Sports Betting in Sunshine State Takes Step Forward
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
For about a month in 2021, people in Florida enjoyed online sports betting. Then a court decision invalidated the agreement the Seminole Tribe had with the state, and sports betting came to a screeching halt.
Due to a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, sports betting could resume in the Sunshine State in the near future.
A US District Court ruled in November 2021, just a few weeks after the Hard Rock launched its sports betting app, that the pact between the Seminoles and the state of Florida was beyond the scope of tribal gaming law.
But last week, the US Appeals Court disagreed and reversed the ruling.
Gaming Today’s Brant James has more on the ruling and what could be next:
We have quite a few other things to discuss this week. So, let's get right to it. It's time to talk about the week in sports betting!
Major League Baseball
Baseball is the gift that keeps on giving with several games every day for bettors to get involved in. Did you miss the game you wanted to bet on earlier in the day? No problem — there’s surely another one coming right up!
Several teams are dealing with injury issues right now, but the All-Star break is just a few days away. So, maybe/hopefully, your favorite team's injured star will be ready to go post-break.
For now, though, there are plenty of betting opportunities, and we’ve got you covered with some props insight and predictions:
MLB Strikeout Prop Picks for Thursday: Two Overs, One Under to Consider
MLB Home Run Props: Mookie Betts, Young Stars Headline Thursday's Picks
Speaking of the All-Star break, if it is around the corner, the Home Run Derby is, too. Last year's winner, Juan Soto, is not participating this year. But the field does feature some heavy hitters (odds via FanDuel):
Two-time Derby champ Pete Alonso (+320; betting favorite)
Mookie Betts (+1500)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+350)
Luis Robert Jr. (+480)
While it would be easy to understand why one may feel the need to pounce on Alonso's odds before they get shorter, the betting favorite has not won the Derby since 2018 (Bryce Harper, +250). Other than Harper, only one other favorite during this millennium went on to win the Derby (Giancarlo Stanton, +330 in 2016).
2023 MLB Home Run Derby: Odds and Predictions
Soccer
It's an exciting time to be a soccer fan and bet on the game, with the Women's World Cup just weeks away. But bettors do not have to wait to place bets on soccer. No, the CONCACAF Gold Cup is in progress, with the quarterfinals scheduled to get underway on Saturday.
Victor Araiza has you covered with odds and predictions for one of Saturday's two games:
The USMNT is trying to become the first back-to-back winner since Mexico (2009 and 2011). The odds favor Mexico (+120, via Caesars), but the US is not far behind (+275).
Elsewhere in the Wide World Of Sports Betting…
Football fans do not necessarily have to wait for the fall to get down on some football. The CFL enters Week 5 of its season tonight, when the Roughriders are 7.5-point favorites vs. Elks. But bettors interested in taking a break from the gridiron have plenty of options on hand this weekend:
UFC 290 takes over Vegas on Saturday night and features a pair of title fights
The mega-fight between Errol Spence and Terence Crawford does not take place until the end of the month, but the odds have been on the move.
Basketball fans can enjoy some WNBA action this weekend, but for those interested in NBA markets, DraftKings has posted James Harden next team odds.
In golf, the PGA Tour is in Silvis, Illinois for the John Deere Classic, and the LIV Tour heads to the Centurion Club near London. Talor Gooch is coming off a win in Spain last weekend. Can he win his fourth LIV event of the season this weekend?
Other events bettors may be interested in include Wimbledon (the second round is underway), the Tour de France (stages 7, 8, and 9 are this weekend), and the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta this weekend).
This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…
The biggest story on the legal/business landscape is the recent development in Florida I talked about in the intro. But it is not the only news.
Kentucky is not wasting any time trying to launch sports betting. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced today that it will meet on July 10 to review regulations. When you consider that Kentucky's sports betting law took effect just a week ago, this is impressive.
But there isn't time to spare if the state is to launch in time for the NFL season like Gov. Andy Beshear hopes to.
Sportsbook Promotions: July 6, 2023
The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:
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GTP Spotlight
Many opposed to legal sports betting share at least one common concern — the integrity of the game, especially at the collegiate level. With scandals like the one that befell the Alabama baseball team this year, it is not hard to see where those concerns come from.
In last week’s GTP, I discussed what the NFL plans to do to educate its players. This week, let’s put a spotlight on an article by Kris Johnson that talks about one company’s plans to help educate college players:
From the article:
US Integrity is known for its monitoring prowess, but the company is also taking the lead on educating student-athletes on sports betting and its potential ramifications. The company is doing a barnstorming tour of the SEC this season.
"We're going to do on-site education seminars at every SEC school — 16 including Oklahoma and Texas," said US Integrity Founder & CEO Matt Holt. “It's a lot of travel, but it's most rewarding. We know that these are the most vulnerable people, the youngest, and they get put in spots a lot. They don't necessarily have the same advisory group around them that professionals do."
It's a solid article and well worth the read.
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.
Bet wisely, my friends.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer