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Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
The All-Star break is a good thing for most NBA teams. With close to 60 games under their belts, taking a break for a few days may be what several teams need to make a late-season push for the playoffs. However, that break means fans and bettors must go cold turkey for about a week.
Okay, so technically, they don't have to go cold turkey. The All-Star game is a game, just not a very good one. You can bet on it, though. But I digress. ...
The wait is over for those eagerly awaiting the return of the NBA. The homestretch of the NBA season kicks off tonight with nine games on the card.
Pick a Promo: Best Sportsbook Offers on the Market
Our team has been hard at work this week covering the NBA along with numerous developments across the Wide World of Sports Betting. So, on that note, let's get to it. It's time to talk about sports betting!
Ready for the Stretch Run of NBA Season?
Over half of the league's team returns to the court tonight, with nine games taking place.
If you want to know more about the Lakers-Warriors matchup, take a look at Jim Robinson's preview:
It's also an excellent time to get your bets in on the NBA Championship and NBA MVP:
NBA Championship Odds 2023: Celtics Favored, New-Look Lakers Worth A Bet
NBA MVP Odds: BetMGM Gamblers Hop Aboard Nikola Jokic's Three-Peat Bid
March Madness is Almost Here!
We'll be ramping up our college basketball coverage in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, check out Cyrus Eshaghoff's latest take on odds to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament:
For odds on upcoming NCAAM games, check out our college basketball odds page. You can also keep up with the latest March Madness odds on our dedicated page.
Elsewhere In The Wide World Of Sports…
If you believe variety is the spice of life, then you probably love the many options at your fingertips for betting on sports. The NBA season is gearing up for the playoffs, the NHL season rolls on, spring football is back, the NFL never goes away entirely, and there’s so much more.
Here is some of the action outside of basketball that we've covered this week:
NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Odds 2023: Early Odds Favor Damar Hamlin
2023 World Baseball Classic Odds: Dominican Republic, Japan, USA Top Betting Board
This Week on the Legal/Business Landscape…
Massachusetts is gearing up to be the next state to launch its mobile sports betting market, and as Rebecca Hanchett reports today, nine operators have received the go-ahead from regulators to launch their apps on March 10.
Also, this is this time of year when state lawmakers reignite talks to legalize sports betting in their jurisdiction, and many are doing just that. Developments are in the early stages, but getting the conversation started is enough to give sports bettors in those states hope.
For example, the latest bill in Minnesota has the support of local tribes and six professional sports teams. Things are looking up in Georgia, too.
Of course, it isn't all sunshine and roses for the sports betting industry. A US congress member from New York has proposed a bill that would ban sportsbook advertising. Here is Brant James’ take:
Sportsbook Promotions: February 23, 2023
The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:
BetRivers: NBA SGP Bet & Get! Place three or More NBA SGPs of $10+ Every Week and get a $10 NBA Free Bet!
Caesars: Profits For The People. 33% College Basketball Parlay Token – Monday 2/20 - Sunday 2/26: Opt in for a 33% Profit Boost Token to use on a CBB Parlay!
DraftKings: New customers, bet $5+ on any pre-game moneyline and win $150!
BetMGM: NBA Bet And Get. Place a $25+ wager on any NBA game, and you'll receive a $5 Bonus Bet to use on any sport, regardless of your wager's outcome.
Terms and conditions will apply with every sportsbook promotion.
Check out our promo page for the best sign-up offers sportsbook apps have to offer.
Fun With Futures: FOMO
Now that I’ve filed this week's edition of the GTP, I'll be wrapping up a post about the sudden shift in Anthony Richardson's NFL Draft odds. At BetMGM Sportsbook, the former Florida quarterback opened at +10000 to go No. 1 in April’s draft.
That translates into a less than 1% chance he'll go first. But after a CBS Sports mock draft projected him to go No. 1 to the quarterback-needy Colts (after they trade up), interest in Richardson was enough for BetMGM to tighten his odds to +700. Sure enough, most sportsbooks have made similar moves.
You can read my article once it gets posted to GamingToday.com, but I'll tell you what I found: The sudden interest in Richardson is about FOMO (fear of missing out). Every bettor wants to hit a big one, and after hearing CBS Sports draft analyst Chris Trapasso say Richardson could go No. 1, bettors jumped at the chance to hit a big one.
The fear of missing out on a big payday appears to have been enough to drive many bettors to put money down on Richardson. I can't read the minds of bettors across the country, of course, but the logic the analyst used has a fatal flaw (a Combine performance will convince the Colts to pull the trigger? Really?). That, and Richardson is more like Zach Wilson and Mitchell Trubisky than Josh Allen.
I go into greater detail in the article.
Don't let FOMO drive how you bet. When you do, you're letting emotions guide you, which is never a good idea when gambling.
The NBA is back, and this edition of the GTP is over. How does that make you feel, Carlton?
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 want to share a tweet I saw this morning. It doesn’t have anything to do with sports betting. But, well, I just like the message:
Bet wisely, my friends.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer