Tag: things to know

4 things to know about new Chiefs TE Ricky Seals-Jones

Get to know the Kansas City Chiefs’ newest offensive weapon.

The Kansas City Chiefs recently agreed to terms with tight end Ricky Seals-Jones on a one-year deal. Kansas City will be the third stop in the NFL for the 25-year-old athlete. Here’s a look at four things the Chiefs Kingdom should know about their newest player:

Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

Seals-Jones played receiver for the Texas A&M Aggies

Seals-Jones plays tight end in the NFL, but he was a five-star wide receiver recruit out of high school and played receiver for Texas A&M. In three seasons with the Aggies, Seals-Jones racked up 123 catches for nearly 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns. The best game of his career came against the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2015, where he caught six passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. It was the 100-yard receiving game of his college career.

At 6-5 and 243 pounds, Seals-Jones ran a 4.69 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine. This led teams in the NFL to view him as a move tight end as opposed to a receiver. He’s more of an athlete and size mismatch when lined up against a linebacker or safety than he is when playing outside against a cornerback.

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Betting 101: How to bet on the NBA for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around the NBA, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

Interested in betting on the NBA, but don’t know where to start? Below is everything you need to know about betting on the NBA, including key terms to know, odds and much more!

NBA betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • Single-game betting: The most common is betting on the final outcome of a single game. Bettors can either bet on which team will win outright or cover the point spread. Single-game bets are offered for every NBA game, whether it be during the regular season or the playoffs.
  • Futures Bets: Players can wager on events in the distant future, such as division winners, player and coach awards and the NBA Finals. Futures bets are becoming more popular as bettors can watch and root for their bet over the course of an entire season.
  • Live Betting: With the help of mobile apps and sports betting becoming legal in more and more states, players can bet instantly on the NBA, guessing which team will score the most points in a quarter, updated moneylines and point spreads.

NBA betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorite: The team expected to win the upcoming game. Favorites are usually expressed in the moneyline with a (-) sign, followed by a number. These odds can fluctuate from -105 to -1200 depending on the game location and opponent.
  • Underdog: The team expected to lose an upcoming game outright. Underdogs are usually expressed in the moneyline with a  (+) sign. These odds can fluctuate from anywhere from +105 to +1000 given the two teams.
  • Moneyline: The moneyline refers to a team’s odds to win the upcoming game outright. As mentioned above, favorites will be listed with a (-) sign and underdogs will have a (+) sign.
  • Spread: The spread refers to the number of points a favorite is expected to win by and the amount the underdog is expected to lose by in a given contest. The spread offers more value to players as the odds are typically the same or similar on each side. In NBA contests, favorites could be anywhere from -1 to -21 point favorites, meaning they would need to win by at least 2 or 22 points in order to cover the bet.
  • Over/Under: This refers to the total amount of points that will be scored in a given contest. Often times, this number will bet set with a half-point, in order to avoid a push.
  • Push: Every once in a while, the spread or the point total will land exactly on the number set by the sportsbook. In this case, all bets will be refunded to bettors on either side.
  • Chalk: This is a term meaning a favorite is too risky to bet on due to such a small payout. In the NBA, a chalky favorite would typically carry odds of -250 or lower.
  • Parlay: This is when two or more bets are combined into one single bet with higher odds. All outcomes need to be considered “won” in order for the entire parlay bet to cash.

NBA betting: How do odds work?

Most bets are displayed via a single number. An example of this would be a moneyline favorite of -200, where a $200 wager would return a profit of $100. An underdog of +300 would return a profit of $300 for every $100 wagered.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Marcus_Mosher on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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4 things to know about new Chiefs QB Jordan Ta’amu

Get to know the newest member of the Kansas City Chiefs, QB Jordan Ta’amu.

The Kansas City Chiefs recently agreed to terms with XFL standout QB Jordan Ta’amu on a one-year deal. After proving himself through five games with the St. Louis BattleHawks, Ta’amu is getting a shot in the NFL with the Super Bowl champs. Here’s a look at four things the Chiefs Kingdom should know about their newest player:

Photo by Michael B. Thomas /Getty Images

Ta’amu is from Pearl City, Hawaii but is of Samoan descent

Ta’amu grew up in Pearl City, which is on the Island of Oahu. One thing that impacted Ta’amu during his upbringing was the friendliness and family feel of island-life. It influenced his decision when he chose to transfer to Ole Miss. The Chiefs Kingdom will likely have that same feel for him once he arrives in Kansas City.

In his early days at Oxford, Mississippi he earned the nickname the “Flyin’ Hawaiian.” Later he opted for a nickname previously held by former Bengals and Bucs QB Jack Thompson because Ta’amu is actually of Samoan descent.

So if you’re looking for a nickname for Ta’amu, stick with the “Throwin Samoan.”

Ta’amu is friends with another Samoan quarterback from Hawaii who is currently preparing for the 2020 NFL draft — Alabama’s Tua Tagavailoa. The two players grew up training together in Hawaii and remain good friends to this day.

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Betting 101: How to bet on the CFL for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around the CFL, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

The CFL has long offered hardcore football fans and sports bettors a summertime alternative north of the border, well before the days of the AAF and XFL. Below, we’ll look at the best ways to bet on the CFL, along with definitions of key betting terms and a breakdown of the betting odds.

CFL betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • Single-game betting: Get action on a game you’re attending or watching from home, or any other game on the weekly CFL schedule. Back an outright winner on the moneyline or against the spread, or bet on the point total. All three are almost always two-way bets with two possible outcomes.
  • Futures betting: Prior to the start of the CFL season or any point between Week 1 and the Grey Cup, bet on who will win the championship game or finish the regular season atop either the East or West Divisions. All nine teams are assigned odds based on their perceived chances of winning the Grey Cup. Odds generally range from +300 (3-to-1) to +1500 (15-to-1) before the season.
  • Props: While they aren’t offered in the same abundance as in the NFL or other major sports, CFL props exist for things ranging from team win totals to player statistics, either for the season as a whole or for individual games.
  • Live betting: The CFL is prone to some of the biggest swings in pro sports with few leads ever being declared insurmountable. Back a pre-game favorite to pull off a second-half comeback at vastly inflated odds if they go down a few scores early.

CFL betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorite: Any team with negative odds for an outright or against-the-spread victory. Things like season record, home-field advantage and injuries factor into these odds.
  • Underdog: Any team offering plus money to win the game or cover the spread. Odds can rise to as high as around +500 for a regular-season game, with big underdogs almost always being worthy of at least a small wager in the CFL.
  • Moneyline: The odds for either team to win a game outright (or straight up). As noted above, odds can range from around -500 to +500 with rare lopsided matchups extending those lines in either direction. The moneyline will typically include overtime, but some alternate lines will limit the wager to regulation.
  • Spread: The spread is a much better way to get action on lopsided matchups which don’t offer adequate value on the moneyline. Favorites can lay between -1.5 to -20.5 (or more) points, meaning they’d need to win by at least 2 or at least 21 points, respectively, for those bets to cash. If the underdog stays within 1 or 20 points in a loss or wins outright each scenario, the bet would cash.
  • Total or Over/Under: How many points will the two teams combine to score? Lines can also be released for each quarter or half. Similarly to the spread, lines are almost always set with a half-point, rather than a whole number, to set up a two-way bet with one winner and one loser.
  • Push: Occasionally, betting action by the public will be so evenly split the books set a spread or Over/Under at an integer number. This leaves open the possibility of the winning margin or point total landing on the exact line. All bets will then be refunded in full in that case.
  • Chalk: A term for a significant favorite with the risk of the bet not being worth the small reward. A team favored by -500 odds would be a chalk play, with a $10 bet returning a profit of just $2.
  • Parlay: Combine two bet types from the same game or two or more bets from any game on a given week’s schedule. It’s a good way to combine all the favorites at more profitable odds, but the more bets included in the parlay, the higher the risk, as all bets need to be right for the ticket to cash.

CFL betting: How do odds work?

As noted above, a -500 moneyline favorite would return a profit of just $2 on a $10 bet, while a +500 underdog would fetch a profit of $50.

In-game odds for live bets can swing rapidly depending on things such as the score of the game, how much time remains in the game, which team has the ball or a notable injury. It’s important to be following along with the game when looking to place a live bet.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Betting 101: How to bet on golf for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around golf, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

Golf betting can be one of the more profitable ventures of the major sports, with upward of 150 golfers teeing it up each week. The larger fields provide odds considerably longer than what are seen in any other sport. Golf fans also have a variety of options from which to choose — the PGA Tour, European Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and LPGA. Below, we look at the best ways to bet on golf, along with definitions of key terms and an explanation of the odds.

Golf betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • Outright: Picking a winner from a field of 120-155 golfers isn’t quite as daunting as it seems. The Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings are an effective measure to compare different golfers, as are course history and statistics. Odds can range from +800 (8-to-1) to +30000 (300-to-1), though winners generally come from the +2000 to +10000 range.
  • Placing: Not as profitable as outright wins, but bettors can instead back multiple golfers to finish in the top 5, top 10, or even top 20 in order to ensure at least a moderate profit each week. These bets are best for long shots, as the outright odds for each golfer will decline according to the wider the range of their finishing position.
  • Matchup: Golfers from a similar world ranking or geographical region — or who share a tee time — are put in head-to-head or three-ball matchups, with the winner the golfer who posts the lower round or tournament score. Odds typically range from -150 to +150.
  • Groups: World rankings, notoriety or nationality can place golfers in groups of six to 10 for the lowest four-round tournament score. Odds can range from +100 to more than +2000 depending on the number of golfers included in the group and their world ranking.
  • Round betting: Instead of backing golfers for a full 72 holes, look for 18-hole leaders or placings at the end of the first, second or third rounds. First-round leader odds can be higher than the tournament odds for the favorites while dropping slightly for the long shots.
  • Live betting: Jump in on outright odds at any point after the first tee shot. Odds will be adjusted based on the current leaderboard and the positioning of the pre-tournament favorites. It’s often best to hope a favorite starts poorly relative to the rest of the field and back them once the odds spike.
  • Props: Generally the least profitable and predictable of the odds in golf; bettors can bet on whether a hole-in-one will be made, or the winner’s final score, for example.
  • Futures: Continuously scouting the futures odds for the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, Open Championship or the Ryder Cup can offer great value. Look for changes among the world’s top-ranked values and back them to win a major following a poor stretch of results in regular tournament play.

Golf betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorites: Typically based on world ranking, but others with strong course history or on a hot stretch of recent top finishes can be viewed as a tournament favorite with odds lower than +2000. Be wary of low-ranked golfers with lower odds than they’d normally possess.
  • Long shots: Priced at +5000 or higher, golfers who generally haven’t won much or have poor history on a particular course. Value exists when spotting a top-ranked golfer who has slipped into this range in a particularly strong field.
  • Chalk: Referring to a heavy favorite priced at +1000 or higher. These golfers are never worth a bet as a broad rule, as the return simply isn’t worth the risk. Be cautious of a heavy favorite in an otherwise weak field.
  • Parlay: Just like grouping bets from multiple different games in other sports, bettors can back outright winners from different pro tours. It’s a good way to get value on the heavy favorites from both the PGA Tour and LPGA in the same week.

Golf betting: How do odds work?

As noted above, outright odds in a typical tournament can range from +800 to +30000, depending on how many golfers are in a field and the overall strength of a field. These odds mean a $10 bet can return a profit anywhere from $80 to $3,000.

Several golfers should be backed each week as an outright winner, with a larger portion of your bankroll being devoted to placing, matchup or group bets in order to ensure at least a small return on your weekly investment. There’s nothing worse than having your sneaky long shot finish second or third and not getting anything for it.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Betting 101: How to bet on college basketball for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around college basketball, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

We lost the 2020 NCAA Tournament, unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. It was a tough way for a great and wide-open season of college basketball to wrap up. A lot of people tend to play the brackets or bet on NCAA Tournament games, but they do not take the time to research and study during the regular season. We’ll help you get prepared for the 2020-21 college basketball season so you can build your bankroll. Some beginners aren’t familiar with the basic workings of wagering. We’ll hit all of that below.

College Basketball betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

Whether you’re a beginner, an intermediate bettor or you’ve been wagering your whole life, when you bet college hoops, it’s all about limits. The best rule of thumb for better success is to select just a few conferences on which to focus. If you try to bet all 353 Division I teams, the only thing guarantee guaranteed is that you will lose. That’s too much, even for the pro cappers.

For beginners, focus on one or two conferences, intermediate bettors can handle up to three, and the long-term guys can expand their focus to four or five conferences. Know them inside and out, study the injury reports each week and follow trends and statistics closely. Long-term players might also want to keep a spreadsheet with results and trends, and try and develop a statistical system.

