No Football Game? No Problem!
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
We all knew this time would come. A weekend is approaching, and there is no football game.
Now, we do have one we can bet on, of course. Super Bowl 57 is fast approaching, and sportsbooks are carrying hundreds of markets related to the season's biggest game (more on that in a minute).
But if you are looking for a game you can watch and bet on this weekend, it will have to be something other than football.
If you are wondering what your options are, we've got you covered. But if you want to get an early start on the many Super Bowl markets, we can help you out there, too. So, let's just cut to the chase and get right to it. Let's talk about sports betting!
Shop Around: Best Super Bowl Betting Promos & Bonuses in 2023
Elsewhere In the Wide World Of Sports Betting…
Life without football can be unbearable to some fans and sports bettors, but it doesn't have to be. As crazy as it may sound, there is more to life (and sports betting) than football.
For instance, basketball season — both the NBA and college hoops – are well into the heart of their respective schedules. You can find games on every night, and we've got the latest and greatest odds ready for you, whether you're looking for futures or game odds:
Odds to Win 2023 NCAA Tournament: Houston Remains on Top, Purdue & Baylor Move Up
Big 10 Basketball Futures Odds: Purdue Chugging Along Toward 2023 Regular Season Title
It's a little early to start talking about betting on baseball games, but it is never too early to start thinking about MVP markets and the World Series:
National League MVP Odds for 2023: Soto Favorite, but This Atlanta Star is Best Bet
American League MVP Odds for 2023: Ohtani, Trout Could Battle Each Other for the Award
For those who prefer something a little more violent, the UFC has you covered with an exciting card of MMA action:
Super Bowl 57
The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event of the year, with billions of dollars wagered on it year after year. Our coverage will be ramping up going forward, but for those of you looking to get a head start, check out our early coverage of the big game:
Super Bowl Odds History: Recent Trends Favor Betting on Under & Underdog
In the days ahead, much more Super Bowl content will get posted to GamingToday.com. So, keep an eye on the site and our social media feeds so you don't miss an article!
There’s one more football game, Aaron…
Record Handle Predicted
Gaming Today’s Rob Miech chatted with DraftKings boss Johnny Avello, who is anticipating excellent Super Bowl handle at his shop, which operates in 22 states.
The Eagles come from Pennsylvania, where sports betting is legal; Kansas is just a few miles from Arrowhead Stadium; and the game will be played in Arizona. That will all help boost handle.
“With the rapid expansion of legal sports betting, record national handle for this year’s Super Bowl appears to be a no-brainer,” Miech writes.
Read his report: Record Super Bowl Betting Handle Expected
This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…
Welcome to the beautiful world of sports betting, Massachusetts! Retail sports betting launched in the Commonwealth on Jan. 31, with local celebrities placing the first bets at casinos. Such momentous occasions were, of course, immortalized on Twitter for the masses not present to enjoy.
Retail sports betting launched just in time for the Super Bowl, and it looks like mobile sports betting will launch in time for March Madness. A specific date has not been set yet, but it is expected to launch in early March.
In other sports betting legal/business news:
FanDuel, DraftKings to New York: Lower Your Mobile Sports Betting Tax Rate or Lose Investment
Could Online Casinos Ease New York's Mobile Sports Betting Tax Rate?
Minnesota Sports Betting Act Balances Interests Among Sports Teams, Horse Racing, Tribes
Sportsbook Promotions: Jan. 26, 2023.
With the Super Bowl coming up, some sportsbooks will be pulling out all the stops to attract new customers and keep existing ones engaged. For example, FanDuel's "Kick of Destiny" featuring Rob Gronkowski. It's Gronk, so you know the commercials will be entertaining. But it's a solid promotion, too.
I wasn't planning on placing a Super Bowl bet at FanDuel, but I did because of it.
How It’s Playing: FanDuel, Gronk Promo Scores Well With Sports Marketer
The following sportsbook promos could come in handy this weekend:
BetMGM: Score a $10 Bonus Bet. All you have to do is place $100 in cumulative live sports wagers, and you'll receive a $10 Bonus Bet. From the gridiron to the hardwood, enjoy your bonus on the sport of your choice!
FanDuel: Kick of Destiny. Get a piece of $10,000,000 if Gronk kicks a field goal LIVE during FanDuel's Super Bowl commercial. Just place a $5 bet on the game to qualify.
FanDuel's "No Sweat First Bet" now has a max value of up to $3,000!
DraftKings: New Customers, win $200 in bonus bets! Bet $5+ on any sport and get $200 instantly!
BetRivers: NBA SGP Bet and Get. Place 3 or More NBA SGPs of $10+ Every Week and get a $10 NBA Free Bet!
Caesars: Super Bowl Bet Credit Giveaway: Monday 1/30 - Sunday 2/12 -- Opt-in and bet the Super Bowl For Your Chance To Win Up To A $57,000 Bet Credit!
Caesars: Super Bowl LVII Same Game Parlay Longshot Bonus -- Wednesday 2/1 – Sunday 2/12: Opt-in and place a $10+ Same Game Parlay with minimum odds of +1000 on Super Bowl LVII, and if you win, get a $57 Bet Credit! Place a SGP for at least $100, with minimum odds of +1000, and if you win, get a $570 Bet Credit!
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: Super Bowl 58
I'm going to watch and bet on Super Bowl 57 because it's what I do. But I am willing to bet that many fans are like me and are already looking toward next year and Super Bowl 58.
Now, I'm not fooling myself into thinking the Texans might turn things around in one season, but now that Kellen Moore is gone, I have hope for the Cowboys. But that's the fan in me talking. The bettor in me loves the value you can find in the early Super Bowl 58 odds.
The usual suspects have the shortest odds (Kansas City, Buffalo, San Francisco, Philly, Cincinnati). I'm staying away from those guys. No, the guys I'm paying attention to are the ones with long odds that have the potential to become a contender with the right offseason moves.
For example, the Denver Broncos hired Sean Payton as the team's new head coach. If anyone can fix whatever broke with Russell Wilson, it's him. Since Denver's Super Bowl 58 odds went from +4000 to +2800 at DraftKings and from +4000 to +2000 at BetRivers, I know I'm not the only one excited about the potential.
Super Bowl Odds 2024: Odds Move For Broncos After Sean Payton Hire Announced
Of course, when you bet because of a team's potential, there is a genuine possibility you will be disappointed. Ask anyone who bet on the Broncos after Denver acquired Wilson last season. There isn't much fun in that.
But if you bet on someone like the Jets, whose odds have already dipped because of the Aaron Rodgers speculation, and the Jets go on to win it all…just the possibility sounds like fun. If they trade for him and they go on to win, that $5 I put on them at +2500 will turn into $125.
It's not a massive payday, but I can buy more Red Vines with $125 than I could with $5.
How do you feel about your career and this newsletter coming to end, Tom?
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, let’s take a look at Rob Gronkowski’s Kick of Destiny commercial:
Good luck, Gronk!
Bet wisely, my friends, and have a great weekend!
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer