USA! USA! USA!

Jul 19, 2023

There is a good chance you may hear "USA! USA! USA!" chants over the next few weeks. Why? Because nothing brings people together quite like our favorite team dominating an international sporting event, and the USWNT is favored to win the Women's World Cup for a third straight time.

Yep. Our women's soccer team is that good. But it doesn't necessarily mean that the team is worth betting on. As the favorite, their odds are the shortest, which means you will have to risk more to win less. Emma Carlin examined that very question in a recent post for GamingToday.com:

2023 Women's World Cup Odds & Predictions: Is USA Worth a Bet as Favorite?

But the Women's World Cup is not the only major sports event this week. The final major golf tournament of the 2023 season – the Open Championship (also known as the British Open) – tees off bright and early Thursday morning at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England.

So, yeah— it's a busy week with the Women’s World Cup getting underway and the British Open. But we have quite a few other things to discuss as well. So, let's get right to it. It's time to talk about the week in sports betting!

2023 Open Championship

If you prefer to bet on golf when most (if not all) of the best players in the world are playing, then you will want to bet on the British Open. Matthew Jordan, Richie Ramsay, and Branden Grace will lead a field of 156 of the best golfers in the world when they tee off at 1:35 a.m. ET (6:35 a.m. EST).

So, who should you bet on? That's for you to decide, but Bill Bowman and Kris Johnson have provided our readers with information and analysis that may help:

Seven British Open Sleepers to Bet Now

I am a big fan of sleepers. There is just something about being able to put $10 down on someone and get back $200 to $800 if they win. Since seven of the last 10 winners had +2000 odds or longer prior to the first round (two winners had +8000 odds), it isn't a crazy idea to think a longshot could win.

Major League Baseball

Now that the All-Star break is clearly in the rearview mirror, baseball bettors can focus on the remainder of the season. As far as the AL and NL MVP races go, there is a heavy favorite for both:

But there is a lot of baseball still to come. So, while it may seem like the winners are obvious, a lot can happen over the next 60+ games

It's also an excellent time to get your bets in on World Series odds. As the end of the season approaches, the odds will not remain as long as they currently are for several teams.

I am surprised that the last-place (in the AL East) New York Yankees have the same odds (or shorter) as the Baltimore Orioles. Yes, I am aware of the history of both squads, but Baltimore is playing better baseball right now—which is what matters.

For odds on upcoming games, check out our MLB odds page.

Elsewhere In The Wide World Of Sports Betting…

If you like betting on several different sports, this is a good time of year because there is so much going on. Not only do we have the Women's World Cup, the Open Championship, and MLB, but we also have the CFL, the upcoming NFL season, boxing, MMA, and so much more.

We've been keeping an eye on the moneyline for this boxing match!

Crawford vs. Spence Odds & Props

I'll have my analysis of Week 7 of the CFL up later today (or tomorrow), but there is no better time than the present to check out the latest Grey Cup odds.
Rookies have begun reporting to training camp, and the Jets (the whole team) have already reported. That means it's a great time to find some value in the latest Offensive Rookie of the Year odds. OROY is typically a betting market where the preseason favorite rarely goes on to win.

Additional events this weekend include the latest WNBA action, the Pocono 400, and UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs. Tybura.

This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…

There have been several interesting developments on the legal/betting landscape over the last week. For example, FanDuel will launch FanFuel Extra Kick Coffee Thursday morning when the Women's World Cup begins.

Why? They are looking to rally support for the USWNT and help fans stay awake when they stay up late to watch games. The USWNT plays on Friday at 9 p.m. ET versus Vietnam. But if you want to watch the opener, that match starts bright and early at 3 a.m. ET Thursday.

I'll order some coffee and let you guys know how it is next week.

In other news, DraftKings’ DK Horse will sponsor the Jim Dandy Stakes, a horse racing event in Saratoga, next weekend. One of our writers talked about the development with Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook operations for DraftKings. He had this to say:

"This is a major deal for us, especially because we have only really been in the New York market with DK Horse for 3-4 months. I hope it is the start of something even bigger."

Brant James spoke with Florida sports radio host Brandon Kravitz about the state of sports betting in the Sunshine State. In a separate post, Brant explored whether North Carolina's NASCAR tracks will have retail sportsbooks (which they are allowed to have under the new state law).

Sportsbook Promotions: July 19, 2023

The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:

Caesars: 25% Women's World Cup Profit Boost: Wednesday, 7/19 – Tuesday, 7/25-- Opt-In and get one (1) 25% Profit Boost to use on any Women's World Cup soccer match.
BetRivers: The Open Championship Insurance: Place a real money, outright winner, Pre-Tournament wager on the Open Championship, and receive your bet back up to $25 if your golfer finishes in the Top 10!
FanDuel: When Team USA wins, so do you! Get $10 in Bonus Bets for every win on top of your guaranteed $100 Bonus when you place your first $5 bet. (new customers only)
DraftKings: Place a bet of $5+ and get $150 in Bonus Bets instantly! (new customers only)

Terms and conditions apply. Check out our promo page for the best sign-up offers sportsbook apps have to offer.

Playing With Props: Dak Prescott's Interceptions

A friend of the GTP recently brought a topic to my attention that we will discuss now—Dak Prescott's interception total.

Interceptions were an issue for Dak last season. He tied Houston Texans QB Davis Mills for the league lead with 15, despite only playing in 12 games. The Cowboys quarterback recently made a bold statement about INTs:

"I won't have 10 interceptions this year."

Coincidentally, Barstool has set the over/under total for Dak Prescott at 9.5, with odds for the over at -250 and the under at +175.

Dak has thrown 10+ in three of his last four seasons; the one season he didn't, he only played in five games (and was on pace for 12). So, it does not look promising for the Under if history is any indication.

But as quick as his detractors were to point out his historical tendencies on social media, Dak supporters pointed out that many of last season's picks were passes tipped by the receivers.

If I were to bet this one, I'd lean towards the Under just because it has plus-money odds, but I would keep the wager small. If that number is too low for you, the total that DraftKings has posted is 13.5, with the odds set at -110 on both sides of the bet.

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 be 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.