Tag: BetFTW

2023 World Cup Betting Breakdown Group C: Spain looks to pose major threat

Spain and Zambia are two teams to keep a close eye on in Group C.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is about to kick off, and Group C features Spain as its betting favorite.

Spain’s national women’s team enters this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup with recent controversy affecting its roster. However, the team still has a clear path to advance to the knockout stage after doing the same in 2019.

They’ll be joined by Japan, Costa Rica and first-time contenders Zambia, who will all have a chance to join probable favorites Spain in advancing to the next round.

It remains to be seen how much Spain will be affected by the recent rift between select players and coach Jorge Vilda. However, they’ll enter this year’s World Cup with great odds to advance for further competition.

Why Kobayashi no longer competes in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Kobayashi hasn’t competed in the annual Fourth of July contest since 2009.

NOTE: This post is from 2022.

Once a staple of the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest — from his record-setting debut in 2001 until his final competition over a decade ago —  Takeru Kobayashi has since faded from the consciousness of fans of the event (or people who watch because what else is on TV?).

It’s easy to assume that someone who has held over a dozen competitive eating records and once won the Nathan’s contest six consecutive times simply got tired of shoving damp buns and franks down his throat and that’s why he hasn’t participated for so long. But his absence from the contest since 2010 is actually a lot deeper.

According to a New York Times report, Kobayashi had a dispute with Major League Eating (MLE), the sanctioning body of the Nathan’s Famous contest and others, over the exclusivity of its contracts. They reportedly restricted MLE signees from earning money outside of MLE and competing in non-MLE events, and gave MLE “exclusive representative” rights to negotiate revenue opportunities — of which it would earn 20% — on behalf of its performers.

Kobayashi’s refusal to sign the contract in 2010 resulted in his not being able to participate in MLE contests, including the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July contest.

That didn’t stop him from showing up as a spectator in 2010, but that’s when things really got real. Apparently spurred by chants from those in attendance, Kobayashi jumped on stage, hoping officials would allow him to compete. Instead he was arrested, never to take a Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest stage again.

So there you have it. That’s why you haven’t seen or heard from Kobayashi for so long and probably shouldn’t expect to see him this Fourth of July. But hey, at least there’s still current world record holder Joey Chestnut to look forward to making you gag.

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3 bets to make on Game 3 of the NBA Finals, including another dynamite Bam Adebayo performance

Expect Adebayo to light it up yet again in South Beach.

Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals fell more or less in line with the incredible story of the Miami Heat’s entire postseason. After taking an initial punch, Miami entered Denver, shut things down in the fourth quarter, and handed the Western Conference champs their first home loss of the playoffs.

In a stunner for the Nuggets, they were forced to pick up the pieces and wonder where matters went awry. But it would be silly to envision them falling apart now. In the expected outcome for the Heat — because they truly believe they’re never out of a game — they’ve got their focus squarely on three more wins.

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The journey to a championship for both squads continues tonight as the series shifts to Miami for Games 3 and 4 (on Friday). And while these Finals are proving to be unpredictable (in the best way), here are a few bets you can count on for Wednesday.

All odds courtesy of DraftKings.

Aaron Rodgers will lose his greatest NFL advantage when he leaves the Packers

The grass (or turf) on the other side isn’t always greener.

Aaron Rodgers is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. There’s no way around it. Whether he calls it quits next offseason or five years from now, his status is cemented.

He’s also had the extreme fortune of playing every home game the last 18 years at one of the most storied stadiums in league history, Lambeau Field.

That’s going to change in 2023.

Rodgers was reportedly traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets on Monday, which would make MetLife Stadium his new home.

Fans everywhere were pumped, but his career record away from Lambeau doesn’t paint a pretty picture of how that might go.

Rodgers has an 91-23-1 career record in homes games and just a 59-56 record on the road. That translated against the spread too, where he’s 73-42-4 at home.

Bettors absolutely ate picking Rodgers to cover at Lambeau.

Once he leaves, that advantage could be gone.

That’s not to say Lambeau Field made Rodgers a great player. He’s a big reason the Packers were so good at home. But the sample size is more than big enough to say homefield played a role in his success too. Even in the playoffs, Rodgers is 5-4 at home vs. 5-6 on the road.

His career numbers across the board drop away from Lambeau.

Sure, you could blame his teammates for why the Packers were so much worse on the road, but even the advantage his supporting cast got at Lambeau won’t be nearly as huge at MetLife. Especially when you consider Rodgers’ potential declining state at age 39 and a much tougher division that includes the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots.

The best place for Rodgers to be late in his career, if not a dome, was the place he was already at. The grass (or terrible turf) on the other side won’t be nearly as green.

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4 incredible radio calls of SDSU’s Lamont Butler Final Four buzzer-beater

“The Butler did it!”

Lamont Butler hit the shot of his life right at the buzzer in the first men’s Final Four game Saturday night.

The San Diego State guard was patient — though he almost stepped out of bounds — and his shot was perfect. It fell right at the buzzer and lifted his No. 5-seeded team to a 72-71 victory over No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic. It also ensured SDSU advanced to Monday’s national championship game, which is a first for this program.

While the shot stunned everyone from SDSU fans to Padres fans at Petco Park and even Miami players who were waiting to take on UConn in the second Final Four game, the radio calls of this moment were extra special.

Listen to how the Final Four game’s last seconds were called by four different radio broadcasters, including the calls from each school’s respective crews.

“The Butler did it!”

Luckily for Florida Atlantic radio broadcaster Ken LaVicka, it seems like he avoided the heart-stopping technical difficulties he experienced while calling the Owls’ Elite Eight victory last weekend.

What is a NRFI, YRFI and NRSI? Understanding MLB’s most exciting bets

More baseball acronyms. What does it all mean!?

If you’ve been anywhere close to MLB fans and bettors on social media, odds are you’ve come across three terms that get repeated ad nauseam.

Well, aside from “[Expletive] Rob Manfred“.

The NRFI, YRFI and NRSI have completely changed the way bettors watch baseball. But to those who aren’t familiar with the terms—or how to place wagers on them—things can seem a bit confusing.

Not to worry! We’re here to help!

Let’s run through three of the most popular MLB bets, how to place them and a few social media accounts who might be able to help you win some money along the way.

The Masters 2023: Is Tiger Woods playing this year?

The latest on Woods’ quest for a sixth green jacket

Every time a major golf tournament rolls around, the No. 1 question from fans is always the same:

Will Tiger Woods be in the field?

Never is that more true than when the calendar flips to April and the doors of Augusta National are opened wide to welcome the world’s best players to the Masters.

Masters Leaderboard: Live leaderboard, Schedule, Tee times

Play begins on Thursday, April 6 this year.

The last the public heard from Woods was during The Genesis Invitational — a tournament he hosts and played in this season — and after four rounds he sure sounded like someone who was ready to chase a sixth green jacket and tie the record held by Jack Nicklaus:

“Like I told you guys last year, I’m not going to play any more than probably the majors and maybe a couple more. That’s it, that’s all my body will allow me to do. My back the way it is, all the surgeries I had on my back, my leg the way it is, I just can’t. That’s just going to be my future.

“So my intent last year was to play in all four majors, I got three of the four. Hopefully this year I can get all four and maybe sprinkle in a few here and there. But that’s it for the rest of my career. I know that and I understand that. That’s just my reality.”

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Woods is still trying to manage the injuries he suffered in a 2021 car accident, which has considerably impacted his ability to play a more full schedule. Instead he’s focusing on the biggest tournaments and, when possible, some elevated events.

The 47-year-old made the cut at the 2022 Masters, stringing together rounds of 71-74-78-78 to finish 13-over-par and in 47th place.

A running list of all the U.S. professional sports stadiums with sportsbooks

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the latest team to get a sportsbook in their arena.

As more states continue to legalize sports betting, professional teams across every league continue to find ways to capitalize on the opportunity for new revenue created by the industry.

One way they’re doing that is by opening sportsbooks on or near the grounds of their home stadiums, hoping to make customers of the fans who wager on sports and potentially convert a few who don’t.

In May 2021, the opening of the William Hill Sportsbook at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. took another step in that direction as the first sportsbook to operate inside of an arena in the U.S. But while it was the first, it’s not the last. And there will be more to come.

Here’s a look at stadiums in the United States with a sportsbook or sportsbook lounge in or near them.

This list will be updated.

Audi Field (D.C. United)

FanDuel and D.C. United opened a sportsbook at Audi Field on July 8, 2022.

Citi Field (New York Mets)

The Mets and Caesars Entertainment announced a plan to open the Caesars Sportsbook at Metro Grille during the 2022 season.

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (Cleveland Cavaliers)

The Caesars Sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse opened in January 2023, just after sports betting became legal in Ohio.

United Center (Chicago Bulls & Blackhawks)

The announced FanDuel Sportsbook lounge at the United Center officially opened in October 2022.

State Farm Stadium (Arizona Cardinals)

The BetMGM Sportsbook at State Farm Stadium opened in September 2022 and became the first stadium with a sportsbook to host a Super Bowl later that season.

Nationals Park (Washington Nationals)

The BetMGM Sportsbook at Nationals Park opened in January 2022, becoming the first retail sportsbook connected to a Major League Baseball stadium.

BetFTW previously took a trip there to get a sense of the day-to-day operation.

Footprint Center (Phoenix Suns & Mercury)

In September 2021, the FanDuel Sportsbook lounge inside Footprint Center opened.

Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks)

A Caesars Sportsbook opened at the former Game 7 Grill space outside Chase Field in June 2022.

Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)

DraftKings announced a Sportsbook at Wrigley Field coming in 2023.

Caesars Sportsbook at Capital One Arena (Washington Wizards & Capitals)

William Hill, now a part of Caesars Entertainment, opened its sportsbook at Capital One Arena in May 2021, becoming the first sportsbook in a U.S. professional sports facility. 

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Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout playing in WBC Final had MLB fans referencing the same hilarious Angels meme

Whose Tungsten Arm O’Doyle curse is stronger?

For years with the Los Angeles Angels, Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout have dazzled as two of MLB’s brighter stars.

And yet, despite their combined individual brilliance, the Angels have often found a way to lose in some of the most comical ways. Baseball fans have pointed this irony out before, dubbing it the ole “Tungsten Arm O’Doyle” — named for two faces of the sport making never-before-seen history, but their team loses anyway.

With Ohtani and Trout on the same team, they’ve usually fallen in line together here. But now, after Ohtani’s Team Japan outlasted Team Mexico in an instant classic, he’ll square off against Mike Trout’s Team USA in the World Baseball Classic Final on Tuesday.

Oh, and Ohtani might pitch against Trout …

And you know what that means: something finally has to give with the Tungsten Arm O’Doyle meme.

Someone between Ohtani and Trout on the same field will actually get to win a championship after playing absurdly well. It’s kind of mind-blowing, and the reality had baseball fans all making the same reference.

Kevin Harlan’s call of Furman’s game-winning shot against Virginia is an instant classic

Kevin Harlan’s call of the Furman game winner against Virginia is INCREDIBLE.

Leave it to Kevin Harlan to give the perfect call for the game-winning shot of a March Madness upset.

As No. 13 seed Furman stunned No. 4 seed Virginia in the opening round of the South Region in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday, Harlan couldn’t help but toss out an instantly iconic call of Furman sophomore guard JP Pegues’ incredible 3-pointer.

On the crucial sequence, Furman got a last-second steal, and Pegues was in perfect position to knock down the trey that gave the Paladins a 68-67 win over the Cavaliers.

It’s the kind of bracket-busting upset game that instantly anoints a Cinderella, especially if the team can make it out of the round of 32 this weekend.

Harlan’s call will give you goosebumps.

You can hear the pivotal Furman shot called beautifully by Paladins radio, too.

Harlan also underscored the upset victory with the right amount of gravitas with Furman’s win coming on its first appearance in the NCAA tournament in 43 years.

Furman’s upset victory helped bettors hit the +5.5 spread, the 130.5 over and the +200 moneyline.

Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Pegues didn’t at all seem afraid in what was sure to be the biggest basketball moment of his career so far.

As for the Cavaliers, the loss highlights Virginia head coach Tony Bennett’s struggles in the tournament. Even though Bennett led the Cavs to an NCAA championship in 2019, his team hasn’t fared quite as well in other seasons.

His Virginia teams have especially struggled with underdogs as of late.

No matter what, Pegues’ game-winning bucket and Harlan’s incredible call will mark what will certainly be a “One Shining Moment” highlight this year.

The special moment also demolished most of the 2023 bracket predictions.