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

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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.

The Giants are now in 2nd place in the NFC East. The Cardinals handle them easily and Daniel Jones did not look comfortable coming back from a hamstring injury. They are playing the Browns this week at home. Browns are favored by 3.5 in the opening line. After a thrilling loss to the Ravens on MNF in a game considered one of the best of the year, expect the number to go up.

The Washington Football team took over 1st place in the NFC East. After Dwayne Haskins came into the game for injured QB Alex Smith, the Washington defense rallied and took an interception to the end zone. They play the Seahawks at home this week and are 5.5 underdogs. While both team need the game, the betting public makes this number go to 6 or higher by game time.

The Eagles won for the 1st time in 5 weeks with Jalen Hurts having his 1st start as QB. He provided the spark the team needed and kept them in the race for the division. They are 1.5 games back with 3 to play. They have an 11% chance of winning the East. Their best scenario is to win out and Washington lose at least 1 of their next two games. They face the Cardinals this week and are getting 6.5. That line should stay static.

Sixers played a preseason game against the Celtics. They won 108-99 with the starters playing most of their minutes in the 1st half. No news on the James Harden watch. If the Sixers do go in on Harden ,the pieces they would have to consider moving are Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle and Mike Scott. The depth on the team would be lessened considerably. The addition of Harden would make the Sixers a championship contender. The Sixers have a projected win percentage of 58.5%. They would have to win 43 games to surpass that projection.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving looked impressive in his preseason game against the Wizards. Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal  sat the game out. After the game, Westbrook and KD embraced and spoke briefly. That was good for both of them considering how their relationship frayed when KD left OKC 4 years ago. The Wizards have a projected winning percentage of 45,5%. To exceed that projection they would have to win 33 games.

Sports Business and Sports Betting in DC is doing well on the retail side. William Hill & Monumental Sports and Entertainment  are increasing their handle every month. The average bet on a kiosk is approximately $125.  Parx Casino in Philadelphia had a combine retail and online gross revenue in October of 3,2 million before taxes. Those numbers will increase when the NBA returns to action.

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Christmas Gifts that a Gambler or Gaming Executive would love

With Christmas just a little more than a week away ,the scramble is on to pick out the perfect gift for the gambler or gaming executive in your life. There is a commonality in those two people. Not only do they share the same environment such as a casino, racetrack or sports book  but they are knowledgeable about the world of risk. They like the excitement and the fanfare of participating or watching games. So any of these gifts that I mention now are stocking stuffers.

The 1st is a scratch off or lottery ticket. The chance of a $1.00 ticket turning into a 6 or 7 figure payout is extremely low. But the recipient will feel like a million dollars until the drawing takes place or the result is revealed.

The 2nd is a smart watch from Apple. This serves no many functions other  than telling time. It can track the gaming executive's steps per day and the gambler withdrawals from the ATM. Either of those individuals will call and thank you on that same watch. The cost is approximately 199.00.

The 3rd is a trip to Las Vegas in 2021. No gambler or gaming executive would want to go right now, but if you plan a trip for the beginning of the 3rd quarter, they would take you up on it. A vaccine should be readily available by then. If the tickets and accommodations are booked no, you could get a good rate especially if the trip is planned mid week. Usher begins his Caesars Palace residency on July 16 2021. Tickets start at 150.00. 

Before I share the last two options here is my gift to you.

The 4th is buying a gift card from Draft Kings. This is an sports betting industry first. The recipient would love it if they live in a state that has sports betting. They could use the card to add funds to an already existing account. The account must be with Draft Kings. I am sure other operators will emulate this. The card will be available in $25 and $50 denominations  in convenience stores like Sheetz, 7 Eleven, Dollar General and Speedway. 

The 5th and final gift option is purchasing a stock from a publicly trading casino or gaming company. You may want to look at a sports betting company for the recipient. If you want to start the process you can open an E Trade account or confer with your broker if you already invest on Wall Street. Why not give a gift that gives your friend or family member more? There are several options that I see as definite buy situations. I will expand on that in a future article.

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The Key Takeaways from the Bet on Sports America Conference

I was so impressed with the Bet on Sports America Conference that I wanted to follow up with 5 key takeaways for anyone that is working or interested in gaming, media and sports betting.

The advent of sports betting is in it's infancy. Sports betting has been legal in states outside of Nevada for just under 3 years. So many states have yet to legalize it. More over so many people are not aware that you can do it legally. Most sports books are populated by men. Hmm!!  Educate and Advertise. 

The pandemic has prompted an increase in online gaming and mobile sports betting. In October, Nevada books set a monthly record for betting handle at 659.6 million. 376.9 million was wager via mobile. Since we can't gather due to COVID the way to stay engaged with your players is remotely. Use all mediums available to you. Be consistent with your content and attempt to respond as close to real time as possible.

The partnerships between the media outlets and professional sports teams now have sports betting operators as a common denominator. Imagine if Google or Facebook enter the equation. They have the followers and could generate liquidity. Yahoo is involved and has it's own Sports division. Yahoo's sports betting platform is powered by BetMGM. 

Some of the professional teams that participated in the conference were the Sixers, Eagles, Flyers and New Jersey Devils.

The time is perfect for entrepreneurs and developers. If you can come up with an app or program that is easy to navigate and appeals to a gaming centric audience,  major corporations will find you. If someone comes up with a way to monetize Esports on a betting platform that makes gaming legislators and operators comfortable, they will be rich!  Nearly half a billion people play Esports or watch others play by streaming.

Don't be afraid to fail. If you're not taking risk on new technology and concepts now, when will you? I'll give you one concept. Meet with other industries that you can partner with. Make sure the partner aligns with your mission statement and core values. Don't sleep on small local businesses as a way of helping generate interest in what you are doing.  

This is the 4th conference that I have attended this year. 3 of them were after the pandemic shutdown in March. Add that to my expertise about casino operations along with my education regarding sports betting and you get a composite view of gaming  If you want more information or insight, we need to talk. In closing I want to quote Ben Franklin. "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

If you want a recap of the entire conference click here.

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History and Why So Long

This past two weeks, there have been several notable accomplishments in the world of sports. The Florida Marlins hired Kim Ng as the first woman to become an MLB general manager. She has been in the conversation for GM jobs for more than a decade. She has interviewed for more than 6 teams since 2015.Ng was an assistant GM with the New York Yankees during a 4 year period. Under that tenure, the Yankees won 3 World Series and 4 AL pennants.

Last night. the NFL set history by having an all Black officiating crew during the Monday Night Football game between the Buccaneers and the Rams. Referee Jerome Boger led the crew, which also included umpire Barry Anderson, down judge  Julian Mapp, line judge Carl Johnson, side judge Dale Shaw, field judge Anthony Jeffries and back judge Greg Steed. The 1st Black official in any major sport was Burl Toler ,hired by the NFL in 1965.

                                                Now the Question. Why so long?

MLB was started in 1869 and is 151 years old. NFL hired it's 1st official of color 55 years ago. So it took collectively 206 years to find a qualify woman and 6 African Americans to run a baseball organization and officiate a professional football game. Studies have shown that the most successful organizations are the ones that embrace and advocate diversity. While accepting change is a not easy it is a necessity. Too often the same people get another chance after failing while another group gets overlooked and told you just missed the cut.

"It's easy to stay sleep but it is hard to be awoke." A quote from Sade Mims.  This statement challenges decision makers to accept the responsibility to make opportunities equal to all qualified applicants. 

                                                              What's the solution?

A resume that is gender and color free. No mention on the application of sexual orientation or ethnic origin. If these characteristics are removed, the decision makers are now looking at the educational history and the professional accomplishments of the job seekers. HR fact checks the applicant and ask them to submit to an assessment test. Then you get the best candidates going before a panel that will make the final decision. If someone is close but does not get the position, tell them what they can do to put them over the top when they apply again. The progressively thinking companies have manager training courses. They are able to institute a pipeline that levels the playing field for women and minorities.  A management team should be reflective of their clientele. If a business caters to 40% women patrons, the managerial and corporate team should have a representation that is fairly indicative of that clientele. These practices work in corporate America and Professional Sports.  You just have to be awoke to use them. 

The historical events of the past 2 weeks should not take another 206 years to happen again. 😎

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Mid Season MVP: Wilson or Mahomes

Russell Wilson is having a phenomenal year. He leads the NFL in touchdowns and his team is 6 -1. He has  thrown for 2151 yards. He has never won the MVP award. 

Patrick Mahomes is also playing excellent, He has thrown for 2315 yards & 21 TDs. His team is 6 -1.  He won MVP in 2018.

