Category: Gambling

Red Sox/Astros ALCS Game 2 Preview

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The Red Sox weren’t favored to win this series, but they were favored to win Game 1. That didn’t happen, as they fell to the Astros 7-2 last night. Today they find themselves underdogs in the series and in Game 2. Here’s a quick look at the latest lines:

  • Location: Fenway Park (Boston, Mass.)
  • First Pitch: Sunday, October 14, 7:09 PM EDT
  • TV: TBS
  • Odds (via Odds Shark): Astros -1.5 (runline) / Astros -135 (moneyline) / 8 (total)

The Red Sox will send David Price to the mound as they attempt to even the series at one game apiece. There’s been much discussion in Red Sox Nation as to whether or not Price should get the nod in Game 2. But despite his playoff woes, Price has good numbers against the ‘stros.

In his career, Price is 6-2 against Houston with a 2.94 ERA. In 70.1 innings pitched Price has struck out 85 Houston batters, walked 15 and allowed 24 runs (23 earned). The current Astros roster has hit .231 against Price in the past, collectively. In his time in Boston, Price is 3-0 against Houston with a 3.09 ERA.

As I said earlier in the week, I don’t hate this move. It will be hard for the Red Sox to win this series or the World Series without contributions from Price. If he doesn’t have it tonight, it will definitely be time to move on, but the Sox won’t be done in the series. Starting him in Game 2 is better than starting him in a potential elimination game.

The Astros will counter with Gerrit Cole, who went 15-5 with a 2.88 ERA in his first season in Houston. He’s 2-1 in four career starts against Boston, with a 4.32 ERA.

I don’t expect a blowout either way, and as a Sox fan I’m hoping for the best from Price. Still, the Astros and the over seem like the safe plays tonight.

The 300s Bloggers’ Fantasy Football Round Up – Week 1

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Hey Everybody,

So I am going to start posting this every week. An opportunity for you the reader  to both revel and commiserate with your favorite (Me, maybe Big Z) or least favorite (Bills Fan) 300s blogger. So without further or do……….

Papa Giorgio
(Joey B’s Note: PG’s starting quarterback IRL is Nathan Peterman)

“Two words: Total Domination. Was it easy? No. Did I almost throw up blood when Aaron Rodgers was carted off the field with a knee injury? You betcha! Someone I managed to come out of week one 3-0 in all my leagues combined. As someone who does not take fantasy football too seriously, it was a nice start to what inevitably will be a horrifying, disastrous finish.”

Big Z

“I kept Le’Veon Bell in My keeper league. I picked up James Conner as his handcuff, but played Devonta Freeman instead in Week 1. Figured Pittsburgh had lots of other weapons, and might not lean too heavily on the second year player. Conner outscored Freeman by a cool 28 points, as I lost my Week 1 matchup by 12.”

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Joey B

I had a solid, straightforward week 1 win. I only do one team because I honestly just can’t keep track of more than one. Team-wise, I grabbed Gronk in the first because it’s smart and I picked up/started James Connor because the Steelers have relied heavily on the run since Lincoln still had the back of his head. The only thing grinding my gears a bit is that I lost out on the league high score for the week because rather than having even an underwhelming, sub-average game Matthew Stafford shat the bed completely. Oh well, 1-0.

Now we get to the absolute novels written by Red and MATTES GOOOODDDAMN. Asked these guys for a blurb on their fantasy football week and I got Will Hunting’s thesis on the market economy in the southern colonies.

Red

“Ya know, I was initially pretty upset about accidentally drafting Matt Stafford in the 8th round because time ran out on my pick, but now? Well now I’m fucking furious. Thats what I get for playing chicken with the Yahoo fantasy football draft pick timer.

I won a fantasy league I was in with Donovan McNabb as my QB that I picked up in like the 15th round. It was his last year in Philly and his last year as a productive NFL starter, which was perfect for me. Drafting a QB late has been my template ever since. Welp, not this year.

Sure you could attribute my opening day loss to lack of preparation (I didn’t buy an $11 draft magazine this year) or the fact that I continue to rely on Seahawks running backs not named Marshawn Lynch prior to 2015, but I prefer to point out that Matthew Stafford threw 4 picks in the same week Alvin Kamara dropped 38 points on me.

Here’s to hoping Sam Darnold continues to do just what I had hoped and throw the ball to my sleeper pick, Quincy Enunwa, more than anyone else on the Jets. Quincy had 10 targets last night compared to 11 for the rest of the team combined.

On my bench, of course.

Goddamnit, why do I play this game?”

 

Mattes

“I tell ya, it really sucks to be 0-2 after just one week of football. BOTH sqauds lost this weekend, and neither matchup was close in either league. Even worse is the fact I was expected to be the week’s high-scorer in my full-point PPR league – with guys like Larry Fitz, Michael Thomas, David Johnson, and Jarvis Landy – but only two of those guys actually showed up. There was a few fleeting minutes of hope in my matchup against our very own Papa Giorgio, when Aaron Rodgers looked like he was about to be placed on the shelf for the second straight season. But alas, the legend came back and put up another THIRTY-TWO points to crush my Week 1 dreams. Although, with Amari Cooper putting up two whole points on Monday night, maybe it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. It also didn’t help to have the Saints defense in both leagues, who fell victim to some serious FitzMagic and blew chunks in their home opener. In one league, the got me -4, and the other they got me -8.

So I literally would’ve been better off not even starting a D/ST this week. COOL. I did have one particular Saints player, though, who went absolutely BANANAS, catching 16 balls for 180 yards and a score; his name is Michael Thomas, as previously mentioned, and I’m glad I snagged him for the second year in a row. Jordan Howard and Carlos Hyde look like a decent back pairing in one league, but David Johnson and Alex Collins didn’t live up to expectations in the other. Hopefully Kerryon Johnson, my sneaky pick for Rookie of the Year, takes the job away from a hopefully-washed-up LeGarrette Blount and serves as a solid No. 3 behind Howard and Hyde. And if Rex Burkhead ends up being the Patriots offensive MVP, as I predicted in the Pats preview podcast, I could be OK in my other league, too. Russell Wilson also proved he’s matchup-proof, putting up over 30 against a nasty Broncos D. Philip Rivers and Kirk Cousins look like a solid pairing in my two-QB league as well, so I’m not getting too down after the first week. It can only go up from here…right?”

Robert Kraft Keeps His Stake in DraftKings as They Transition to Sports Book. Umm, Why Wouldn’t He?

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ESPN – Two prominent NFL owners have a stake in a bookmaker as the first season with expanded legal sports betting in the U.S. gets ready to kick off.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones have retained their investments in DraftKings, sources confirmed to ESPN, even as the company has shifted some of its focus from daily fantasy to traditional sports betting.

Umm yea, no kidding. Robert Kraft is no dummy. He realizes that his family stands to potentially make more money with DraftKings and legalized gambling than they could ever hope to make running a football team. While some want to straddle the fence as gambling is seen as “seedy” it is actually on the verge of being legalized in every state in the country. I can literally see the Everett casino being built from my office window in Boston.

“The NFL has been a staunch opponent of sports betting for decades and remains concerned about its impact on the integrity of the game. The NFL fought New Jersey’s efforts to offer Las Vegas-style sports betting all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.”

…..because they weren’t getting a cut of the action. The NFL was more than happy to promote and advertise “fake” gambling in the form of fantasy football over the past 15 years because it drove billions of dollars back into the NFL.

Now? Like a bookie, they want the juice on the action.

So for Kraft or Jerry Jones to cut bait now, just because DraftKings changed their position (and millions of dollars of lawyer fees arguing) from “We are NOT gambling” to now saying “um forget all that, we are NOW a sports book” is crazy. DK is going to only become exponentially more valuable with the influx of legalized gambling and I can imagine Kraft didn’t just buy a handful of shares. A guy like that jumped in with both feet and realizes how much money his family could earn in the long run. Thats a smart guy right there.

Also, I will never forget the look of disappointment in Papa Giorgi’s eyes when I told him that Robert Kraft did not actually earn his fortune running the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese empire, rather he made his money in paper products. It was like telling a kid theres no Santa Claus.

Richard Sherman is Launching His Own Daily Fantasy Sports Site

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ESPN – San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman is entering the daily fantasy sports business. Sherman announced Thursday that his new fantasy site, Daily Number, will be launching paid contests in 23 states. Sherman is the co-founder, along with CEO Tom McAuley, and will be the chief brand ambassador, appearing in an upcoming video ad campaign.

While many NFL stars have endorsed fantasy sites, Sherman is believed to be one of the first, if not the first, to have a founding stake in a fantasy game.

I don’t know if now is the best time to just be getting into the daily fantasy business if you’re a competitor, but Richard Sherman’s a smart dude so I’ll give his new venture, Daily Number, a shot.

I try not to shoot down these equity based deals athletes sign and give it a chance first. Not because of how great or not their company is, but because of the power of branding.

Just look at Kobe Bryant and the sports drink he invested in, BodyArmor. If you asked me what BodyArmor was a few years ago I would have had no idea. If you showed me a bottle I would have said “oh right its that bootleg sports drink they sell at gas stations.”

Well Kobe’s magic branding powers touched BodyArmor, along with his $6 million investment, and less than 5 years later that investment is worth $200 MILLION. Good for him, Kobe really needed it.

So my point is, it doesn’t matter how big the competition is, there’s always room for the new guy on the block.

“Daily Number features a unique twist on traditional fantasy, with entrants creating seven-player rosters that attempt to eclipse a predetermined total amount of fantasy points, set by the site and known as the “daily number.” Each roster is given a rating. The more superstars on a roster the lower the payout is for teams that score more points than the daily number.”

The idea behind Sherman’s daily fantasy site is that instead of picking players based on monetary values like you do with DraftKings or Fan Duel, you pick a team of 7 players. Its like a middle ground between daily fantasy and regular fantasy football leagues, which is actually kind of smart. I don’t really mess with DK too much because I feel like I’m just getting hustled by algorithms and MIT math nerds. Sherman’s venture could provide the best of both worlds and help dummies like me feel, probably incorrectly, that they have a shot at winning some cash on daily fantasy.

I can’t imagine the NFL is thrilled with one of its most prominent players being a founding member of a company thats sole purpose is to gamble on games he is actively playing in. It would be hard for a cornerback to have a huge effect on someone’s fantasy day with thousands of different lineups running all at the same time, but it sure as shit won’t be hard for someone to poke holes in it.

Either way you know the commercials for this thing is gonna be dynamite with an older Richard Sherman who gives even less of a fuck what the NFL thinks about what he says or does. So you got me Richard, I’ll try it.

BREAKING: Supreme Court Lifts Federal Ban on Sports Gambling

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So earlier today the Supreme Court lifted its longstanding federal ban prohibiting sports gambling, which now paves the way for any state in the country to legalize betting your hard earned cash on sports.

Just in time for that monstrosity of a casino they’re building in Everett too. Now I know not many of you are frequenting Everett, but I was driving through the other day to grab a tasty roast beef sandwich and they might as well be building the goddamn Death Star over there. A town that is one road in and one road out has 1,000 construction workers roaming the streets, the Dunkies, the restaurants, they are everywhere in that town. I can’t wait for that casino to open because 1.) its going to be awesome with sports betting now potentially a go, but 2.) it will also be hilarious how much of a disaster that traffic will be. Like when something pisses you off so bad you just start cackling like a psycho so you don’t actually snap on someone in public? Yea, like that.

But I digress, after today there is no longer a federal mandate in place outlawing sports betting so places like New Jersey that have been fighting to legalize this for years will probably roll out legalized sports gambling by dinner time.

Massachusetts? Who the hell knows. You would think having a casino currently under construction would make this a pretty quick and easy decision, but we also don’t have happy hour in Massachusetts because one asshole got drunk and killed someone 20+ years ago. Puritan states are the best aren’t they? ESPN did categorize Massachusetts as one of the states “Moving toward legalization” though.

To give you a very quick high level breakdown of what this means, and what the holdup has been, here is an excerpt from ESPN:

“The court ruled to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA), a 1992 law that barred state-authorized sports gambling with some exceptions. It made Nevada the only state where a person could wager on the results of a single game.

States that want to offer legal sports betting may now do so, and New Jersey plans to be first. Delaware, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are among the states expected to quickly get into the legal bookmaking game…One research firm estimated before the ruling that if the Supreme Court were to strike down PAPSA, 32 states would likely offer sports betting within five years.”

ESPN also stated in an FAQ that they expect New Jersey to have its operation up and running within weeks, “potentially in time for the NBA Finals.” So thats exciting for all of us degenerates, but it may put your bookie out of work and force him to go back to working night shifts at the power plant or as a misunderstood janitor for an Ivy League college.

I have absolutely zero desire to ever go to New Jersey and this ain’t gonna change shit, but if you live in the area this may be what brings Atlantic City back from the dead. Legalized gambling could put so much coin in Jersey’s pocket that Atlantic City will look like Nucky Thompson is running that town again.

I think this will benefit the states more than anything because if I want to bet on something I’ll just go online and bet on it somewhere. Allegedly. But if theres a place down the street from me that is reputable, regulated, and of course financially backed then why not just go there? Thats tons and tons of money going into the state’s pocket thats coming almost entirely out of thin air. There’s next to no product they need to market and sell, they just need to take every dummy’s money and then pay out the lucky ones. Thats how the mob ran this country for so long. Which also raises the question; if this is so easy to do and theres so much extra money going into gambling, whats to say this doesn’t make corruption in sports, point shaving, etc. all the more likely? To be completely honest, we won’t know until the first schmuck with a plan gets busted. But as any industry that steps into the light knows, the more publicly traded, scrutinized and regulated an industry is, the more difficult it is for said industry to be filled with corruption.

The *real* fun will start though once the brick and mortar gambling shops have ironed out all the kinks and they start offering mobile betting. Assuming they don’t geofence the arenas/ballparks and block the apps functionality, you could in theory be sitting in the bleachers at Fenway and placing over/under bets in the 6th inning from your seat. Then go stroll down Comm Ave and pick up your winnings after the game. That my friends will be a goddamn blast. Money won is sweeter than money earned.

If you can’t handle that and you lose all your money, thats on you pal. Don’t ruin the fun for the rest of us because you can’t manage your vice. If you can’t spot the sucker when you walk into a room, chances are its you.

Viva la gambling.

 

The 300s Plays the Ponies: Kentucky Derby Edition

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So with one of the biggest gambling days of the year, the Kentucky Derby, falling on one of the biggest drinking days of the year, Cinco De Mayo, it was only right for the whole staff to put down a month’s worth of rent on some ponies. Live odds for the Kentucky Derby can be found right here, but its almost better if you don’t even know the odds because if you tell me you know what you’re talking about I immediately picture Kramer at the track.

Without further ado The 300s Plays the Ponies:

Big Z: I’m taking Bolt d’Oro as my pick. My trifecta pick is Bolt d’Oro, Good Magic, and Vino Rosso 1-2-3. I’m picking this on Friday morning, so hopefully no one ends up at the glue factory before tomorrow night. I’ll never forget the time my dad bet on a horse at Suffolk Downs during the Hot Dog Safari that broke its leg on the way to the post.

Papa Giorgio: Justify and Mendelssohn getting the early love from the experts, My Boy Jack is my vote based on the name alone. Derby is a great race to bet, best spread all good ponies, good way to make some cash

Joey B: Flameaway. The New York Times described this horse as girtty and thats all I need to hear. Tom Brady is gritty. Frankie Edgar is gritty. Prime Kobe was gritty. Flameaway at 30-1? C’mon. Lets fucking go.

Red: Full disclosure, I am basically picking my horse the same way your girlfriend picks March Madness games; its all in the name baby. I’m taking Magnum Moon at 13-1. Apparently he was just crushing the competition during Kentucky Derby qualifiers and his trainer Todd Pletcher won the Derby last year. And with a name like Magnum? The choice is already made for me.

 

Time for the NCAA to Fire up the DeLorean!

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marty ul

ESPN – The Louisville men’s basketball program will have to vacate its 2013 national championship and 2012 Final Four appearance after the NCAA denied its appeal of what the school described as “Draconian penalties” levied against the team last year…

The Cardinals will become the first NCAA Division I men’s basketball program to vacate a national title during the Final Four era, according to ESPN Stats & Information…

The NCAA penalties, which were announced on June 15, included the vacation of basketball records in which ineligible student-athletes competed from 2011 to 2015. The school had previously said the penalties would affect 123 victories, including 15 NCAA Tournament wins and the 2013 national title.

Until the NCAA can hire Doc Brown, Marty McFly and/or Biff Tannen to go back in time to change the outcomes of games, stripping teams of wins or even championships will continue to be the most trivial punishment they can hand down. The only person who ever gained anything from wins being vacated was Bobby Bowden. When Joe Paterno had 111 wins vacated in 2012, Bowden snuck to the top of the all-time NCAA Division I FBS win list for three years, before the NCAA unvacated the 111 Paterno wins in 2015.

Sure, the NCAA can repossess Louisville’s 2013 National Champions trophy and demand that the championship banner come down from the rafters, but that won’t erase the game from history. If the NCAA wants to get serious they should go back and vacate the March Madness Tournament Bracket victories of the people who picked Louisville. Ask them to return their winnings. That’ll make this penalty a lot more real for lot more people in a hurry.

I’m sure the vacated wins hurt the folks inside the Louisville athletic department and on the Board of Trustees, but I’m sure the “forfeiture of any money received through conference revenue sharing from the 2012-15 NCAA tournaments” hurts a hell of a lot more. I’m also certain that most Louisville fans don’t care.

As a fan, I would rather my team win a championship and worry about the consequences later rather than never get close. Especially with how inconsistently the NCAA hands down penalties. Drive fast and take chances. That’s life in the NCAA.

Totally Uninformed Bowl Game Gambling Picks – National Championship Game

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – Georgia vs. Alabama

Picking all of the bowl games has not been easy. It’s been a difficult and eye-opening experience. After tonight’s National Championship game I’ll be sure to go back and take a look at all of the picks and see if there’s anything substantive to take away from this experience.

Despite my struggles, I did correctly pick both College Football Playoff semifinal games. My head tells me Alabama is the best team in the country, but I can’t help but admire the guts Georgia showed in its comeback victory last week. Too often this season I went with my head and not my gut. So I’m going with the Dawgs tonight, looking to close out my bowl season with three straight wins.

GEORGIA +4

Totally Uninformed Bowl Game Gambling Picks – Round 8

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fuck-it-lets-gamble-06cb6

New Year’s Day is upon us. One last day to waste watching football on your couch from noon to midnight. The last three meaningless bowls kickoff early in the day, with the playoff kicking off late this afternoon.

My last round of picks went just as well as most of my other picks this bowl season – not great. With my Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffee in hand, I try my best at picking the final five games before next week’s national championship game. Just like the consolation bracket in your fantasy football league, I don’t have much left to play for. Just trying to save some face at this point.

Round 7 (1-3) / Overall (11-23 )

OUTBACK BOWL – Michigan vs. South Carolina – 12 p.m. ET SC +12

PEACH BOWL- No. 7 Auburn vs. No. 12 UCF – 12:30 p.m. ET AUBURN -9.5

CITRUS BOWL – No. 14 Notre Dame vs. No. 17 LSU – 1 p.m. ET LSU -3

ROSE BOWL GAME (CFP SEMIFINAL) – No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Georgia – 5 p.m. ET GEORGIA -2.5

SUGAR BOWL (CFP SEMIFINAL) – No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Alabama – 8:45 p.m. ET
ALABAMA -3

Totally Uninformed Bowl Game Gambling Picks – Round 7

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fuck-it-lets-gamble-06cb6

Another big day of bowl games this Saturday. After a nice day of picks Thursday, a bit of a step back on Friday. With four games on the docket today, a chance to get some momentum as we get set for the New Year’s Day games and the College Football Playoff.

Round 6 (2-3) / Overall (10-20)

TAXSLAYER BOWL – Louisville vs. No. 23 Mississippi State – 12 p.m. ET LOUSIVILLE -7

LIBERTY BOWL – Iowa State vs. No. 20 Memphis – 12:30 p.m. ET MEMPHIS -4

FIESTA BOWL – No. 11 Washington vs. No. 9 Penn State – 4 p.m. ET WASHINGTON +3

ORANGE BOWL – No. 6 Wisconsin vs. No. 10 Miami – 8 p.m. ET WISCONSIN -6