The Super Bowl Contest

The Super Bowl 55 Contest is here. Are you ready to win some NFL gear?  This is going to be fun and easy. Here are the steps. 

Enter for a chance to win one of five prizes of sport apparel, worth approximately $200, collectively. The merchandise is from the NFL Shop and Fanatics.

Restrictions: Must be over 21 years of age to submit an entry. No entries from any social media accounts that appear to be created solely for the purpose of this contest will be considered.

Start date is 1/31/21 at 9:00 AM  and the End date for submitting entries is Sunday 2/7/21 at midnight.

                                                              Compete on Twitter

Follow @GamingguyM & @KeshisCuties on Twitter. Tweet your best question pertaining to Super Bowl 55. Tag two people with your question along with GamingguyM & KeshisCuties. If you don't have a question, you can submit a GIF or a Meme. We only ask that you do not submit multiple entries. We pick the best one submitted. No profanity or inappropriate comments will be considered. Think PG-13. 

                                                              Compete on Instagram

Follow @SmartResponsibleGaming on Instagram. Post your best photo or video pertaining to the Super Bowl. Tag two people with your photo or video along with me. We pick the best one. This contest is not sponsored or associated with Instagram.  Only one entry per this medium.

                                                               Compete on LinkedIn 

Become part of my LinkedIn Network. You can share my post to your network and leave a comment on my post. Give your Super Bowl prediction of the winner and the total points scored in the game. The tie breaker is the order of your comment. Example, if your comment is third and someone that has the same prediction as you is the fourth to answer, you win because you answered and shared before they did. You must share and comment to be considered. Only one prediction and total points entry per person.

                                                                    The prizes include

 

Pick the one item you want of these 5 and it will be shipped to you, if your entry is selected. You can enter on each social media platform to increase your chances of winning. So if you have a Twitter account and a Instagram page, you can submit something on both.  I almost forgot the most important thing. This contest is free!  Good Luck and enjoy the game!

Winners will be announced on Monday, February 8th. All entries must be submitted by midnight on February 7. The same day as the Super Bowl.

Follow me on Twitter for conversations  leading up to the game and watch my videos on Instagram.

The Metro Report: Sports Betting in New York, Washington DC & Philly

Since the advent of Sports Betting the coverage of the New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia markets are essential to prognosticators. So I will expand with my Gaming Guy News minutes into the 3 top cities on the East Coast.

The Sixers are leading the Eastern Conference with a 13-6 record. They defeated the Lakers on Wednesday 107-106. The Sixers got the test they needed to pass to show they are legitimate contenders for the championship. The wins over Boston earlier in the season were good but Jayson Tatum did not play in either game.  Joel Embiid is one of the names mentioned as a top candidate for MVP along with Lebron James. Doc Rivers should receive some consideration for Coach of the Year if the Sixers win more than 50 games. In games that Embiid does not play, the Sixers are 0-4. Embiid is listed as questionable against the Timberwolves. The Sixers are favored by 7 and the total is 224.  The Timberwolves are one of the worst teams in the league so the Sixers should handle them. 

The Brooklyn Nets have a record of 12-8. They have won 3 straight and are 7 -3 over the their last 10 games. Kevin Durant is leading the league in scoring while James Harden is leading in assists.  The Big Three is working at an optimum level offensively.  They lead the league in scoring with 119.8 per game. They are also number one in field goal percentage. They are a work in progress defensively. They are 26th in points allowed. Most of their games trend over. The Nets play the Thunder tonight and they are -9.5 with the total set at 231.5.

The Washington Wizards are continuing to struggle with a 3-11 record. They are last in defense. The Wizards are 4th in points per game. So a change in defensive philosophy is required. They may have to become more creative by trapping the opposing team's top scorer or play a zone to force the opponent to shoot from outside. The Bradley Beal trade rumors continue. I would like to see him and Russell Westbrook stay put. The Wizards have missed several games due to Covid protocols and not having enough players available to dress for the games.  This indicates that guidelines were not adhered to. The Wizards are at home tonight against the Atlanta Hawks. They are getting 4 and the total is 234.

The New York Knicks have a record of  8-11. They are 4th in the league in rebounding. They allow the fewest points to be scored against them. However, they struggle to score over 100 points a game. That equates to 47% of their 19 games. When  they play a team that is ranked in the top 15 defensively this is a trending under play on how many the Knicks will score as a team. The Knicks play the Cavaliers tonight and they are +1.0. The total is 208.0.

My Sports Betting Minute Tip of the day is for NBA action and in game wagering. 

The Eagles have selected Nick Sirianni as their new head coach. Sirianni most recently served as offensive coordinator for the past three seasons in Indianapolis under Frank Reich, who became the Colts' head coach after helping the Eagles win Super Bowl LII. In that role, the up-and-coming NFL coach played a major part in helping Indianapolis reach the postseason in 2018 and 2020. This week Duce Staley decided to to go to the Detroit Lions as their running back coach.  This disappointed some Eagles fans who wanted to see him as the coach to replace Doug Pederson. The Eagles have the 6th pick in the NFL Draft and are projected to pick Jaylen Waddle from Alabama.

The Sports Betting Business in Philadelphia is getting a new member. Live Casino is joining the action with Fan Duel as the sports platform provider. Since most of the wagers from competitors are coming from the online betting via mobile and tablet apps, it will be interesting to see who does the best job regionally marketing their retail location. Competition bring creativity. The existing Casino Operators include Rivers Casino Philadelphia, Parx Casino, Valley Forge Resort and Casino and Harrah Philadelphia.

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The Metro Report: Sports Betting & Sports Business in New Jersey , New York and Philadelphia

Since the advent of Sports Betting the coverage of the New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia markets are essential to prognosticators. So I will expand with my Gaming Guy News minutes into the 3 top cities on the East Coast.

The Nets are playing well with the addition of James Harden. Harden had a triple double in his debut with the team. He finished the game with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists. Brooklyn has won four games in a row. This has been accomplish without Kyrie Irving. Irving has been apart from the team for the past 7 days for personal reasons. While there are questions as to if this group can co-exist together there is no doubt that they are a popular choice to win the NBA championship. The odds of the Nets winning the NBA Championship before the Harden trade was +250. The odds are now +130.

The Sixers are expecting Joel Embiid to return tonight. He has missed the last two game with a sore knee. The team has indicated the injury is not serious. The team is always precautious with Embiid and Ben Simmons. In this season with so many games in a short period of time this is a prudent path. Load management is being exercise with most of the NBA marquee players, The Sixers faced the Celtics for the 1st time this season. Celtics eliminated the Sixers from the playoffs last year. The Sixers are -5.5 and the total is 216.5. 

The Wizards are rumored to be entertaining talks to trade Bradley Beal. Beal is leading the league in scoring. Several teams that have been listed as a possible destination include the Lakers, Celtics and the Sixers. The Nets have teams looking at adding a player that would give them a big three. This would make the Wizards a rebuilding team. There would be  uncertainty as to if Russell Westbrook would want to buy in to that type of situation. The Wizards have the 2nd worst record in the NBA Eastern Conference. 

The Eagles are still involved with their coaching search. Josh McDaniels is the hot name that is being cited this week. McDaniels met with Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie on Sunday. Unless the Eagles are waiting to interview someone that is involved with a team still in the playoffs, McDaniels would seem like the front runner because of his championship resume. 

The Jets have announced Robert Saleh as their new head coach.  Saleh is best known for his role as defensive coordinator for the Niners during 2017 thru 2020. The Niners defense was feared during most of that period and led them to an appearance in the Super Bowl. Jets could be in a position to make a run at Deshaun Watson. Watson is seeking a trade from the Texans. 

