itself. It will help you sort through the many prop bets at sportsbooks and find ones that offer the greatest value. If you want help beyond what our writers have provided, give it a look.
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 be covered in a future newsletter, you can reach me via email at travis.pulver@catenamedia.com or via Twitter at @FatManWriting.
This week, I'd like to leave you with a quote from a legendary hitter and gambler, Pete Rose:
“I'd be willing to bet you, if I was a betting man, that I have never bet on baseball.”
How can you not love Pete Rose? Bet wisely, my friends.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer