Let the Big Dog Bet!
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
Since golf's second major starts Thursday morning, it feels like a good week to bring the GTP to you guys and girls a day early. The excellent content our writers have been pumping out has more value to you now than it would tomorrow after the field has teed off.
The PGA Championship is just one of the big sports events taking place this week. We've also got the NBA and NHL conference finals and the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, and while they may not qualify as “big” events, UFC Fight Night and USFL Week 6 are also on tap for your wagering pleasure.
Pick a Promo: The Best Sportsbooks Have to Offer
On that note, let's talk about the week in sports betting!
105th PGA Championship
Betting on any sport can be fun, but betting on golf has a special place in my heart. Why? Because it is not crazy to bet on guys with insanely long odds.
You can bet on the Houston Texans to win Super Bowl 58 at +20000 (via DraftKings) if you want to. But there’s a reason for those odds that imply the Texans have a .5% chance of winning the Big Game.
If you make that bet, your friends will call you nuts and say you've wasted your money. When betting on golf, it is not nearly as crazy to roll the dice on a long shot.
Consider the pre-tournament odds of the last six PGA Championship winners:
Justin Thomas +1600
Phil Mickelson +25000
Collin Morikawa +3000
Brooks Koepka +1000
Brooks Koepka +2000
Justin Thomas +3500
Jimmy Walker +12500
Longshots do not win every time, but they do win some of the time, so why not roll the dice on one?
Then again, betting on one of the favorites is not a bad idea, either. Brooks Koepka's odds were second to Tiger Woods heading into the 2019 PGA Championship at +1000.
Nothing can turn someone into a golf fan for life quite like winning $1,000 on a $100 wager.
If you are not sure who you want to bet on yet, maybe one of these articles can help:
PGA Championship Predictions, Odds & Longshots: Vegas Updates and Value Bets
2023 PGA Championship Odds & Betting Guide: Scheffler, Rahm are the Favorites
PGA Championship Expert Picks: Three Win Bets for Second Major of 2023
148th Preakness Stakes
After his Kentucky Derby triumph, Mage eyes the second jewel of the 2023 Triple Crown, Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. The colt has a favorable path at Pimlico this weekend, as no other Derby contender is back for another shot at him.
Whether you are an avid horse race bettor or a beginner, our content can help you decide how to bet on this weekend's race:
Preakness Stakes Odds 2023: Morning-Line Prices for 8-Horse Field
Preakness Stakes Horses 2023: Post Position Draw, Field Overview
Mage's Preakness Odds Tightly-Priced in Morning-Line; Colt is Longshot to Win Triple Crown
It's Playoff Time, Baby!
Congratulations to the Arlington Renegades for winning last weekend's XFL Championship and improving to 6-6. Yes, sports fans, we have a champion with a .500 record. You don't see that every day.
That will not be the case for whoever wins the NBA Finals or Stanley Cup.
The conference finals for both get started this week, and we’ll continue to cover the games throughout the playoffs.
Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals saw the Nuggets take a 1-0 lead over the Lakers. Game 1 of the ECF is tonight:
Heat vs. Celtics Game 1 Odds, Series Price, Props: Is Miami Undervalued by Betting Market
Heat vs. Celtics First Basket Scorer & Player Prop Bets: Tatum Favored for Early Game 1 Bucket
Heat vs. Celtics Same-Game Parlay Predictions: Three Plays To Consider for Game 1 of the ECF
The conference finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs start on Thursday (East) and Friday (West). Check our site, Gaming Today, ahead of game time to see our coverage for each contest.
To keep up with the latest NBA Finals and Stanley Cup odds, check out our dedicated pages:
NBA Championship Odds: Celtics the Betting Favorite Heading into Conference Finals
Stanley Cup Odds: Hurricanes Top NHL Betting Board Ahead of Conference Finals
This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…
The big news on the business side this week is Fanatics’ acquisition of PointBet’s US assets for the low, low price of $150 million.
The deal is part of Michael Rubin’s plan to one day dominate the sports betting marketplace, and Fanatics will take another step in that direction when it opens its app for business in Massachusetts.
If you are looking forward to seeing if Fanatics’ prices are better at the sportsbook than for a sweatshirt or jersey, bettors in several states may get a chance to do so in the near future.
Meanwhile, the good things in life are never easy, right? If you happen to be in Rhode Island and believe that is true, you may be a fan of iGaming. Legalizing sports betting was put on the ballot for the voters to decide, but iGaming supporters do not think that will be necessary in this case. But there is still opposition, as Rebecca Hanchett reported this week:
Sportsbook Promotions: May 17, 2023
The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:
FanDuel Racing: No Sweat Preakness Bet. Place a win bet up to $20 on a horse to win the Preakness Stakes and get it back as a bonus bet within 24 hours if your horse does not win. This offer is available to new and existing FanDuel customers.
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: PGA Championship Top 10 Insurance. Opt-In and place a pre-tournament wager on the Tournament Winner Market for the 2023 PGA Championship to get a Bonus Bet equal to 100% of stake up to $25 if your selected golfer loses but finishes in the Top 10 (Wednesday last day to use)
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 1, 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.
Terms and conditions apply. Check out our promo page for the best sign-up offers sportsbook apps have to offer.
In Case You Missed Them…
Last Sunday. May 14, was the fifth anniversary of the day the Supreme Court handed down the decision that overturned PASPA and opened the door for legal sports betting. To commemorate the day, we offered a five-part series.
I included links to two in last week's newsletter; I want to post all five this week.
These are well-written, informative articles that I recommend to anyone looking for more insight into the industry.
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, with the ‘big dogs eat’ theme in mind, I want to share this video. It’s a couple of minutes long, but it’s awesome:
Bet wisely, my friends.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer