MLB Postseason, aka the Great Equalizer

Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...

Oct 13, 2022

Winning 100+ games during the regular season is great, but it doesn't matter how dominant a team was for the first 162 games. Everyone starts the postseason on equal footing. The only thing that matters is who wins now.

The 101-win New York Mets learned that the hard way, and it is fair to wonder who may be next. Can Seattle take down the Astros? Can the Padres advance past the mighty Dodgers? Will the Phillies be able to topple another giant and beat the Braves?

We'll find out in the days and weeks ahead — and hopefully, make a little money betting on the right markets.

But the MLB postseason is not the only game in town for fans and bettors. The NFL and NCAAF seasons roll on this week. The NBA and NHL preseasons are in progress. Golf never seems to be out of season, and the UFC doesn't seem to take too many breaks, either.

Promo Shopping: Find the Best Sports Betting Bonus for You

There's a lot to talk about this week, so let's get to it.

2022 MLB Postseason

It would be great to think you can rely on a 100+ win team to take care of business when it matters most against a club that squeaked into the postseason — but it’s not that easy. Kudos to those who saw the Padres coming and put their money down on them to win the wild-card series against the Mets. I sure didn't.

But the Padres have an even bigger test in front of them in the NLDS: the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are 1-1 through two games, and Game 3 should be a great one tomorrow night.

While Mariners-Astros will be underway by the time you read this, and Guardians-Yankees Game 3 has been postponed, Gaming Today’s Dan Holmes breaks down Friday’s Dodges vs. Padres game and makes a case for the underdog.

It isn't too late to get your bets on who will win the World Series. Bob Christ has the latest on the 2022 World Series odds in his latest article:

Odds to Win 2022 World Series: Dodgers Look to Reverse Historical Trend

Live MLB Playoff Game Lines

Football! Football! Football!

Week 6 of the NFL season gets underway tonight, with the Washington Commanders taking on the Chicago Bears. While it may not be the most exciting game on paper, that doesn't mean bettors should overlook it. Yes, picking a winner between these two lackluster squads is hard, but I certainly feel good taking the Under on the total (38).

But who knows – maybe Carson Wentz finally steps up this week.

Here are our betting previews for tonight's matchup:

Not interested in that game? No problem. We’ve got plenty of NFL content to chew on this week:

For you college football bettors, we've covered a couple of games this week, along with the latest Heisman odds:

NFL Week 6 Lines

My NCAAF and NFL parlay and picks articles will be posted to GamingToday.com tomorrow.

Elsewhere in the Wide World Of Sports Betting…

The sports fan in me loves this time of year — there is a sporting event on television every night. If it's not a football game, it’s the MLB Playoffs. Plus, the puck dropped on the NHL season this week, and the NBA tips off Tuesday. There’s also golf and UFC, of course.

It's the most wonderful time of year. Merry Sports-Mas, everybody!

Anyway ... we covered more than the MLB postseason and football for you this week:

This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…

The NWSL playoffs start this weekend, and our Hannah Vanbiber wonders why betting options on women’s soccer are so sparse. She digs deep and talks to some sportsbooks to find out. It’s a great read:

Sportsbooks Behind the Ball on Women's Soccer Odds

Sports betting is coming to Massachusetts in the New Year. If the state regulatory process goes well, in-person wagering would launch in January, with mobile/online to follow in February. Operators interested in being among the first in a new market do not have time to waste; the deadline for applications is in just a few days (Oct. 17).

Elsewhere on the legal/business landscape:

Sportsbook Promotions: October 13, 2022

The following sportsbook promos could come in handy this weekend:

BetMGM: Parlay Insurance – BetMGM is running parlay insurance promos for NHL, MLB, EPL, and football one-game parlays. Parlays need at least four legs; if one loses, you get your stake back in free bets up to $25.
DraftKings: Bet $5 on any moneyline, Get $200 Instantly (eight $25 free bets)
FanDuel: Bet $5 on NBA, and Get NBA League Pass on us (for three months)!
Caesars: Profit Boost – Get one (1) 33% Parlay Boost Token to use on a 4+ leg, +400 minimum odds parlay for NFL games between October 13, 2022, and October 16, 2022.

Beginner's Beat: Not Betting is Okay

In my humble opinion, betting on games is fun. I have found games I would have otherwise not been interested in compelling because I had a little skin in the game. However, you should never feel like you have to bet on everything. If there isn't a market you feel confident about, maybe just watch the game rather than bet on it.

If you feel like you need to bet, it may be a good time to take a step back from betting. The last thing you want to do is develop a problem and risk losing more than just money. Sportsbooks have various ways to help you self-regulate if you feel like you may be developing a problem.

But if that is not enough, it might be time to seek help. Online sportsbooks have links to Responsible Gaming information (including a phone number) on the home page.

This is the number for the National Council on Problem Gambling: 1-800-522-4700

Newsletter is over, man.

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 wanted to share this: