The Boys Of Summer Are Just Getting Started
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
I must admit that when the NFL and college football seasons get rolling, I forget about baseball a little. But then the MLB postseason starts, and an alarm goes off in my head — it's about to get real. There's no more room for error. Teams don't have time to work their way out of a slump. You either bring your A-game or you go home.
Meaningful baseball. You gotta love it.
As much as football? Eh, I'm going to take the fifth on that. But what would you rather watch on a Tuesday night: an MLB playoff game or Bachelor in Paradise? No response is necessary; I know the answer.
Find One for Yourself: Best Baseball Betting Apps
Oh, and the NBA and NHL preseasons are underway, too. So, not only do we have NFL and college football games, but we also have the MLB postseason and plenty more.
A lot is happening in the wide world of sports betting. Let's talk about it!
2022 MLB Postseason
It's been a heck of a year in Major League Baseball, but now it's time for the postseason, where every pitch, every at-bat, and every out means a lot more. With the 12 best teams in baseball facing off, fans will probably see (and bet on) some great games in the days ahead, starting with the Wild Card Series for each league.
We've got all four broken down for you:
Padres vs. Mets Odds: Wild-Card Series Price, Game 1 Betting Line, Prediction
Phillies vs. Cardinals Odds: Wild-Card Series Price, Game 1 Betting Line, Prediction
Mariners vs. Blue Jays Odds: Series Price, Game 1 Betting Lines, Prediction
Rays vs. Guardians Odds: Series Price, Game 1 Betting Line, Prediction
If you want the latest on World Series odds, you'll want to read the recent analysis from Bob Christ on the Fall Classic:
NFL Week 5
Week 5 of the NFL season kicks off tonight with a game that looked on paper like it could be a great one. But with how both teams have played this season, eh – not so much. The Colts and Broncos have been disappointing this season, but someone has to win tonight. Will that team get on track and start living up to expectations?
Who knows, but we do know Jonathan Taylor is out. That means it's time for Matt Ryan to step up and make it happen for the Colts tonight.
Colts vs. Broncos TNF Player Props & TD Scorer Bets: AFC Foes Enter With Hitches in Their Giddyup
Colts vs. Broncos Odds & Prediction: New QBs, Backfield Issues Impact TNF Forecast
As for the rest of Week 5, there are quite a few exciting matchups. Can Kenny Pickett lead the Steelers past the Bills in Buffalo? Will the Dolphins, minus Tua, handle the scrappy Jets? How about Cooper Rush and the Cowboys? Can he keep Dallas on the right side of the scoreboard with a win over the Rams?
So many questions ... and hopefully, our writers can answer some of them for you in the following articles:
NFL Week 5 Betting Picks & Predictions: This Tom Brady Fact Will Surprise You
NFL Week 5 Betting Tips and Strategies: Back Teddy Bridgewater to Cover
Cowboys vs. Rams Odds & Prediction: Defensive Battle Favors Dallas
Elsewhere In The Wide World Of Sports Betting…
This is the best time of year for sports bettors. Every major professional sport is active. I've already discussed the latest and greatest involving MLB and the NFL. But there is so much more going on:
The NHL preseason is in progress, and you can find odds for the latest games on our NHL Odds page.
You can find the lines for the opening games of the NBA regular season on our NBA Odds page.
UFC 280 (in a couple of weeks) looks like a heck of a card.
The latest LIV Golf event is underway in Bangkok, Thailand. The latest PGA Tour event, the Shriner Children's Open, has teed off in Vegas.
Last, but certainly not least, there's college football:
Hawaii vs. San Diego State Odds & Pick: Avoid the Point Spread
AAC Futures Odds: Cincinnati Favored As Conference Play Begins
2022 Heisman Trophy Odds: Gap Widens Between CJ Stroud And Everyone Else
This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape ...
If sports bettors in Ohio, Maryland, and Massachusetts are getting excited, they should be. All three states are getting closer to launching. Ohio regulators recently approved the first 25 mobile sportsbook operators, which include PointsBet, Caesars, Betfred, bet365, and the Superbook. Maryland is eyeing a go-live date in November or December. And we’re expecting a Massachusetts launch date to be announced today.
Want to find out which sportsbooks are partnering with the Guardians, Bengals, and FC Cincinnati?
Read: Ohio Approves First Mobile Sports Betting Operators; Bengals, Guardians Among the Partners.
Elsewhere on the legal/business landscape:
Government Wants to Go Solo in Florida Sports Betting Appeal
How Sporttrade's Model, Tight Markets Help Users Profit From Sports Betting
Bookmaker Spotlight: Jason McCormick Makes his Mark at Station Casinos
Sportsbook Promotions: October 6, 2022
The following sportsbook promos could come in handy this weekend:
BetMGM: MLB Risk-Free Tokens For Playoff Wins – Place a futures wager of at least $25 on any MLB team to win the 2022 World Series. You'll get one Risk-Free Token for every playoff round your team wins! You can enjoy your Risk-Free Token on any sport.
DraftKings: Bet $5 on NFL or College Football, Get $200 Instantly (eight $25 free bets)
Caesars: SGP Club – Opt-In and cumulatively wager $50+ in SGPs for Week 5 NFL Games between October 6, 2022, and October 10, 2022, and get a $10 Free Bet!
BetRivers: MLB Future World Series Bet and Get! – Make a $50+ real money wager on any team to win the 2022 World Series, and receive a $5 Free Bet for every series your team wins!
Beginner's Beat: Evaluate Yourself
Now that every NFL team has four games under their belt, coaches will likely be looking back at what they've been doing, assessing how well it worked or if it even did, and figuring out what they need to do differently to win games (or win more of them). Bettors should do that, too, for the same reason.
If you haven't been winning, it may be time to rethink your strategy before you blow through your bankroll. If you are losing more than you win, by identifying what's been working and what hasn't been working, you can revise your strategy and start winning more than you lose.
I took a step back recently to look at how I've been picking games this season and discovered that I've been making the same mistake repeatedly. As a fan, I love underdogs and seeing teams that shouldn't win, win games. So, I talked myself into believing that some bad teams had a chance to keep it close enough to win ATS (which they failed to do).
Had I not looked back at what I've been picking this season, I might have talked myself into believing something like Texas A&M winning ATS this weekend against Alabama (DraftKings offers Aggies +24). Hey, they won last year with a solid defense and a garbage offense. Why not this year?
Yeah, not going there.
That’s it for the newsletter, Charlie.
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 thought about sharing a clip of Aaron Judge smacking home run No. 62, but I’m more of an Albert Pujols fan:
Bet wisely, my friends, and have a great weekend!
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer