Tom Brady Haters Unite!
Sports betting news and information for sports bettors by sports bettors...
It's an exciting time for sports fans and especially sports bettors. There is so much going on right now and at a high level of competition. Conference finals are underway in the NBA Playoffs. The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has begun. We have the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, this weekend. The fun doesn't stop!
For those who want a little more entertainment to look forward to, news broke this week that Netflix will roast Tom Brady in a future special. Who doesn't want to try to knock the GOAT down a peg or two, am I right?
In honor of the pending Brady roast, this week's edition of the Gaming Today Playbook is dedicated to mean tweets featuring some of our favorite pro athletes.
NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals Are Here!
When the conference finals tipped off, the Warriors were favored to win the NBA Finals, with Steph Curry seeing the shortest odds to win Finals MVP. From what we saw in Game 1 of the Warriors-Mavericks series, there is no reason to think differently (yet). Golden State’s series price certainly took a big jump after the Dubs dominated Dallas in Game 1.
As for the East Finals, Boston entered the series as the favorite. After the Heat won Game 1, though, the series line flipped. The Celtics are still underdogs to advance, but with Marcus Smart expected to return tonight, the Game 2 spread and series price moved in Boston’s direction.
If you're a fan of player props and same game parlays, Cyrus Eshaghoff has you covered for Celtics-Heat Game 2.
NHL Playoffs: Second Round
Hockey fans have to be loving how the Stanley Cup Playoffs have unfolded so far. There was only one sweep in the first round, two went six games, and five went seven! Sounds like some seriously competitive hockey to me!
I barely know enough about hockey to follow a game, let alone talk about betting on it. But Kris Johnson has the Blues-Avalanche series covered (Game 2 is tonight), as well as Rangers-Hurricanes, with Game 2 set for Friday.
Elsewhere in the Wide World of Sports Betting…
As I said earlier, a lot is going on this week; too much for me to talk about. Instead of turning this into the War and Peace of newsletters, I'd like to point out what our fantastic writers have covered:
The PGA Championship got rolling this morning, so many markets have closed, but there are still plenty of open markets at various sportsbooks. It would probably still be helpful to read what our writers have had to say.
In a post published earlier this week, Jim Robinson talked about traps to avoid and value to target.
Bill Bowman offered some great insight on prop bets and potential winners.
It is impossible to talk about a golf major without discussing Tiger Woods, who shot a 4-over 74 opening round today.
The name alone makes me want to bet on the longshot to win the Preakness Kris Johnson writes about in this article (Skippylongstocking).
Now that the NFL schedule is out, Cyrus Eshaghoff breaks down the NFC East and discusses win totals, futures odds, and key games for the division’s four teams.
I still don't think Bryce Young is a good bet to win the Heisman in 2022, and I offer up an intriguing candidate in a Heisman Trophy odds update this week.
Pulver's Parlay: USFL Week 6
I was confident in the Generals and Bandits last week and was happy to see they both won. I knew going with the Stars might be a reach since they just lost their starting quarterback, but I thought they would keep it closer than they did. As for the Gamblers, Kevin Sumlin has gotten as much mileage as he can from Johnny Manziel's coattails.
Here are Week 6 spreads on the teams we have circled this week (via DraftKings):
Bandits -3 vs. Stars
Stallions -6.5 (-120) vs. Panthers
Maulers +8 vs. Breakers
Generals -7 (-105) vs. Gamblers
As a four-leg parlay, these combine for +1204 odds.
I've believed in Jordan Ta'amu and the Bandits since Week 1 and think they can handle the Stars. It will be a competitive game, but they should win by more than a field goal.
Jeff Fisher's Panthers are playing better, but the unbeaten Stallions are a tall order.
The quarterback change did wonders for the Maulers offense last week against Houston, but the New Orleans defense will be a lot tougher. I expect the Breakers to win, but I think the Maulers can keep it within eight.
As for the Houston-New Jersey game, I'd feel better if the spread was shorter than a touchdown, but I think the Generals win this one.
Must Read
I have to plug Kris Johnson’s excellent Q&A with ESPN’s Sarah Spain in the second installment of our Women In Sports Betting series.
Sarah discusses the challenge of incorporating sports betting into her craft, the early struggles of her beloved Cubs, the “hellscape that is Twitter”, and plenty more.
This Week On The Sports Betting Legislative Landscape…
We may know soon just when sports betting will launch in Ohio. Dan Holmes has the information in an article posted to the site on Wednesday:
“A formal Universal Start Date will be designated at the Commission's June 1 meeting, but stakeholders should anticipate the Universal Start Date will be close to January 1, 2023," the Ohio Casino Control Commission said.
While that may not be great news for the NFL or college football regular season, it sounds like bettors in Ohio can look forward to the NFL Playoffs (will the Bengals be back? How about the Browns?) and College Football Playoff (which Ohio State could be taking part in this year).
In other developments…
It's not so much a development but the continuation of a struggle to get sports betting legalized in Missouri. Rebecca Hanchett offers a year-by-year look at the futility.
Things are also looking dicey in Minnesota, as Mary Shaffrey reports.
Kansas, though, has a law.
DraftKings has extended its reach to include the Great White North. The popular sportsbook announced Wednesday it has launched its sportsbook and casino apps in Ontario.
Sportsbook Promotions: May 19, 2022
This week, I focus on the promotions that could come in handy over the weekend:
BetRivers: Log in every day of the PGA Championship for a 20% Profit Boost.
BetRivers: Place 3 NHL SGPs during each round of the Playoffs and get a $10 Free Bet.
DraftKings: NBA Playoffs. Bet $5+ on any NBA moneyline and win $150 in free bets if your team wins.
BetMGM: Overtime Insurance. Bet on an NBA or NHL team to win and if it loses in overtime, get your stake back up to $25.
FanDuel: No Sweat SGP. Place a 3+ Leg SGP or SGP+ on an NBA Playoff game and if your bet loses, get a refund in free bets (max $20).
Beginner's Beat: PointsBetting
PointsBet was the first sportsbook I placed a bet with. The various odds boosts it offers for NFL and college football games each week were what drew me in. But PointsBet also offers bettors something unique, PointsBetting. While I was intrigued, I initially stayed away from it because — to be honest — I found it a little confusing.
I suggest this article by Cole Rush, who does a great job of explaining what PointsBetting is and walks you through a few examples.
Check it out. You'll be glad you did.
That's it for this edition of the Gaming Today Playbook. As always, I hope you enjoyed reading it and found it informative. 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 tweet to RoastMaster Jeff Ross when he asked a few years ago for Tom Brady roasts:
Tom Brady's the goat? Why must you insult farm animals that way?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer