With the First Pick in the 2023 NBA Draft …
the San Antonio Spurs select ...
… Victor Wembanyama!
The French baller’s selection is not something I know with certainty via my crystal ball or anything like that, but when the betting odds favor one player as heavily as they do Wembanyama, it will take something beyond crazy for tonight’s NBA Draft to go any other way.
For those interested in betting on Wembanyama to go No. 1, you can. But you'll need to bet a tidy sum to make $100. His odds range from -10000 to -50000 to be the No. 1 pick. That means you must bet from $10,000 to $50,000 just to win a C-note.
But like the NFL Draft, sportsbooks have several NBA Draft markets for your betting pleasure. I'll have more on some of them in a moment.
Anyway, 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!
2023 NBA Draft
There is no value in betting on a player to be taken with the No. 1 selection this year. You have to risk too much to win too little on Wembanyama. While you could be in line for a nice payday if you have $10 down on the right player and the Spurs go off script, have we ever known the Spurs front office to lose its collective mind on Draft Night? I don't think so.
For the sake of all San Antonio fans, I hope Wembanyama doesn't join this list of infamous NBA Draft busts.
But what should you bet on tonight?
A question like that is one only you can answer, but I can give you a few ideas:
College World Series
Florida has already locked up a spot in the CWS Finals, but the Gators have to wait until later tonight to find out who they will face – Wake Forest or LSU. The Demon Deacons are the No. 1 team in the rankings and entered the CWS as the No. 1 national seed.
But LSU is no joke, either. The Tigers were ranked No. 1 for most of the season but fell from the top spot late in the season after dropping a few games. They have been playing well in Omaha, though, and could give Florida a run for their money in the Finals.
Who will Florida face? That is an excellent question, and it should be a great game tonight.
The total sits at 7.5 runs, and I’m on the Under to continue a trend we’ve seen during this CWS.
Elsewhere In The Wide World Of Sports Betting…
Not interested in betting on the NBA Draft or College World Series? That's quite alright because you have options.
How about an MLB home run prop?
Or how about one of the many MLB games this weekend? You can find the latest baseball betting lines on our MLB odds page.
Or this weekend’s UFC Fight Night card in Florida?
There is always football, of course. My USFL playoff preview will get posted no later than tomorrow, but you can check out these NFL player props now:
Jets Player Prop Bets: Consider This Aaron Rodgers Prop for the 2023 NFL Season
Chiefs Player Prop Bets: Patrick Mahomes Favored to Lead NFL in Passing
This Week On The Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…
The NFL has been in the news lately as players have gotten caught violating the league's gambling policy. Some critics have called the league’s stance hypocritical since it is reaping the benefits of legal sports betting.
I wonder what those critics will say now that the 21 teams in the league's Global Markets Program can also enter sponsorship deals with overseas sportsbooks.
Congratulations go out to bettors in Nebraska this week (sort of). I say “sort of” because bettors in the Cornhusker State cannot bet online or via mobile apps. But retail sports betting is now legal, and as of 3 p.m. CT today, folks in Nebraska can place bets at the WarHorse Casino Lincoln.
So, fun times are ahead in Nebraska as the winds of change welcome retail sports betting to the state.
In other legal/business gambling news…
Problem Gambling on Rise in New York Since Mobile Sports Betting Launch
Kentucky to Approve First Sports Wagering Regs in Early July
Rhode Island iGaming Bill Passes, Gov. Dan McKee Expected to Sign This Week
Sportsbook Promotions: June 22, 2023
The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:
BetRivers: MLB Parlay Insurance. Place a 4+ leg MLB parlay and get your stake back, up to $25, if exactly one leg loses!
FanDuel: Dinger Tuesdays. Place a pre-live, straight, $25+ "To Hit a Home Run" wager on any 6/27 MLB game and get a $5 bonus in bonus bets for each HR hit by both teams in the game (max $25 per game).
DraftKings: Place a bet of $5+ and get $150 in Bonus Bets instantly!
PointsBet Racing: Enjoy a 100% deposit match up to $250 when you sign up for PointsBetRacing!
Terms and conditions apply. Check out our promo page for the best sign-up offers sportsbook apps have to offer.
New and Fun Betting Markets
I always like to spotlight in the GTP the excellent work our writers do, but sometimes I'm unsure how to classify something. It's not a preview or a post related to a launch, and it doesn't necessarily fit under the 'business/legal landscape' heading, either. But it's an interesting post and something I think you guys would enjoy.
For example, have you tried micro-betting? Brant James wrote about it this week, and it is gaining popularity regarding MLB pitch outcomes. It's a great read and one I'd recommend:
Are you new to the world of horse racing? Do you want to learn more about it and where it could go in the years ahead? Then check out these articles by Kris Johnson:
Can Fixed Odds Help Fuel Horse Racing's Growth at Sportsbooks?
Fixed Odds Provide Hope for Horse Racing, a Sport in 'Desperate Need of Modernization’
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