Ready for the Tip
North Carolina legal sports betting launch is Monday, tourneys await
It’s college basketball seeding betting season.
If your alma mater is terrible, it’s hoping season, as in Yeah, we’re 8-19 but maybe we catch fire and win the Big 12 Tournament.
They won’t.
Don’t bet that.
Either way, we enter one of the high holy periods of sports betting in the United States. Barely shaking off our parlay and cheesy fry Super Bowl hangover, here comes conference tournaments preceding the NCAA men’s and women’s tourneys.
We don’t deserve this.
And because the Playbook gets strong feelings on things we like to share, we feel like this will not only be a typically ka-pow betting season on the men, but interest in women’s basketball is going to stoke action even further.
Dare you fade Caitlin Clark?
Amid all this frivolity, North Carolina is about to become a legal sports betting state. It’s no breaking news that college basketball is a bit of a deal there, and the University of North Carolina and Duke are a force, South Carolina’s women’s team is tops in the land, and NC State would like a minute.
Hold onto your Surf Wax. This is about to speed up.
AP Photos; Brant James illustration
Carolina Reapin’
Anyone in North Carolina hoping to beat their friends to that first legal mobile sports bet has that option right now, but it requires a drive out to Eastern Band of Cherokee Tribal lands or Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. (It’s pretty out there)
Caesars - which operates the casino - expanded its relation with the tribe through the auspices of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act this week to launch before the non-tribal expanses of North Carolina.
North Carolina-specific codes, odds, promos, insights ahead of March 11 legal sports betting launch:
Signing Up for Multiple NC Sportsbooks? Here’s some tips
Former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen will make the ceremonial first bet in North Carolina for DraftKings at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
PGA TOUR betting is booming …
in states where sports betting is legal and has tournaments
With North Carolina being so golf-y, how could this not succeed?
On the Edge of Madness
Conference basketball tournaments begin next week as a delectable appetizer for the announcement, over-thinking of, and betting on the Field of 68.
The Super Bowl represents the biggest day for sports betting in North America, but the NCAA tournament plays way above that rim as the most lucrative event of the year. Every year.
Maryland outlawed single-player props for college games this week, but betting on awards is still allowed. Learn up.
Free-For-All Begins on Wednesday
AP photo
The NFL’s free agency period officially opens on March 13.
At that point, teams will be free to offer Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones (above), quarterback Kirk Cousins, or edge Josh Allen all of the money. (Offer QB Josh Allen, too, but he can’t accept it).
It’s a loaded free agent class that’s sure to quake pre-season NFL betting futures.
This means it’s a good time to lock in some futures if you’re into that. Here’s the latest Super Bowl odds from DraftKings as of Friday:
At 3 p.m. today (March 8), the National Hockey League trading period ends. Teams either assess their pieces for a Stanley Cup run - hey, Avalanche - or hope they got enough pieces back for dumping those unrestricted free agents. That’s you, Sharks.
And then there’s me with tickets to the Capitals game on Saturday, wondering where everybody went.
In other gambling/hockey news, Caesars Sportsbook and the NHL renewed their U.S. official sports betting and gaming partnership.
What you’ll notice: Caesars gained the right to use NHL intellectual property for branded iCasino games.
From FanDuel:
“Heading into the weekend, the Panthers (+700), Oilers (+700) and Avalanche (+800) are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. The Rangers have the most handle on FanDuel to win at 17%, followed by the Bruins (14%), Avalanche (12%) and Oilers (10%).”
“The Hart Trophy race continues to heat up, with Nathan MacKinnon (+140) and Auston Matthews (+185) the two favorites on FanDuel. MacKinnon has the most bets (16%) and handle (30%) on FanDuel to win it.”
Are the A’s Messing up MLB Futures Bets?
Dan Holmes ponders the question.
The uncertainty of the A’s home ballpark may seem trivial, seeing as how the franchise has lost 214 games in the last two seasons. But, the shaky future of this team does have an impact on the MLB futures odds market. For every team like the A’s that is dysfunctional and suffering, there are other teams that benefit in some way.
Want to Grab an Oppenheimer SGP?
Writing about betting on the Oscars remains a yearly dalliance - especially for financial publications, for whatever reason - even though it’s only legal in Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
The handle is generally small. According to DraftKings sportsbook director Johnny Avello, it also generally skews female, which would be your news peg. But no one writes about that.
So, for those of you in Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, here’s hoping Godzilla Minus One cashes for “Best Visual Effects.”
It’s fricken great, BTW.
More Coverage: 2024 Oscars Odds | DK Boss Talks 2024 Oscars
Odds …
… and more UFC stuff
Can soon-to-be-former-sportsbook-brand-ambassador Auston Matthews win the Hart Trophy? (MVP) Here’s some odds
… and Enders
Ontario bans active and retired athletes from endorsing sportsbooks
READ DEEPER: That’s a bummer for Auston Matthews
Empty out those SI Sportsbook digital wallets in Colorado, Michigan, and Virginia. 888 is ending its deal with SI Sportsbook as Authentic Brands continues to strip-mine Sports Illustrated.
Call 1-800-GAMBLER if you have a gambling problem. 21+: All content herein is intended for audiences 21+.
By BRANT JAMES, Gaming Today Senior Writer