Happy Anniversary, Sports Bettors!
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
May 14 will forever be a special day for sports bettors nationwide.
On that day in 2018, the US Supreme Court opened the door for legal sports betting by overturning PASPA, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992.
The decision left it up to the states to legalize sports betting. Fast-forward to today, and 35 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to make sports betting legal (24 allow online betting). Plus, there is a bill on its way to the desk of Vermont Gov. Phil Scott that will make it 36.
So, sports bettors, let's raise a glass to the Supreme Court, and thank them for overturning PASPA.
Sports Betting at 5
It started with the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks in 1991. The committee found there was a need for federal legislation regarding sports betting. Congress used its authority under the Commerce Clause to pass the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) or the Bradley Act.
Fast-forward to May 14, 2018, and the Supreme Court decided that the decision to legalize sports betting belongs to the states, not the federal government. A 7-2 decision said parts of the law are unconstitutional, and a 6-3 ruling said the law in its entirety was unconstitutional.
With that, the U.S. sports betting industry was born.
It has grown and evolved since that wonderful day back in 2018. Looking back at the five years of legalization, Gaming Today offers a five-part series leading up to Sunday, May 14, the fifth year anniversary of legal sports betting in the US.
Give a read to the first two parts:
Coming soon:
5 Lessons Learned the Hard Way Since Repeal of PASPA
5 States Doing it Right
5 Storylines That Could Define the Next 5 Years
2023 NFL Schedule Release
We are still months away from the 2023 NFL season getting underway, but bettors can start putting money down on games with the schedule being released this week.
The league has revealed select games over the past few days (and you can bet on them already), with the full schedule set to be released tonight (8 p.m. ET) on NFL Network with additional coverage on ESPN2.
Once the schedule is released, sportsbooks will not waste time hanging odds. Here's the coverage we've posted to Gaming Today leading up to tonight's reveal:
NFL Week 1 Odds Offered at Sportsbooks as League Releases 2023 Schedule
Betting Lines for NFL Games on Black Friday, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve
Not ready to put your money down on a game? How about Super Bowl 58?
It's Playoff Time, Baby!
As nice as it will be to have the option to bet on NFL games, there is football action bettors can get down on now. Yes, even postseason football, courtesy of the XFL:
How crazy will it be if a team with a losing record in the regular season goes on to win the XFL Championship? According to the odds listed at sportsbooks, the 9-1 D.C. Defenders are favored by 6 to 6.5 points against the 4-6 Arlington Renegades. But the Renegades gave the Defenders a run for their money in Week 9.
NHL Playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs roll on this week with second-round action. Carolina tries to eliminate New Jersey in Game 5 of their series tonight:
That contest is followed by Game 5 of the Seattle-Dallas series:
Be sure to check Gaming Today every day throughout the playoffs for coverage. For the latest on Stanley Cup odds, check out our dedicated page.
NBA Playoffs
The Lakers and Heat had a chance to eliminate their opponents (Warriors and Knicks) last night but now look to do so in Game 6 of their respective series Friday night. Tonight, fans get to see if the 76ers can eliminate the Celtics:
Denver tries to do the same to Phoenix:
With all four conference semifinal series ending soon, NBA Championship odds will shift, as will NBA MVP odds. You can keep up with the latest championship odds on our NBA Finals page.
Elsewhere in the Wide World of Sports Betting…
There is more to bet on than football, basketball, and hockey. The Champions League is down to its semifinals. Check Gaming Today next week for more on Manchester City vs. Real Madrid and Inter vs. Milan.
Also, the UFC heads to Charlotte for UFC Fight Night this weekend. The PGA Championship is next week, but there is no time to get your bets in like the present.
And there’s always baseball …
This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…
With the fifth anniversary of the repeal of PASPA upon us, lawmakers in not-yet-legal states are pushing their jurisdictions toward legalization. Vermont, in fact, is pretty much a done deal. Missouri, eh, not so much,
Vermont Sports Betting Bill Approved by Lawmakers, Governor Expected to Sign
Missouri Takes 11th-Hour Swipe at Legal Sports Betting; Session Ends Friday
Meanwhile, several states are trying to do the right thing, proposing student education bills to help curb problem gambling. Virginia is the only state that has passed a bill mandating school-level gambling education.
Massachusetts is relatively new to sports betting, launching at retail on January 31 and online March 10. Bettors in the Commonwealth are getting additional sports betting apps to choose from, Jake Paul's Betr (which launched on Monday) and Fanatics.
If folks in MA were looking forward to betting on slap fighting, they’re out of luck.
Sportsbook Promotions: May 11, 2023
The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:
BetRivers: NBA Playoffs Live Bet & Get! Place a real money, LIVE (in-play) wager of $10+ on any NBA Playoff Game, and receive a 50% Matched Bet as a Bonus Bet, up to $25.
Caesars: Profit Boost Pack (Monday 5/8 – Friday 5/12): Opt-In and get three (3) 25% profit boost tokens to use on any market for any event.
DraftKings: Bet $5+ and get $150 in Bonus Bets instantly. For new customers only.
PointsBet: Power Hour, 60 Days of Bonus Bets. Start the countdown for 60 days of Bonus Bets! Starting April 1st, log in from 6–7 p.m. ET daily to get your Same Game Parlay Bonus Bet. Use it on ANY sport during Power Hour.
FanDuel: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets. For new customers only.
Terms and conditions apply. Check out our promo page for the best sign-up offers sportsbook apps have to offer.
Beginner's Beat: Dos and Don'ts for Novice Bettors
These are things I've talked about in the past. But with the NFL schedule coming out and everything else going on in the wide world of sports betting, I thought it might be a good idea to go over them again:
Do bet on a game you know and understand.
You want to make the most informed decision possible when placing a bet. You can't do that on a game you don't know or understand.
Do your research for every bet no matter how well you think you know the game.
I know basketball, but I still do a fair amount of research before I bet on a game. If I can't do the research first, I skip it.
Do try betting online.
It's so easy. Why not?
Don't stick to betting exclusively on your favorite teams.
I do not bet on the Cowboys, Texans, or Aggies, just because I know I will be biased toward them. Since I can't make an impartial decision, I bet on other games instead.
Don't bet on every game.
Stick to games you are the most confident about, instead. If you feel like you have to bet on every game, it may be time to take a step back.
Don't let it control you.
Have fun. Enjoy betting on your favorite games and sports, but don't let it consume you. Set boundaries, have a money management plan (and stick to it), and do not chase your losses. If you feel like you are getting too involved in betting, back off and/or reach out for help.
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.
Bet wisely, my friends.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer