The things to focus on in 2025

 

As we approach the end of 2024,it is time to get ready to formulate an action plan for 2025. I will share my people, places and things to focus on that will grow your brand.These concepts are applicable to the following indutries. Tourism,Gaming amd Sports Betting are the primay areas that will be impacted. If you are able to incorporate any of these,you will see an improvement in your field of expertise.

Women- This is the audience that is getting the most attention.BetMGM cited an increase of 108% over year to year in wagers on the WNBA. The 2024 Womens NCAA Basketball Tournament  drew a larger viewing audience than the Mens Yournament for the first time. The USA Womens Olympic Team led by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier won the Gold Medal. Those players have combined to start the Unrivaled Basketball League that will debut in January,2025 on TNT. The Caitlin Clark phenomenon has added more interest by women and men to professuonal basketball. There is conversation that the NBA All Star Game Weekend may feature a 3 point compeition between Steph Curry and Klay Thompson vs Sabrina Ionescu and Clark.The Taylor Swift effect has increased the amount of women that are watching the NFL and in particular,the Kansas City Chiefs.Beyonce will perform at halftime on Christmas Day during the NFL Game between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens. 

Expect to see more wagers that are designed for women. 2025 will have more glam cam as the women will get attention for pre game walk in outfits. NIL deals will be offered to women at record numbers.The viewership,merchandise and the sports betting are direct corelations to the women athletes. Use the trends mentioned above to determine if your strategy has a female component so you are in tune to the audience. 

I Gaming- The fact that 38 states have sports betting while only 4 have I Gaming is obviously a growth opportunity. When you factor the revenue generated by those 38 states is equivalent to the amount produced by the 4 states, you have a golden opportunity to make money.I do understand some of trepidation that states may have in advancing igaming legislation. There is a thought that this will destroy or at least cannibalize brick and mortar casino business. This is not the case in New Jersey or Pennsylvania.Business is still robust jn retail or onsite gaming.Most of the Sports Betting wagers are made on line. If more states were to offer IGaming, that trend will continue with some modifications. The patrons that play in the casino will continue and be the VIP style of player. The IGaming world will not be as appealing to that player.

Expect a breakthrough of IGaming legislation quth a neighboring state to follow. The trend toward convenience and tax revenue are too much to resist. I concepts that would enhance the spending wallet available to the operators of the IGaming space.

Mexico City and Brazil.- I highlighted both of these places because the interest the NBA and NFL have shown in Latin America. The expansion of Gaming and Sports Betting in those markets is a growth opportunity. While both places are known for tourism,festivaks and excellent cuisine. The introduction of two of themore popular sports leagues will add a new allegiance of fans that will buy merchanduse and bet on the games.Some residents of these places may be looking for business collaborations within the continental United States.

How does your brand connect with the cLatin American Culture? Are any of your managerial team bilingual? I would look at the SBC Summit Americas that will be held in Fort Lauderdale,Florida in 2025. That event could serve as an introduction to the market and some of the constituents. 

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NFL Games to watch - Week Two

 The NFL Games to watch in week two are on Thursday,Sunday and Monday Night Football. The Thursday Night  Football Game is on Amazon Prime.The Buffalo Bills will play the Miami Dolphins. Both teams are AFC East Rivals and won their home openers. The Bills have won 9 of the last 10 meetings between the two. Bills are underdog by 2.5. Miami is the home team/.

The Sunday Night Football Game has the Chicago Bears against the Houston Texans. The game is on NBC. The Bears nad a come from behind win against the Tennessee Titans. The Texans held on winning on the road by 2 points over the Indianapolis Colts. The Bear have the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft,QB Caleb Williams as their starter. The Texans are favored by 6 points. The game starts at 8:20 PM and Houston is the home team.

The Monday Night Football Game pits the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons.The Eagles are the home team. Philly won their opener in Brazil by beating the Green Bay Packers 34-29. The Falcons lost their home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers without allowing a touchdown.The Eagles are favored by 6.5.

My selections in these games take s me to the home teams. Buffalo struggled with the Arizona Cardinals. The Dolphins should score more than 20 points they put up against the Jacksonville Jaguars. QB Josh Allen has a injury to his non throwing hamd but is expected to play.  Fins win a close game.

Thw Texans and Eagles should put up 24 or more points and easily handle the Bears and Falcons. The inexperience of Caleb Williams will be exploited. The rust,age and lack of mobility of QB Kirk Cousins will be on full display as the Eagles have extra time to prepare for the contest.  

Expect big games from Tyreek Hill,Stefon Diggs and Saquon Barkley.

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The Top 1-0 NFL Teams

The  top five 1-0 teams in the NFL are the Dallas Cowboys,SanFrancisco 49ers,Kansas City Chiefs,Detroit Lions and Houston Texans. $ of these teams covered against the spread  and 80% of the 5 games went over. 

The Top 0-1 NFL Teams

The teams that should bounce back after losing in the final seconds of their openers are the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars. Key injuries to the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers keep them from making the cut.

The Worst 0-1 NFL Teams

The worst teams in the NFL include the Carolina Panthers.New York Giantsand the Las Vegas Raiders. The Panthers lost by over 30 points on the road. The Giants managed 6 points at home against the Minnesota Vikings. The Raiders lack of discipline and physicality on defense led to their loss on the road to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Avoid QBs Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers,Bryce Young and Daniel Jones as players to go over projected  totals in passing yardage. Check their prop action for the best price of any of this group throwing an interception in week two.

NFL Super Bowl and Win Total

 The NFL starts this Thursday. So I decided to compare my NFL win total and rankings to two reputable media sources. My selections were made prior to seeing what Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports projected.This comparision enables you to see if my thoughts align or contrast with two highly repected publications.

I will start with Sports Illustrated and the rankings of the top 12 teams. My list includes of my 8 division winners,not including the Tampa Bay Bucs and 5 teams that I think will be wild card teams.I based my selections on the prognosis that 4 teams that were not in the playoffs in 2023 will be in the 2024 pairings. 

Gaming Guy Rankings                                               Sports Illustrated

 

1).Niners                                                                  1). Chiefs

2).Chiefs                                                                   2).Bills

3).Ravens                                                                  3).Jets

4).Dolphins                                                                4).Ravens

5)Texans                                                                     5).Bengals

6).Eagles                                                                    6).Browns 

7).Lions                                                                      7).Texans

8).Bengals                                                                    8).Niners

9).Packers                                                                     9).Rams

10).Steelers                                                                  10).Lions

11).Chargers                                                                11).Packers

12).Rams                                                                       12).Eagles

With the  NFLwin total,I decided to look at the lower end of the spectrum and teams not expected to contend for the Super Bowl.

We agreed on the Arizona Cardinals going over 6.5 wins. We disagreed on the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos. The reporter projected both teams to exceed 5.5. I have the Chicago Bears going over 8.5 while CBS Sports has them winning 8 games.  

Here is the link to more CBS Sports win totals. 

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TRAMS: Just in time for Responsible Gaming Month

 This is design to get you or anyone of the millions of people that the American Gaming Association reports that engage in  sports betting.The last published reports indicates that over  25 million people enjoy some form of wagering on sporting events. The report also states that people between the ages of 18-24 are at a high risk of developing a gambling disorder.  The responsible gaming report from the AGA highlights, "the adrenaline of chance and the excitement of winning but concludes those feelings would not be plausible without a foundation of responsibility".

The Webster 's Dictionary definition of tram is a public transport vehicle that travels along rails and powered by electricity. I get the vision of Las Vegas Mccarran Airport going between terminals and to baggage claim. I now want share my new vertical that is just like the dictionary version of tram but able to accomodate thousands. Not only the young but the millenials and the baby boomers. All of those gorups engages in some form of wagering. Gambling studies indicate that demographicly,African Americans,Hispanics and Asians are high risk for gaming disorders Women are now wagering at a hiher rate than anytime in history.All of the generations and demographics mentioned  can enjoy gaming more effectively without being in jeopardize.

So without further adieu,I want to introduce my version of tram that is like you've never seen before.

TRAMS is an acronym that if applied in principal,will make the sports betting expierience fun and controllable. I will share it with you now.

Track  the teams,players,sports and leagues that you know and are interested in. You cannot follow all of them.But if you have a sub section of anything that you like or know, you.ve increased your chances because you have eliminated some choices.

Responsible methods are put in place as you open any account or enter a betting emstablishment. If you play online,those methods include limits on deposits,time on device and the amount of wagers. If you wager in brick and mortar places, do it without debit and credit cards.Pay all of your essential obligations to your creditors and your family before engaging with the game.

Alerts are the information highways that will keep you aware of whose playing,the weather conditions,injury reports and anything pertinent to making a selection. Follow news feeds and social media from the sports that captivate  you.Avoid the prompts from operators that are designed to stimulate a reaction from you to play a bet. Discipline keeps you in the game.

Market watch is looking at the numbers and the price associated with sports wagering. Here is an example. Before two teams play. visualize  what you think that point spread would be.Then examine the numbers that the bookmaker has posted. Final step is compare what operator is offers the best line and the best price. No difference than buying online from Amazon or EBay. Substitute a player for a team and apply the same idealogy.

Statistics should support any selection. Emotion and personal prefence are fine but prudent action calls for an analytic approach to identify trends. If you are able to find two stats that support your selection, you are ready to finalize your action.

                                                     And now you have TRAMS.

Each facet works in conjunction with each other. Practicing just one or two of the  methods will give minimal results.The foundation of the acroym is to game and wager responsibly. It doesn;t mean that you will win. It does mean that you will keep it fun! 

I am available to discuss how the application of this concept can benefit you or  a group you are affiliated with

NFL and Fanatics Multiverse: 2024 Superman

 The 2024 NFL Season is less than 3 weeks away.So one of the events that has everyone's attention right now is the Fanatic Fest in New York City. With so many former NFL stars in attendance at this event,I saw a merge of two cultures,the sports world and the comic sphere. Fanatics Fest encouraged people to live out their fanstasies by dressing up in apparel that imitated past legends and celebrities. 

I decided to bring the context into 2024 by envisioning a current player playing the role of an action superhero. The ath;ete had to posess traits that would make the portrayal resemble the character. The character I chose is DC Comic Hero Superman. The players I would have vie for the role are Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. Both players have agility,speed and strength. Either player would portray the role of Superman well. 

Jackson's NFL resume includes two MVP . Hurts has lead his team to the 2023 Super Bowl. Jackson had 5 rushing towndowns in 2023. Hurts had 15 rushing TDs last year. Which one embodies the role of Superman? As you assess the players include statistics and attributes.

Here is a clip so you can visualize the comparision.  

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NFL- NFC North Wins Totals

 The NFC North is shaping up as a competitive division. With the Detroit Lions set to defend their 2023 division crown after a impressive season. The Lions won 12 games and won their first playoff game in over 32 years.Two teams from this division made the playoffs. The Chicago Bears had the top draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draft so they are looking to improve their recordfrom 7-10. Let's look at the win total for each team 

Detroit Lions- Projected Win Total is 10.5. The Lions have won 21 games over the past two regular seasons. Last year's 3 game win improvement was one of the highest increases in the NFL over a year to year period.While a another increase is not foreseeable because of strong streght of schedule,the Lions are on paper the best team in the division.Lions will go over the projected win total. 

The Green Bay Packes-projected win total is 9.5. The Packers signed QB Jordan Love to a multi year extension basd his 2nd half performance of the 2023 season. Love led the Packers to a 6-2 record and a win over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round. They added RB Josh Jacobs and AJ Dillion The Pack movrd on from star RBAaron Jones after he declined to take a pay cut. The Packers are poised to make anther playoff run and will contend for the division. Green Bay will go over the 9/5 projection.

The Chicago Bears-projected win total is 8.5.The Bears selected QB Caleb Williams with the first overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. They moved on from hhe extremely talented but erratic QB Justin Fields.The Bears have weapons around Williams that should help him assimilate into the pro game.The question is will Williams be more like CJ Stroud of the Houston Texans or struggle similar to Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers. I see Williams struggling early but doing better after the first 4 games of the season.The Bears willschedule from week four to eight includes the Panthers,Washingron Commanders and the Arizona Cardinals.Bears will   not make the playoffs but will scratch out 9 wins. They go over the projection.

Minnesota Vikings projected win total is 7.5.The Vikings are moving on from QB Kirk Cousins and trusting QBs Sam Darnold and top draft pick JJ McCarthy to keep the team in contention. Although they have WR Justin Jefferson who is one of the top recievers in the league, he will not perform at the optomum level  due to the drop in quarterback play.The Vikings won 7 games last year without Cousins and Jefferson for most of the season.I am not sold on either QB so this will be a down year for the Vikings, Vikings will go under.

Here is a clip of the NFL North Win Totals.

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NFL-NFC South Win Totals

 The NFC South is a division that does not posess one team that is projected with a double digit win total. This shows the low ceiling of expectations that the sports betting operators have for each team. The highest projected win total in the NFC South is the Atlanta Falcons with 9.5. This is a fall from 2021 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl ,defeating the Kansas City Chiefs.The odds for a Super Bowl win in this division are +1500.That number is the hghest of the four divisions in the National Conference. Let's dissect each team and see the win projections.

The Atlanta Falcons are projected at 9.5. The addition of QB Kirk Cousins has infuse some excitemeny in the dirty south.The Falcons had some good players in 2023. RB Bijan Robinson should improve upon his rookie season numbers of 8 TDs and over 1400 yards,rushing and recieving.The Falcons just added depth to their offensive line with two veteran signings. Look for a breakout year from Drake London,a wide reciever entering his third year. The question mark is the recovery of Cousins from his achilles injury. While top QB draft pick Michael Penix Jr. is talented,he is not expected to play right away.  The recovery time of Cousins injury is generally a year . The firts three games are potential losses against the Pittsburgh Steelers,Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The Falcons will struggle to find 9 wins and they will go under the total.

The Tampa Bay Buccanners are projected at 7,5. Tampa Bay has fwon the NFC South the last 4 years in a row. Look for 4 to 5 wins in the division and 3 possibles against the Washington Commanders,Denver Broncos and the New York Giants. While QB Baker Mayfield is not a top tier quarterback,he can manage a game. TheBucs go over the projection and challenge for the division title.

The New Orleans Saints are projected at 7.5.QB Derek Carr is erratic and does not evoke confidence as you look at the Saints. Rookie QB Spencer Rattler is getting high praise in training camp.The possible wins outside the division are against the Denver Broncos,New York Giants and the Washington Commanders. Three wins against divisonal opponents and the win total is 6. One upset along theway and a win over the Las Vegas Raiders will push them over the projection.

The Carolina Panthers are projected at 5.5. The Panther have the distinction of being one of the worst teams in rhe NFL. While QB Bryce Young  did not have much to work with in 2023,his perfomance was not what you would expect from a top draft pick. The Panthers were 2-15 last year. The expectations are similar for 2024. Panther will be hard pressed to win a game within the division.The Panthers go under the 5.5 projection.

Here is a clip of the NFC South Win Projection.

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NFL-NFC West Win Totals

 The NFC West is the fome of the NFC Defending Conference Champion San Francisco Niners,The division has at least 2 playoff teams in each of the last 4 seasons. The Niners have won the division the past 3 seasons.They are the only team in the division this year with a double digit projection win total.Let examine the entire division and see how they stack up in 2024.

The San Francisco 49ers have a projected win total of 11.5. The Niners record was 12-5 in 2023. The team loss in the Super Bowl to the two time Champion Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 25-22 in OT. The team is relatively intact a in position to dominate the National Conference. Over the past 3 seasons,the Niners have averaged  11.6 wins. They have a potent offense and a top 5 defense.While their schedule in 2024 includes the Kansas City Cheifs,Miami Dolphins,Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, they would be a slight underdog in 3 of those games because they will be on the road. They are 18-8 on the road over the last 3 years for a win percentage of 69.2%. The Niners go over 11.5 barely.

The Los Angeles Rams are projected at 8.5. The Rams have QB Matthew Stafford who is showing no signs of slowing down. The dynamic duo of Cooper Kupp and Puca Nacua put fear into any secondary. The retirement of Aaron Donald will weaken the defense so most games will be shootouts. As long as Stafford is healthy and has a slight threat of a run game,the Rams will be in most contests.The Rams should win 3 of the 4 games they play against the NFC North. I see 3 wins in their division as well. The Rams will edge by the projected total of 8.5.

The Seattle Seahawks are projected at 7.5. The rebuilding is finally reached Seattle. It was supposed to start when QB Russell Wilson left and was traded to the Denver Broncos.Nobody told QB Geno Smith and he proceeded to have two seasons where he led them to consecutive 9-8 seasons.The problem for the Seahawks have been the defense and penalties. The hire of Leslie Frazier as defensive cordinactor will improve some of the problem. However the hirer of Head Coach Mike MacDonald will take time to pay dividends. The Seahawks fall short of the 7.5 and go under.

The Arizona Cardinals are projected at 7.5. At first glance, you may think this is an overstimation of the Cardinals who finished with consecutive 4-13 records. The defense showed flashes of improvement and the addition of WR Marvin Harrison Jr, is part of the optomism. If QB Kyler Murray can avoid injury, a eight or nine game win total is within reach. The potential wins on the schedule include the Minnesota Vikings,Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots. The team is capable of two upsets as they play AFC East opponents,  New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills.Don 't see playoffs but do see improvement. Cardinals over 7.5.

Check out the clip of the NFC West Win Total.

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Sports Betting-By the Numbers:NFL Win Totals

 

This week is the start of NFL Training Camps.Since the next few weeks are relatively light in terms of activity,you should be focused on the NFL Win Total for your team.Those numbers are available to you on most sports betting apps.

The popular strategy for approaching the total wins is to go through the schedule meticulously and look at each game. Remove the emotional attachment and look at the each game objectively.Add up the number of winsnand compare your number to what the sport betting operator has posted. If your total exceeds the projected amount ,you will make a wager going over. If you have less wins than the projection, then the under is the play.

If you are not able to be objective then focus on the win total of a team that is not in your team's division. It should be a team that you are familiar with. Look at the strgenth of schedule and when the bye week takes place. If there is a key injury to the starting quarterback,does the team you picked have a viable backup.Also look at how many trips a team makes across country.and what was their road record in similar situations last season.

The projections are generally the same at every sports book. The difference will be in the price. An example is the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are projected at10.5 wins.One operator has the under at -150 and the over at +120.A competitor has the same projection with the price -155 for the under and the over at +130.The competitor is offering better odds at the exact same number. Go with the competitor!

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Follow me on Twitter this week and I will dissect and share teams in the NFC East.

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Sports Betting-Inside the Numbers: Operators Mid-Term

 

After seeing the reports that Penn Entertainment had a round of layoff wirh members of their ESPNBet team,I decided to look at the mid year numbers for the top operators. Let's see where everyone is positioned as the NFL returns this fall.  These are the market shares of the top operators.                           DraftKings :38%

  FanDuel 36.5%

   BetMGM:7%

   Caesars:5.9%

   ESPNBet 3.2%

   Rush Street Interactive 3%

Comparing these numbers to the 1st quarter of 2024,DraftKings increased by 2.7%.FanDuel decreased by 1.3%.FanDuel'sDraft market share shifted slightly toward DraftKings and Rush Interactive.BetMGM decreased by.3%despite some impressive partnerships. Caesars decreased .6% and ESPNBet dropped 1.5%.

Let's look at the stock prices to see if investors are still confident over the last month of activity. DraftKings fell -6.07% but close today up 0,26%. FanDuel is down -0.6% over the last 30 days but closed today up 0.6%. Public confidence is unchanged.BetMGM was up 8.80% in the last month and closed yesterday up ,15%. The public opinion of the stock is unwavered. Caesars Entertainment was down 5% 30 days ago but closed yesterday up .82%/.Caesars was down $9 6 months ago and $2 a month ago. While the market share declined, the price is going up.Rush Interactive's stock price was in the low teens 6 months ago but has dropped to just under $10 yesterday. The shift in market share did not translate to increasing the stock value. Penn Entertainment and ESPNBet are not trending in the anticipated direction. A stock price that was high as $25 a year ago is now at $18.52 and down .27% yesterday. 

The Outlook: Expect the two market leaders to jockey for the top position as the NFL and NCAA Football returns in September. BetMGM's partnership with Twitter and the expansion of their sports betting service in Washington, D.C.,will  help recoup the .3% loss of the 2nd quarter, I see Rush as a possible acquisition based on a fvorable price. ESPNBet has the advantage of starting this football season off at the inception. By not launching until after week 7 in 2023,they acqiured multiple downloads but were not able to grow the market.A correction is imperative or this media and gaming merger will be short lived.

I encourage you to practice smart responsible gaming and do your homework as you look to invest in the stock market.

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Sports Betting-Inside the Numbers:Totals

 A popular method of wagering on sports is totals.Totals are the amount of scores combine in a contest or by an individual. The runs in MLB,the points in the NFL,NBA,WNBA,NCAA Football  and Basketball,along with  NHL are events that most people will bet on. The total gives you the ability to watch and have a vested interest in both teams.You can make your bet on one team to exceed or go under a projected number as well.

How the Sports Book Operators determines  the total for a contest by combining the points that the two teams averaged together.The 2024 Super Bowl LVIII featured the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The total was set at 47.5. The 49ers averaged 28.9 points in 2023.The Chiefs averaged 21.8 points.Both teams had outstanding defenses so a number that would be 50.5 was modified by 3 points. The final score was the Chiefs winning 25-22 in overtime.  

There are situations when the Operators are feeling out the public and setting a number based on speculation. Indiana Fever Guard Caitlin Clark played in her first WNBA game against the Connecticut Sun. Her projected points for that game were 20.5. This was based on her performance in college where she averaged 28.4 for her career. She scored 20 in a 92-71 loss.Most of the tickets were on Clark to go over the number. 

The public is prone to make wagers on the over because of the appeal of offense. The use of algorithms keeps the projected number close to the final outcome. This is the ideal circumstance for the operator and the betting public. The public will gravitate toward the over in most sports but over the last 10 seasons in the NFL,the games have gone under 51.32% of the time. Less than 2% of the game end in a push . A push is when a game ends in a tie. 

The strategies  with totals should factor in injuries,weather and if applicable,recent divisional history. Avoid out of conference games unless one team is clearly superior to the other. That team will dominate and the lean to the over would be the play.When looking at individuals,focus on the player's average,last 5 games played and recent performance against an opponent.

Now I will get you ready for the Summer Olympics. Root for your country and make money while doing it. Always practice smart responsible gaming! We will dive into the Summer Games in my next posy.

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NFL Totals for 2022

 

The NFL is just one day away from starting the 2022 season. A great time to look at some over/under projections for several NFL teams. I looked at the schedule and breakdown the victories and the losses. I also look for teams that have a winning streak against their opponents within a division.

An example of this is the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have won seven straight games against the Miami Dolphins and four straight against the New York Jets. If those streaks continue and the Bills split with the New England Patriots as they have in the past two seasons, Buffalo will have 5 wins in their own division. The Bills play the NFC North with projected wins against the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. Buffalo plays Green Bay at home and after a bye week. They will be favored to win that game. This would take them to 8 wins. With games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns the Bills can easily be at 10 wins This would mean that the Bills would need 2 wins against this group of teams. The Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Baltimore Ravens. I see the 1^st game against the Rams as a potential loss. The Bills would finish 12-5 and go over the projected total of 11.5. The price is -140 if you take them over.

Most times the emphasis is on the good teams and a winning situation. There is value in taking the projected under on teams transitioning due to coaching or quarterback changes. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Steelers are going into a season for the 1^st time in over 15 seasons without Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh will have problems with division opponents and will only be favored in their home game against the Cleveland Browns. With 5 projected losses within the division the Steelers will look at a 1-3 mark against the AFC East, they should only be favored against the Jets. Pittsburgh is projected at 7.5 wins. The under price is -135.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are being coach by Doug Pederson. The culture needs a makeover after Urban Meyers toxic reign as coach. Even having Trevor Lawrence, the number one pick in the 2021 draft is not enough to project this team to above 500.The Jags will go 0-4 against the AFC West. The same outlook appears when they play the NFC East. With 8 losses. Jacksonville would have to win 7 of the nine remaining games. Wins should come against the Texans, Jets and Detroit. The Jags should come short of the projected total of 6.5 games. The under has a price of -120.

Bet RIVERS has several alternate team wins projected over and under. Check them out at Bet Rivers

 

Here are several top teams and their projected win totals.

Kansas City Chiefs-10.5

Dallas Cowboys - 10

Los Angeles Rams-10.5

Tampa Bay Buccaneers- 11.5

Green Bay Packers-11

Baltimore Ravens-9.5

I would advise you to look at the schedules and gauge where the wins and losses will occur before making your selections.

 

Black History Month and the NBA

During the NBA All Atar Weekend,the NBA is having the 1st ever NBA HBCU Classic on Saturday, Feb 19th. The teams participating are Morgan State University and Howard University, The NBA and AT&T will donate $100,000 to each school's atheletic department totaling $200,000. The game will be broadcast by TNT and ESPN2. The game will be attended by the NBA All Stars and the members of the 75th Anniversary Team. 

The NBA has shown that it understands the important responsibility they have to women and people of color. They recognize Black History Month and celebrate the HBCUs in a manner that will pay huge dividends beyond the money they donated. Every Professional Sports League should follow suit and find ways to pay homage to the ancestors that paved the way for the current players.  

If the NFL and MLB are watching, they should be formulating plans to do something.  Next year's Super Bowl game is played in February so there is an opportunity to celebrate Black History. The MLB normally starts spring training in February and celebrating Black History would create interest in their season.

If the leagues don;t evolve ,they will lose their appeal to women and people of color, There are so many entertainment options to chose from. No one can asume that the public will always patronize and support their brand or product. Diversity and Inclusion are the key components for all successful organizations. 

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The sports betting coverage of the New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC markets will have the thousand of viewers looking for an edge. I would normally just focus on Las Vegas, Philly and Atlantic City.I expect this to be the most action ever wagered on professional sports over the next calendar year. So I will expand with my Gaming Guy News minutes into the 3 top cities on the East Coast.

The New York Giants play the Washington Football Team on Thursday Night Football. The Giants are getting 3 and the total is 41. The Giants lost to the Denver Broncos and were not able to establish a running game. Giants only gained 60 yards on 20 carries. I am not expecting a great deal of production from Saquon Barkley. This will be two games in 5days after a major injury. Daniel Jones must eliminate the turnovers, Washington lost QB Ryan Fitzpatrick for several games due to a hip injury.

                                                   Eagles +3.5 vs the Niners- Total 50

                                                   Jets +5.5 vs the Patriots - Total 43

The surprise of the week was he play of the Eagles. I thought the Birds could win but I was not thinking domination. I am not as confident with the Niners coming in. It is the 2nd straight road game for San Francisco.

Jets must protect  QB Zach Wilson better in Game 2 against the Pats. The Panther's sacked Wilson 6 times. New York did close with 5 with under 2 minutes to play. Jet have lost 10 straight to the Patriots,

                                                       In The NBA

The Brooklyn Nets improved their team by adding several free agents. Patty Mills, James Johnson and DeAndre Bembry will add depth to the star studded lineup.They will be better defensively. Grade B-.

The Sixers signed Andre Drummond and George Niang to replace Dwight Howard and Mike Scott. While Howard brought energy,Drummond will be more level headed.  Niang is a better shooter than Scott. Grade B+.

The New York Knicks made the biggest impact in free agency with the signing of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. The resigning of Derrick Rose means the guard play will improve dramactically. Grade: A.

The Washington Wizards signed Spencer Dinwiddie. If he return to his 2019 numbers of 20.6 points and 6,8 assists,the Wizards are getting a steal of a player.Grade B.

                                                       And now, A Sports Betting Tip

Follow me for more in depth coverage on NFL and NBA on Twitter and Bettors Insider My website  is Smart Responsible Gaming.

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

The sports betting coverage of the New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC markets are essential to prognosticators. I would normally just focus on Las Vegas, Philly and Atlantic City but times have changed. So I will expand with my Gaming Guy News minutes into the 3 top cities on the East Coast.

The wins totals projected for the NFL season is a very popular wager. These are the projections for the Eagles,Washington Football,Giants & Jets.

                                               Eagles 6.5 Over -150 /Under +120

                                               Washington Football 8.5 Over -120 / Under +100

                                               Giants 7 Over -130 /Under +110

                                               Jets 6 Over +100 / Under -120

I have the Eagles over the 6.5. I project them to beat the Jets,Carolina,Denver, Dallas, Washington,Atlanta and Detroit. 2 possibles with Las Vegas and Giants at home. If the offensive line can stay healthy, the Birds will improve their win total by at least 3. Philly record last year was 4-11-1.

I have Washington under the 8.5. Their schedule is extremely difficult. They play each of last's year playoffs semifinalists, Those 4 games are losses. I have the Giants beating them twice and Eagles & Dallas taking them once. Possible losses to Seattle & Denver on the road.

I have the Giants over 7.  Giants were 4-2 in the division last year. I expect the same record this season.If Saquon Barkley returns to 2019 form, the offense will improve.  I project them to win against Carolina, Miami,Chicago and Atlanta.

I have the Jets under 6. They were 2-14 last year.A new coach and  starting a rookie QB is not the recipe for a 5 win improvement over last year. Jets have won under 5 games in 4 of the last 5 seasons.They go 0-6 in the division again. Jets go 1-3 against the NFC South. Losses to Eagles,Denver,Colts and Tennessee give them 13 L's. Book it!

                                                             Surprise Cuts

                                             Eagles - Jordan Howard RB, Travis Fulgham WR

                                             Washington Football - Peyton Barber RB

                                             Giants - Corey Clement RB, David Sills WR

                                             Jets - Ronnie Blair DL, Josh Adams RB

 

Looking at the NBA matchups in 2021, I am excited about attending the Sixers and Nets on October 22nd at the Wells Fargo Center. I will preview the game on Bettors Insider. These teams are projected to be two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.  My question to you. Will Ben Simmons still be on the team?

My gaming video tip of the week is about the NBA and In Game Betting.

Follow me for more in depth coverage on NFL and NBA on Twitter and Bettors Insider My website is Smart Responsible Gaming.

Metro Report: NFL NFC East Draft Grades

I just finished watching the top 3 rounds of the NFL Draft 2021. I will give my grade of how each team in the NFC East fared with their first three selections. My grades are based on the team and their needs going into the Draft.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles started out by moving up in the draft to 10 and selecting Devonta Smith. Smith was the Heisman Trophy Winner and the top reciever in college. His weight of 166 pounds did not scare the Eagles. It should be noted that Ja'Marr Chase and Jaylen Waddle were selected before Smith. The Eagles went after another Alabama standout in Landon Dickerson. He is a beast but has a history of injuries. He tore his ACL during the SEC championship game in December. In the 3rd round,Philly aded depth to the defensive line with the addition of Milton Williams, defensive tackle from Louisiana Tech. The selection of Dickerson and Williams were perplexing because the o line is relatively young with the exception of Jason Kelce. Birds had a glaring need to add to the secondary and they did not do it.  Grade B-.

Dallas Cowboys: Dallas traded with their rival,the Eagles and selected Micah Parsons from Penn State.Parson was thought to be the best defensive player in the draft. He did not play in 2020 because he opted out to prepare for the NFL. The Cowboys added more defensive help with their 2nd and 3rd round selections of  Kelvin Joseph and Osa Odighizuwa. The Cowboys addressed their abysmal defense with each of these selections. They should improve immediately if two of these picks become starters.Grade A.

New York Giants: The Giants traded back and gain a number one pick in next years's NFL Draft. They selected Kadarius Toney,a wide reciever from Florida. He is a play maker but the Giants appear to have address that need during free agency when they signed Kenny Galladay. Georgia's Azeez Ojulari  will bring immediate help to the outside linebacker position by being selected 2nd. Ojulari was projected as a late first round pick. Adoree Robinson is a CB from Central Florida. He was selected in the 3rd round. While cornerback was also a position that free agent Adoree Jackson was signed to fill, you can always use additional coverage personnel.  By adding more picks, the Giants made this draft and 2022 look very good. Grade A+

Washington Football: Washington improved the team by adding Jamin Davis an inside linebacker from Kentucky. The defense was already elite so adding speed to the linebacker position fits. There is a concern at QB that would have require Washington to move up to go after Justin Fields, The 2nd selection was Samuel Cosmi, OT from Texas. Benjamin St-Juste and Dyami Brown were both taken in the 3rd round. Justus will help in coverage and Brown give Washington another weapon at WR.  Brown can compliment Terry McLaurin. Grade B.

Check out this week's poll on my website and tell me which NFL NFC East team did the best job in the 1st three rounds of the Draft?

Follow me on Twitter where I discuss #sportsbetting and #gaming entertainment.  Check out my articles in Bettors Insider and in the January edition of Igaming player. 

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

Washington Football stunned the fan base and media by cutting Dwayne Haskins from the team. This season has not been very good statistically for the 1st round pick of 2019. He had 5TD and 7 interceptions this year with a rating of 73. Haskins had 5 fumbles and was sacked 20 times. He was receiving more attention for his off the field actions that resulted in him losing his captaincy and being fined 40,000 for violations regarding COVID protocols. He was not claimed on waivers but there is interest around the league. Expect him to be in some NFL camp next summer.

The Eagles are eliminated from the playoff picture after losing to the Cowboys. They play Washington on SNF. If Washington wins, they clinch the division. The Giants play the Cowboys earlier in the day. The winner of that game makes the playoffs if the Eagles defeat Washington. Washington Football is favored by 1.5 and the over/under is 43.5 The Cowboys are favored by 3 with a total of 44. 

The Nets lost Spencer Dinwiddie for the remainder of the season due to a partial torn ACL.  They are extremely deep, so expect Landry Shamet and Caris LeVert to get more minutes. Earlier this week, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving sat out because of back to back games. This is something to expect with the shortest off season in NBA history. Here is a sports betting minute that will help you wager on the NBA. 

On Tuesday, the Sixers beat the Raptors 100-93. Joel Embiid lead the team with 29 points and 16 rebounds. They play again on New Year's Eve against the Orlando Magic. Sixers should be a slight favorite. 

The Knicks are playing inspired basketball and have won two straight.  They demolished the Bucks by 20 and proceeded to beat the Cavaliers 95-86. Julius Randle had a triple double with 28 points,12 rebounds and 11 assists. They play the Raptors on New Year's Eve on the road. Raptors should be favored by 7 to 9 points.

The Wizards are off to a disappointing start of 0-4 with 3 of those losses coming at home. Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal have played well but the team is not strong defensively.  Beal is averaging 32 a game and Westbrook flirts with a triple double every game. Expect the Wizards to handle the Bulls in the 2nd game of a back to back. 

The sports betting action in New York is being done with Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment at the PointsBet Counter. The hours of operation are 11-6 PM, seven days a week. They are not open on holidays. If you are in New Jersey, you can do live and traditional pre match betting via mobile app. PointsBet has received accolades for their unique weekly promotions.

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

Since the advent of Sports Betting the coverage of the New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia markets are essential to prognosticators. I would normally just focus on Las Vegas, Philly and Atlantic City but times have changed. So I will expand with my Gaming Guy News minutes into the 3 top cities on the East Coast.

Nets had their season opener on Tuesday Night. They defeated the Warriors 125-99.  Kyrie Irving had 26 points. Kevin Durant scored 22 and had 5 rebounds. The Warriors were led by Stephen Curry who scored 20 and had 10 assists. I see the Nets winning the division and having the best conference record. They should get a better test against the Celtics on Christmas Day.

The Sixers open tonight against the Wizards. The defense did not look formidable in the Wizards pre season games. The Sixers are favored by 7.5 and the total is 229. Joel Embiid looked sharp in his one preseason game. His prop bets total are 26.5 in points and 11.5 in rebounds. I am looking at the chemistry of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook. Great players can figure things out.  

Washington Football is still leading the division with 2 games left. Dwayne Haskins is starting as of this report. He will go against the Carolina Panthers. Panthers just held the the Packers to 3 points in the 2nd half of their game on Saturday. The extra day of rest will help them. Haskins threw 55 times against Seattle. Keep that in mind when you look at his projected attempts this week. Washington is favored by 2.5 and the total is 44.5.

Giants are in 2nd right now a game in back of Washington. The Giants can't score with Colt McCoy under center. He showed he can move the team but they are poor in the red zone. This week they play the Ravens. Ravens are playing lights out and are favored by 11. Total is 45. Lamar Jackson is playing at the MVP level of last season. Giant chance of winning the division is 16%.

Eagles and Cowboys will play with the loser being eliminated from contention. Jalen Hurts will make his 3rd consecutive start. Cowboys have won two straight. Both teams need to win and get help to make the final game of the season be meaningful. The Eagles are -2.5 and the total is 49.5.

Sport Business and Wagering News: Rivers Philadelphia posted strong numbers in November. The Sports Betting Handle was approximately 27.4 million with 70.8% generated online. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, the retail operation will be closed until after the New Year. I would anticipate the handle to increase with some of the retail play shifting over to mobile, 

Follow me on Twitter for conversations and watch my videos on Instagram. Merry Christmas!