Let's look at their stats  Mahomes is on the top line

CMP	ATT	CMP%	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	LNG	RTG
190	284	66.9	2,315	8.2	21	1	54	115.0

183

256

71.5

2,151

8.4

26

6

62

120.7

These two Super Bowl Champions have two of the top teams in football. They are being challenged by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 I will initiate a Twitter poll that you can participate in. Pick the MVP by clicking here. Select the best team by clicking here.

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GQ, BOYDS and Me

 

Last week, I was able to have one of the best moments in my life. I was asked to interview for a segment of the Conde Nast and GQ installment, "The Breakdown”. The episode was focusing on Pit Managers.  I was pleasantly surprised when contacted. The surprise did not stem from the being asked questions about gaming and casino operations. I have always been a fan of GQ and patronized the magazine for information and visual inspirations for what to wear.  

My business attire comes from Boyds of Philadelphia. The store is one of the best men stores on the East Coast and has been mentioned several times in GQ.

Some of the questions posed to me by the producers were about my background and some of the places that I have worked. The questions about the relationship between the dealers and the players is what I want to share with you. The dealer is really hoping that the player does well so he will receive a tip or gratuity. The players have the impression that the dealers are their adversaries. The dealer makes most of his money from tips, so it is important to build a synergy with the player.

The best and most popular games are Blackjack and Baccarat.  The odds are player friendly and the availability of a game is generally high. While Covid 19 has changed the amount of people allowed to play at one time, the public demand has not diminished.  The producers seemed pleased with my responses. They laughed when I told them I subscribe to the magazine. That 35 minutes was my WOW moment. It was done on Zoom. I dressed up as if I were going to work. They noticed!

I felt like I has received an Academy Award nomination. 

                                 And the winner is

Just to be considered means all the social media posts, the articles and the blog post are being noticed by people and organizations that I have the utmost respect for. Keep watching and get ready for my next big move. Look for me at the G2E.

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Gaming Forecast for the remainder of 2020

I decided to assess what I see for 3 gaming regions. The regions are Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Everything that I hypothesis is based on COVID 19 levels. The CDC has projected a rise in cases this fall. The cold and flu season is approaching and will impact the public willingness to convene in crowded venues.

I will focus on the major cities in each of the regions. Las Vegas will still be slow to move toward recovery. Airline flights are still under capacity with extremely limited international passengers. All major convention business has been scrapped for this year.  There is talk of some concerts being scheduled in show rooms. Usher is planning a residency performance in 2021 at Caesars Palace. There are tremendous deals on room rates during the week that may tempt you to fly out for a three day - two-night getaway.

Atlantic City is still one of the top ten trip destinations in the United States according to Trip Adviser.  The casinos just received a boost with the return of dine in restaurant service. Casino restaurants, like every other restaurant, must observe the many restrictions put into place including 25% percent capacity, tables spaced 6 feet apart, patrons required to wear masks while not eating or drinking. This will entice visitors to come to the shore during the months of September thru November. The price of gas is relatively low and will motivate patrons to take a drive to America’s greatest playground. I would strongly suggest having a reservation if you are dining. Atlantic City is allowing the resumption of smoking on the casino floor. This is not in the best interest of the employees and patrons at the casinos. It allows the shore to offer something that will bring in additional revenue. The risk does not appear to be worth it. 

 

 

Philly has also extended the amenities to include food. This is consistent with the casinos that are operating outside of Philadelphia County. 24-hour gaming is going to return on September 18.  The casinos have beefed up their efforts to keep the facilities clean and have maintain temperature check policy that protects the guests and the employees. An increase of deep cleaning and disinfecting the front and back of house areas is already underway. When the capacity levels are increased to accommodate more guests, the challenge the casinos will face will be staffing. If the capacity level were increased to 40-50% by October 31, that would be a treat. Lastly, Poker should be revisited and opened with a limitation on the amount of people allowed at a table. Other modifications should include no smoking, changing cards frequently and online reservations during peak times of play.

My view is this week's Monday Motivation of optimism. The gaming industry will return to profitable levels in convenience and urban markets quicker than the resort areas. All operators must find ways to create the environment that places safety first while providing an exceptional entertainment experience. The opinions expressed are my own. The creativity I shared is to inform you of what can be accomplished during difficult circumstances.

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