‘Pro Football Handle’: NFL Week 8 Breakdown, Vikes Host Saints, Rodgers and GB Big Dogs at Rams

The post ‘Pro Football Handle’: NFL Week 8 Breakdown, Vikes Host Saints, Rodgers and GB Big Dogs at Rams appeared first on SportsHandle.

On The Pro Football Handle, Las Vegas-based sports talk voice Matt Perrault and veteran bookmaker Robert Walker of USBookmaking dive into select NFL games, line movements and bookmaker liabilities, plus greater sports betting topics and stories that may have nothing to do with football. Walker has seen it all behind the counter and Perrault the same from behind the microphone, so they’ll have you prepared for anything.

NFL Week 8 has both a potential  NFC Championship preview in Saints vs. Vikings and the worst game of the year with 49ers vs. Cardinals. The New York Football Giants are in the midst of a fire sale and the Oakland Raiders are officially in tank mode. There are some crazy lines this week, listen below for complete insight and some laughs.

Spotify fans go here to listen.  Time codes for the episode follow below. Your feedback is welcome at @sports_handle.


0:44 — Recap of Week 7.

5:10 — The Giants’ (controversial)2-point conversion was the right decision.

9:50 — Is the NFL the next league to deal with tanking? The Raiders’ recent trades scream “tank mode”.

17:47 — Philadelphia Eagles -3 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (London) — The Eagles have been competitive and the public is still on them. The Jags were supposed to be among the best teams in the NFL this year but now are in a free fall. 

21:20 — Cleveland Browns +8 at Pittsburgh Steelers — Steelers’ hold out RB Le’veon Bell will not return until after the trade deadline. Pittsburgh will beats Cleveland, but not sure they will cover.

24:22 — Denver Broncos +10 at Kansas City Chiefs — The Chiefs aren’t just beating the spread they are killing it. The Broncos have never been double digit dog vs. KC until now. Both teams won 45-10 in Week 7, what will Week 8 hold?

28:18 — Green Bay Packers +9.5 at L.A. Rams — The Rams are just ripping people apart recently, bit this is the biggest dog margin ever for an Aaron Rodgers QB’d team. Take the dog or the over.

31:10 — Washington Redskins PK at N.Y. Giants — The Big Blue fire sale is not impacting lines because the ‘Skins are a hard team to gauge.

33:13 — San Francisco 49ers PK at Arizona Cardinals — Don’t watch this game, don’t play this game.

34:51 — Seattle Seahawks +3 at  Detroit Lions — Newly acquired defensive tackle “Snacks” Harrison should make his debut in a Lions uniform this week and the public thinks Detroit turning a corner.

38:29 — New Orleans Saints PK at Minnesota Vikings — Game of the week!  Probably the most bet game of the weekend with both teams as serious Super Bowl contenders. Can make a case for both teams but Minnesota is the play here since they are home.

43:25 — New England Patriots -14 at Buffalo Bills — The number prevents a lot of action on this game. But it’s a Monday night, Buffalo has some pride, so bet the Bills or walk away.

46:16 — Baltimore Ravens -2 at Carolina Panthers — The league has figured the Ravens out. Expect a lot of action on this game.

47:16 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers +4.5 at Cincinnati Bengals — Bettors seem to like Tampa and just saw them prevail with a 59-yard game winning field goal. Cincy opened the season with the over/under at 7.5 games and the public is expecting a course correction.

48:48 — N.Y. Jets +7 at Chicago Bears — A healthy Khalil Mack will be a game changer. Teaser leg candidate.


Have a profitable Week 7, folks. Follow Perrault on Twitter @sportstalkmatt and Walker @robertusfsports.

Thanks for listening and see you back next week, tell a friend, sign up for our newsletter and also stay tuned forthis week’s  Cover City Podcast, featuring sports bettor Eric Rosenthal with guest Christian Pina.

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‘Cover City’: NFL Week 7 Picks, Preview With Analytics Guru Warren Sharp

The post ‘Cover City’: NFL Week 7 Picks, Preview With Analytics Guru Warren Sharp appeared first on SportsHandle.

Sports Handle is pleased to present Cover City: A Pro Football Betting Podcast, hosted by Eric Rosenthal (@ericcports). Rosenthal is a professional sports bettor who focuses on NFL and college football. He’s wagered more than $25 million in the last nine years, getting banned from many sportsbooks along the way.

For the NFL Week 7 preview and picks pod, Rosenthal is joined by Warren Sharp @SharpFootball, creator of custom and predictive NFL analytics to discuss the most (and least) valuable statistics in the game, as well as some key games for bettors.

Don’t miss Rosenthal’s SuperContest picks (he went 4-1 last week) toward the end of the podcast. Time codes for the episode follow below. Listen and subscribe on Spotify here.


3:20 — Which stat is more valuable: Success rate or total yards? Sharp reviews some of the key stats the average fan may not know, and what that may mean for your wallet.

8:30 — In 2017 the Eagles showed how data can give a team a competitive edge, so why are bad teams and bad coaches not using analytics?

12:47 — How do injuries impact analytically driven teams?

17:10 — Sharp explains the intricacies of the teaser betting philosophy.

20:24 — Sharp weighs in on the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers’ and Mike McCarthy’s roles in shaping what could have been a dynasty.

25:42 — Sharp predicts what we can expect to see from Derek Anderson and the Bills going forward.

29:35 — Executive Producer Sean Pfeiffer joins the show to break down Week 7 in the NFL.

30:58 — Houston Texans +5 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars — Can Sean’s Texans, winners of three straight, beat reeling divisional rival Jacksonville?

33:48 — Carolina Panthers +4.5 vs. Philadelphia Eagles — An attractive matchup for the Super Bowl champs.

35:30 — New England Patriots -3 vs. Chicago Bears — Trap game, be on the side of Vegas if any side at all.

37:33 — Buffalo Bills +7.5 v Indianapolis Colts — Why this game really comes down to Derek Anderson vs. Andrew Luck.

40:01 — Dallas Cowboys +1.5 at Washington Redskins — Will the Cowboys be the same team we saw in the Jaguars blowout last week?

42:16 — LA Rams -9.5 at San Francisco 49ers — One of Rosenthal’s favorite games of the year. Find out how to leverage this game to cash in.

44:10 — Quick rundown of the other Week 7 matchups.

46:55 — This may be a football podcast, but Sean takes advantage of Rosenthal’s LA Dodgers fanhood for some MLB action!

48:55 — Rosenthal makes his his SuperContest picks of Week 7 in the NFL (4-1 last week).


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Also check out: Sports Handle’s Week 7 edition of “LoLookahead Lines’: By comparing changes between current lines and the numbers hung days earlier, we can get a sense of where recency bias or overreactions are seeping in.

Listen to more ‘Cover City’: NFL Week 7 Picks, Preview With Analytics Guru Warren Sharp on SportsHandle.

Sports Betting on Agenda This Week In Indiana, Illinois and Washington, D.C.

Indiana, Illinois and the District of Columbia will have hearings on sports betting this week. Both the Indiana and Illinois hearings are informational, ahead of the midterm elections and winter sessions, while the D.C. Council hearing could be the first step in legalizing sports betting before the end of the year.

In Indiana, the Interim Study Committee on Public Policy, chaired by Representative Ben Smaltz (R-District 52) will hear public testimony and have a committee discussion about legal sports betting before issuing a recommendation on the topic on Friday beginning at 12 p.m. ET.  The Indiana General Assembly adjourned in March without legalizing sports betting.

Sports betting was definitely a hot topic among some members of the assembly, and in January, Representative Alan Morrison (R-District 42) introduced HB 1325, a sports wagering bill that marked the first appearance of a bill containing several pro leagues’ “Model Legislation” language and a 1 percent “integrity fee” that they’ve been after.  The bill died in committee and no additional legislation was introduced before the session closed. On the Senate side, Jon Ford (R-District 38) also introduced legislation, but it, too, died in committee.

 

Read more Sports Betting on Agenda This Week In Indiana, Illinois and Washington, D.C. on SportsHandle.

Cover City: NFL Week 6 Picks, Preview And NFL Stats With ESPN’s Mike Clay

 

Sports Handle is pleased to present Cover City: A Pro Football Betting Podcast, hosted by Eric Rosenthal (@ericcports). Rosenthal is a professional sports bettor who focuses on NFL and college football. He’s wagered more than $25 million in the last nine years, getting banned from many sportsbooks along the way.

Before diving into the NFL Week 6 breakdown and picks, special guest Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL), a projections and fantasy football specialist with ESPN NFL, joins the pod to discuss advanced stats, best wide receivers for Week 6, his top survivor pool picks and more.

Producer Sean Sean Pfeiffer (@RotoRadarCEO) joins to discuss the slate and some big totals, plus don’t miss Rosenthal’s SuperContest picks of the week.

Time codes for the episode follow below. Listen and subscribe on Spotify here.


0:45 – ESPN’s Mike Clay joins the program and explains what you need to know about #ADOT.

3:55 – NFL data is evolving every year. What key metrics can we expect in the next 10 years?

9:21- Rosenthal and Clay discuss the strategy behind two point conversion attempts.

11:55 – Clay talks about who his favorite teams are according to his proprietary algorithm and shares the best odds of winning Week 6 Survivor Pools.

14:18 – Clay talks about his favorite teams to pull off an upset in Week 6: The Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts.

16:02 – Clay’s final thoughts on the scoring trends through Week 5. What does this mean for NFL defenses for the rest of the season?

18:31 – Clay talks about his favorite Wide Receivers of Week 6 and his new column on ESPN Plus. Where does Michael Crabtree rank?

20:05 – Cover City Producer Sean Pfeiffer (@RotoRadarCEO) joins the show to go game-by-game with Eric and cover his favorite bets of Week 6.

20:16 – L.A. Chargers -1 at Cleveland Browns — Will Rosenthal keep his pledge to not bet on the Chargers and Philip Rivers or is the Browns upset too tempting?

22:46 – Carolina Panthers +1 at Washington Redskins — Is the NFC East the worst division in the NFL? Rosenthal breaks down why this game is a winner for sports bettors.

24:41 – Indianapolis Colts +2.5 at N.Y. Jets — How do T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle’s absences impact the Colts this week?

26:31 – Jacksonville Jaguars -3 at Dallas Cowboys — Jags and Cowboys face off in what should be a low scoring game.

28:06 – Baltimore Ravens -2.5 at Tennessee Titans — Titans ranked 26th offense but Rosenthal doesn’t trust the Ravens.

29:32 – Arizona Cardinals +10 at Minnesota Vikings — Will the Vikes run away with this one?

30:45 – Houston Texans -10 vs. Buffalo Bills — Sean’s Texans are the favorites, and Rosenthal lays out his Vikings/Texans/Packers teaser.

32:41- San Francisco 49ers +9.5 at Green Bay Packers — The Pack are the heavy favorites and the ideal pick for Rosenthal’s trifecta.

34:42 – Kansas City Chief +3.5 at New England Patriots — With a total at 59.5, watch this game and enjoy it.

37:00 – Rosenthal’s SuperContest picks of the week! (CLE +1, CAR +1, HOU -9.5, IND +2.5, JAX -3)


Bonus! Check out this week’s episode of  The Pro Football Handle featuring Robert Walker And Matt Perrault:

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Listen to more Cover City: NFL Week 6 Picks, Preview And NFL Stats With ESPN’s Mike Clay on SportsHandle.

Lookahead Lines: Ravens Become Bigger Favorites Over Browns On Road

The post Lookahead Lines: Ravens Become Bigger Favorites Over Browns On Road appeared first on SportsHandle.

Every week, Sports Handle will look at NFL “lookahead lines,” to see how current lines are moving in comparison and why. Lookahead lines are those posted one week prior to a game or even before the season has begun, as CG Technology does.

By comparing changes between current lines and the numbers hung days earlier, we can get a sense of where recency bias or overreactions are seeping in.

We’ll highlight the significant shifts, look for value and suggest when it’s a good idea to get behind or stay away from certain teams. Here’s a look at the Week NFL 5 line moves and what it means to bettors. (Note: odds indicated based on current numbers at several Las Vegas sportsbooks.)

 

Read more Lookahead Lines: Ravens Become Bigger Favorites Over Browns On Road on SportsHandle.

Two More PA Sports Betting Petitions Filed; Hearings, Vote on Others Set Next Week

The state’s Gaming Control Board said Friday that it received two more applications from casinos for Pennsylvania sports betting licenses, bringing the total number to five. According to the PGCB, Donnelly Law, which represents the Sugarhouse Casino in Philadelphia and the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, filed petitions for licenses. Earlier this week, the Harrah’s filed a petition for a sports betting license for its facility in suburban Philadelphia.

The PGCB also confirmed that it will hold hearings and consider sports betting petitions for the Parx Casino and the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course at its monthly meeting on Wednesday.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 31. Whether or not any of the additional licensing petitions will be on the late October agenda has not been confirmed. The Parx Casino applied for a license for use at two locations — its Bensalem location and the Philadelphia Turf Club.

Read more Two More PA Sports Betting Petitions Filed; Hearings, Vote on Others Set Next Week on SportsHandle.

PGCB Agenda Likely to Include Two Sports Betting Applications

The post PGCB Agenda Likely to Include Two Sports Betting Applications appeared first on SportsHandle.

Two Pennsylvania casinos are poised to become the first to get approval for sports betting when the state’s Gaming Control Board meets on Oct. 3. The Hollywood Casino, owned by Penn National and operated by Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing LLC, and the Parx Casino, owned by Greenwood Racing, were the first to apply for sports betting licenses in Pennsylvania when they did so in August.