Sports Business: Pennsylvania and New Jersey reported casino revenue was down 22% &17% in 2020. Tax revenue from gaming in New Jersey increased in 2020. The revenue from online gaming impacted the Garden State in a positive way. The taxes on internet wagering are slightly higher than bets made at the casinos. This trend shows a growing propensity to play poker, tables games, slots and wager on sports online. New York is strongly considering moving into the online gaming space. 

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The Metro Report: Sports Betting in Philly , New York and Washington DC

The Eagles turn the page from Doug Pedersen and fired him on Monday. It was rumored that he would return along with GM Howie Roseman. Only Roseman remains with the team. Owner Jeff Lurie gave the reason as a difference in philosophy on what was needed to fix things. The approach is Lurie is looking at appears to be more long term. The person mentioned as a candidate to replace Pedersen is Todd Bowles. defensive coordinator  for the Tampa  Bay Buccaneers.

Washington Football lost to the Bucs in the opening round  of the NFL Wild Card Playoffs. The score was 31-23.The quarterback, Taylor Heinicke  played an excellent game. Coach Rivera indicated that settling the QB position would be an off season priority. Alex Smith wanted to wait a couple week before he decides his future about continuing to play. He is under contract for next season.

The Jets have two picks in the 1st round of the NFL Draft 2021. They have the 2nd, 23rd  and 34 picks. This bodes well for the Jets because this draft is deep in talent. If they plan to move on from Sam Darnold then a QB is the way to go with the second pick. If they still want to commit to Darnold, then DeVonta Smith ,Heisman Trophy receiver from Alabama would up grade the offense immediately.

The Sixers broke a 3 game losing streak last night by defeating the Heat 137-134. Joel Embiid played a monster game. He led the team with 45 points and 16 rebounds. The Sixers are still without the services of Tobias Harris, Shake Milton and Seth Curry due to COVID protocol. Sixers play the Heat again on Thursday. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic did not play last night. Butler has been ruled out for Thursday game. 

The Brooklyn Nets will be without Kyrie Irving for the balance of this week. He has cited personal reasons for his absence. The team is not commenting on the situation. There is a video that appears to show Irving not adhering to COVID protocols .Watch the video. If a player is found to miss games due to a violation , each game missed can result in a reduction of salary for each game missed. Nets are 6-6 and 7th in the conference standing. 

The Nets continued to stay in the headlines with the acquisition of James Harden from the Houston Rockets.It involved a 4 team trade to complete the deal. While the loss of Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince will decrease the depth of the team, having the multiple time scoring champion will make up for the point production. The Nets included 4 first round picks so they are all in.

The Wizards continue to be exciting but unable to win or defend. They have a record of 3-8.  Bradley Beal is the leading scorer. Russell Westbrook is continuing to get triple double numbers every night. Thomas Bryant suffer a torn ACL and is out for the season. Westbrook is out for a week due to a left quad injury.

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The Metro Report: Sports Betting in Philly, Washington DC & New York

Since the advent of Sports Betting the coverage of the New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia markets are essential to prognosticators. So I will expand with my Gaming Guy News minutes into the 3 top cities on the East Coast.

The Washington Football Team are in the NFL Playoffs after clinching the NFC East. They defeated the Eagles 20-14. They will play against Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. The Bucs are favored by 8 and the total is set at 45.

The Eagles have reportedly retained Head Coach Doug Pedersen to return next season. Jim Schwartz is stepping down as Defensive Coordinator. Carson Wentz has allegedly stated the relationship between Pedersen and him is "fractured". My  assumption is that Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts will have a QB competition in training camp in 2021 to determine the starter. Not sure who would be the favorite after watching Hurts for 4 games. 

The Giants are eliminated from the playoffs even though they handle the Cowboys 23-19. Daniel Jones was not overly impress. There should be some thought about if he is the QB of the future. They will be better next season because of the return of Saquon Barkley. The Giants questioned the way the Eagles played the 4th quarter of a winnable game. Had the Eagles won, the Giants would have been the NFC East Champions.

The Sixers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. They are 6-1 . They have won 2 games on the road so far. In past season the road was their Achilles heel. Tobias Harris is playing aggressive by driving to the basket and hitting from 3 point range. He was named Player of the Week in the Eastern Conference. Ben Simmons had his 1st triple double of the season against the Hornets. I am looking forward to Thursday game against the Nets. I will preview that game in Bettors Insider.

The Knicks are playing better than anticipated. Their record is 4-3. Julius  Randle continues to lead the team in 3 offensive categories. He is averaging  22.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists. They play the Jazz on the road tonight. The line is Knicks +6 and the over/under is 214.5.

The Wizards are a disappointing 2-5. Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook are putting up exceptional numbers but the team is bottom five in the league defensively. They hope to get revenge on the Sixers tonight for the loss they received opening night. The line is for tonight's game is Washington +6.5 and 231. In their last game, they defeated the Nets 123-122.  

In Sports Betting and Sports Business: New York can anticipate a move to legalize sports betting via mobile by the 3rd quarter of the year. That would conveniently coincide with the start of the NFL season 2021. The majority of the bets on professional sport are place on football so it would make perfect sense to have a platform in place to capitalize on the upcoming season.  This would be a boom to the brick and mortar casino properties that have online platforms in other jurisdictions. Rush Street Schenectady would increase their market share by having the expertise of Rush Street Interactive promoting them throughout the entire state of New York. Rush Street Interactive / RSI rang the opening bell yesterday at the New York Stock Exchange.

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5 Gaming Predictions for 2021

The New Year is all of 4 days old. I decided to look into my crystal ball and make 5 bold predictions for gaming in 2021. Check back on December 31th and we can talk about how I did.

New York will authorize mobile betting. The amount of money New York is watching go from New York City into the Meadowlands is absurd. If you could bet on mobile device that would eliminate trips into New Jersey and Pennsylvania. There is a legislative push to approve mobile wagering. It will bring tax revenue. but not at the rate that will fix up the state deficit.  

The Media Blitz of Sports Betting Ads will exceed 2015   In 2015,FanDuel and DraftKings were trying to convince everybody that playing Daily Fantasy Football was not gambling. The opening week of football season those operators spent 27 million for 8,000 television spots. Fast forward to this year when every game will have references to wagering pre game and at the end of the each quarter or inning. Major market teams will emulate the Wizards and NBC Sports with sports wagering centric telecasts.

The rebirth of Las Vegas and Atlantic City will start on the 4th of July. That weekend will be a coming out party for all of the high rollers that have stayed away from the action since March 2020. This month will coincide with 26 weeks of vaccinations across the country. People that have not traveled or been to concerts and gambled, will be thrilled to have a get a way! The emphasis on a having the cleanest rooms, along with a social distance and mask required environment, will solidify the reservation. A lack of planning will stifle responses.

The 2021 Olympics will be the most watched event in history. It will be streamed, on cable, part of social media apps and part of NBC Sports Prime Time Evening coverage.  NBC & Twitter will collaborate on several live events. The global ramifications will have all of the major advertisers paying 1.25 Billion for sponsorships for the 2021 Tokyo Games. Watch out for several brands that you may not have heard of.

There will be a resurgent in radio listenership The satellite radio stations like Sirius and I Heart Radio will provide information and music to a new younger audience that wants to experience both. The amount of I Heart listeners grew to 8% of Americans with a global audience of 168 million people in 2019. Look for the number to push slightly over 10%. A partnership between I Heart and VSIN Sports was just announced. I see an alliance with epic growth opportunities. 

Regional shows will push local content to engage their audiences during morning drive times and evening commutes. The shows that will have the most success are ones that have entertaining guests and interactive audience engagement. Think 97.5 The Fanatic and you will have the recipe.

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