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Jun 23, 2022

With the Warriors taking care of the Celtics in six games, the spotlight is finally on the Stanley Cup Finals — and not a moment too soon! After beating the Bolts in overtime last night, 3-2, the Avalanche are a game away from ending Tampa Bay's two-year reign over the rest of the NHL.

Game 5 is tomorrow night in Colorado, but more on that in a minute.

Register and wager here: $50 Free Bet & $1,000 Bonus at DraftKings

There is a lot going on in the wide world of sports betting this weekend besides hockey. The NBA Draft is tonight, and there are wild things happening in that betting market. There's also the College World Series, UFC Vegas 57, MLB, and much more.

So many games, so many betting opportunities, so little time!

Stanley Cup Finals

There is controversy over how Game 4 ended, but the fact remains: the Avs won the game and have a commanding 3-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals. The question now is whether the Lightning will use the perceived injustice as fuel and rise to the occasion in Game 5 or if Colorado will finish them off.

The Avalanche are big series favorites now with odds as pricey as -1400 (at BetMGM), which give them a 93.33% chance of winning Lord Stanley's trophy. However, more NHL teams have overcome 3-1 playoff deficits (31) than in the NBA and MLB combined (27). But only one of those comebacks occurred during the Stanley Cup Finals (Toronto in 1942).

Kris Johnson has the latest on the Finals in a recent post, and if you are already thinking about next year's Stanley Cup, he's got you covered there, too.

Live Game 5 odds

NBA Draft And 2023 Finals

Do you still want to bet on the NBA even though the season is over? No problem, odds are up for the 2023 NBA Finals, and the usual cast of characters lead the way, as Golden State opened as the favorite (shocker, right?).

But if you don't want to wait until next summer for your payout, the 2022 NBA Draft (which is tonight) is there for the taking. Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero have swapped spots as the favorite to be the No. 1 pick, as the Duke prospect moved to the top of the oddsboard overnight before Adrian Wojnarowski reported this morning that the Orlando Magic are set on Smith.

For more on the NBA Draft and some of the many prop bets sportsbooks offer, check out Tony Meija's article at GamingToday.com.

Elsewhere in the Wide World of Sports Betting…

There's never a shortage of markets for sports bettors to enjoy at their favorite sportsbooks. In addition to NHL and NBA coverage, here’s what else we’ve been dishing about this week:

I've not been a big fan of college baseball in the past. But after following the postseason this year, I must admit I will miss it when it's over. Odds have continued to change for the CWS winner since the postseason moved to Omaha.
Does some of the up-and-coming talent in the UFC have you excited to bet on Saturday night's UFC Vegas 57 card?
Don't look now, Dodgers fans. But your team is not the stand-alone favorite to win the World Series anymore.
You can always bet on the NFL. Check out these articles about Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year odds. Odds are on the move for the Cleveland Browns, too, as the league nears a decision on Deshaun Watson.

Today’s MLB betting lines

Additional Must-Read Articles at Gaming Today

We want to do more than keep you informed about the odds for the latest games and offer our two cents. At GamingToday.com, we also aim to keep you informed on the developing US sports betting industry. This week saw quite a few developments:

This Week On The Sports Betting Legal Landscape…

The future of mobile/online sports betting in the Tar Heel State did look promising with a pair of bills making through committees and to the House this week. But the optimism quickly disappeared on the House floor Wednesday night. While hope is not entirely gone, it doesn't look good with the legislative session ending soon.

If you are wondering where your state stands regarding legalized sports betting, check out this article by Mary Shaffrey: Where Sports Betting Legislation Stands in 2022: Assessing the Winners & Losers.

Sportsbook Promotions: June 23, 2022

The following are some of the promotions sportsbooks are running that could come in handy this weekend:

BetMGM: BetMGM is offering 'insurance' for those who bet on a one-game parlay on MLB or the Stanley Cup Finals, as well as overtime insurance for the Stanley Cup. Terms and conditions apply for each.
BetRivers: Place a $25+ Same Game Parlay on any MLB game and receive a $10 Free Bet!
DraftKings: Place a bet of $5+ on any NHL market and receive $100 in free bets when that bet settles, win or lose.
FanDuel: No Sweat First Bet. Get up to $1,000 back in free bets if you don't win your first bet.
Caesars: MLB Parlay Insurance. Opt-in and get your money back if exactly one leg of your MLB parlay loses.

Pulver's Picks: USFL Semifinals

It took three tries between the AAF, XFL, and now the USFL, but it appears we will see a spring football league complete its season. The USFL wrapped up its regular season last week, and the action moves to the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, for the playoffs.

I did not believe in Michigan from the start, but I did have high expectations for the Tampa Bay Bandits. Tampa Bay did not advance, but the New Jersey Generals, my preseason dark horse, made the postseason (I still think they'll win it all).

The Philadelphia Stars and New Jersey get things started on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, followed by the New Orleans Breakers and Birmingham Stallions at 8 p.m. ET.

Odds via DraftKings:

Stars (+4.5) vs. Generals

The Generals won both regular-season matchups, including last week's finale (26-23). While the Generals dominated the awards, taking home Coach of the Year, MVP, and OPOY, there is something about Case Cookus that makes you want to root for him. I think the Generals will win (-205), but I can see the Stars keeping it close (+4.5).

Stallions (-5) vs. Breakers

Birmingham swept the Breakers this year, winning 22-13 in Week 3 and 10-9 in Week 8. Each team can play well on both sides of the ball, but the Stallions have been more consistent on offense this season. New Orleans can win this game, but they'll probably need Birmingham to make a few mistakes.

But the Breakers will probably make more than the Stallions do. I'm not confident Birmingham can cover the 5-point spread, but I think they'll win outright (-210).

Beginner's Beat: What does ‘chalk’ mean?

This term confused me when I first got into sports betting. It didn't make sense, so I looked it up. It's a good word to understand as you get started betting on sports, and it has some interesting history to it, too.

The term 'chalk' refers to the side of a bet that is favored, typically a heavy or strong favorite.

If someone calls you a 'chalk eater,' they are saying you often bet the favorite.

But why is it called 'chalk?'

Back in the day, horse tracks didn't have computer screens and tickers. Tracks used chalkboards to display the odds for horses, and the names of the favorites would get covered in chalk dust as odds were erased and updated.

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.

This week I'd like to leave you with a bit of wisdom courtesy of a Chinese proverb:

If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.

Bet wisely, my friends.

Until next week,

Travis Pulver