According to the PGCB’s Director of Communications, Doug Harbach, “it is highly likely that sports wagering petitions from both Penn National and Parx casinos will be up for consideration by the Board at its October 3rd meeting.” If the petitions are on the agenda, hearings will be held at the front end of the meeting.

Pennsylvania has 13 sports betting licenses available, one for each of the 13 casinos operating in the state. To date, 11 remain available, and the state will not auction off any that are not claimed. Pennsylvania approved sports betting nearly a year ago, but the state has not moved as swiftly as others to bring sports betting to market. The PGCB released its temporary regulations in August. The state’s legislature imposed a 36 percent tax (34 percent state and 2 percent local) on operators’ sports betting revenue and a $10 million application fee. Both are significantly higher than any other state that has legal sports betting. As examples, West Virginia has a 10 percent tax rate, New Jersey 8.5 percent and Nevada 6.75 percent.

MS Sportsbooks Take in $6.2M in Handle In August And Much Bigger Numbers Ahead

The post MS Sportsbooks Take in $6.2M in Handle In August And Much Bigger Numbers Ahead appeared first on SportsHandle.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission on Thursday released its official report for the first full month of sports betting, and the state took in $6,269,629 in handle with gross taxable revenue of $644,489. The handle includes futures bets made, while the taxable revenue does not include futures bets, many of which are not yet decided.

Mississippi’s coastal casinos, which include sportsbooks from Bay St. Louis to the Biloxi area, took in the most amount of bets, with $4,363,799, while the most bets were made on baseball, followed by football and parlay cards. The report runs from Aug. 1-31, and does not include the figures through Labor Day weekend.

In terms of breakdown, Mississippi sportsbooks took $3,004,579 bets on baseball, $1,328,578 on football and $1,314,315 on sports parlay cards. There were also about $100,000 worth of basketball bets made. Expect football to be king in September – when you add in the first weekend of college football games, the handle was $9.8 million through Sept. 3, which means state sportsbooks took in about $3.5 million in bets over the Labor Day weekend.

Read more MS Sportsbooks Take in $6.2M in Handle In August And Much Bigger Numbers Ahead on SportsHandle.

Examining The FanDuel Sportsbook Ticketing Snafu Through The Eyes of Nevada

The post Examining The FanDuel Sportsbook Ticketing Snafu Through The Eyes of Nevada appeared first on SportsHandle.

Sports bettors in emerging markets are continuing to discover some of the vagaries of sporting wagering. Among them are situations when an “accepted” bet may not always be a bet, and what happens to a “wins/losses” totals bet if a team ends up with a postponed game that’s not rescheduled.

FanDuel Sportsbook, operating at The Meadowlands Racetrack, has refused to honor a $110 live betting ticket on the Broncos to defeat the Raiders on Sunday — a wager that would have paid more than $82,000. The company says the extremely large odds on the bet were caused by an error in the oddsmaking process. “The wager in question involved an obvious pricing error inadvertently generated by our in-game pricing system,” a FanDuel spokesperson said in a statement. 

The bettor, who identified himself to News 12 New Jersey as Anthony Prince, made his wager over the counter at the sportsbook at the Meadowlands with Denver trailing the Raiders 19-17 late in the fourth quarter. The Broncos then arrived comfortably in field goal range, especially given the high altitude in Denver, when Broncos QB Case Keenum completed a pass down to Oakland 18-yard line. However, as FanDuel updated the live betting odds to reflect Denver as a -600 favorite the company says an error in the live-odds feed caused the Broncos to be posted as 750-1 (+75,000) underdogs to win the game. 

 

Read more Examining The FanDuel Sportsbook Ticketing Snafu Through The Eyes of Nevada on SportsHandle.

William Hill Becomes ‘Official Partner’ of Vegas Golden Knights, First Deal of Its Kind

The post William Hill Becomes ‘Official Partner’ of Vegas Golden Knights, First Deal of Its Kind appeared first on SportsHandle.

The Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday notched yet another “first.”

In 2017 the Golden Knights became the first of the four major professional U.S. sports leagues to officially make Las Vegas their home and in June, it became the NHL’s first expansion team since 1968 to reach the Stanley Cup Finals (in vastly different circumstances), ultimately falling to the Washington Capitals 4-1.

This newest first involves the newest NHL franchise joining with bookmaker William Hill US — in a “landmark, multi-year partnership” the first-ever between a professional U.S. sports team and a sportsbook.

Read more William Hill Becomes ‘Official Partner’ of Vegas Golden Knights, First Deal of Its Kind on SportsHandle.