College Basketball betting: Key betting terms to know

Most college hoops bettors wager on the spread. You either take Team A or Team B to win with a point spread. You can also bet the moneyline, which is simply taking one team or the other to win outright, regardless of the margin. In addition, you can bet the Over/Under on the total number of points in a game.

If you choose to bet a parlay, you bet two or more different things, and each bet needs to win for you to cash a winning ticket. Generally, the odds are much better with the more bets you include in a parlay, but the risk rises with each addition to the ticket.

College Basketball betting: How do odds work?

Let’s say Michigan is favored by 7 1/2 points over Indiana with a total of 129 points. If you bet the favorite, you need Michigan to win by at least 8 points to cash. If you bet the underdog, you need Indiana to stay within 7 points in a loss, or win outright.

If you were to bet the Over, you would need a total of 130 or more points for a winning ticket. If you bet the Under, you would need 128 or fewer points for your bet to cash.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Betting 101: How to bet on the MLB for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around the MLB, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

In the single-game framework, baseball is the most unpredictable of the four American major professional sports. It’s also the most frequently played, with each MLB team playing generally 27 times per month for a six-month period from April to September. For the bettor, high frequency and unpredictability make for a great deal of excitement, whether betting a single-game outcome or season results. Below, we take a look at definitions of key sports betting terms and how odds work in the many ways to get a piece of MLB betting action.

MLB betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • Single-game betting: Individual games are broken down into a moneyline, run line, or Over/Under. Bettors can back one of two sides of each line.
  • Live betting: Get action while the game is underway with lines adjusting almost constantly based on which team is winning or dominating play. In-game injuries and big early leads can drastically affect the lines and odds.
  • Alternate lines: When looking to bet on a game, it’s always wise to look at all of the available options on the alternate lines. These can offer either a greater profit margin or a higher probability of winning the bet.
  • Futures betting: Place bets in the offseason or at any point within a season by backing a team to win the World Series or the AL/NL pennant or their league, or to win a certain number of games. Player awards such as the league MVP or Cy Young Award are also available as futures. Odds are adjusted throughout the year based on team or player performance.
  • Prop bets: Get single-game action on in-game events, like total runs plus hits plus errors in a given inning, a yes/no on the game going into extra innings, or game firsts (strikeout, hit, home run, etc. …)

MLB betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorite: The team the market identifies as the most likely winner. Starting pitchers often play a role, here.
  • Underdog: Conversely, underdogs or dogs, are the team the market tags as most likely to lose.
  • Moneyline: The most common bet type – simply pick one side or the other to win the game. Moneylines typically look for a team to win a game, but five-inning and other lines can be found, each changing the end-point of the wager and the calculus of the odds.
  • Run line: The favorite is tagged with the stipulation of winning by a margin of -1.5 runs. With roughly a third of all MLB games decided by a single run, this wager type changes the odds – sometimes flipping a moneyline favorite to a run line underdog.
  • Total or Over/Under: A line set for how many combined runs will be scored in the game by the two teams. Can be a full game or a five-inning total for a single game or a component of a prop bet (example: Over/Under 17 total strikeouts in a game).
  • Push: A wager not won by either side. MLB games can’t end in a tie, but bets sometimes can (the Over/Under is the most common push in baseball betting).
  • Chalk: Referring to odds on heavy favorites. The odds are generally so low as to not be worth betting as the profit margin is too small to warrant the small risk.
  • Parlay: Combining two or more bet types from the same game or across multiple-game offerings. It increases the total odds, but they’re extremely risky as all plays need to be correct for a bet to win. The more bets included, the higher the payout, but the higher the risk.
  • Teaser: Buy or sell some runs on a run line or a total bet in order to get better odds or increase your chance of winning with lower odds.

MLB betting: How do odds work?

Baseball odds on the moneyline generally range from -250 to +250, but one of the lures of MLB betting is the preponderance of plays in the -175 to +175 range. The more even margins typically mean less of a takeout on the sportsbook end. A $10 bet at -150 would return a profit of $6.67 on a win. A $10 bet at +150 would return a profit of $15 on an upset win.

All bets are paid out shortly after a game finishes, with those funds being allowed to be placed on new bets or be withdrawn from the sportsbook.

First-time MLB bettors should note how expected pitchers (starting and otherwise) for a game can drastically change what the normal team-vs.-team odds would be in a vacuum. Recent trends, matchup histories, variable strengths and weaknesses based on pitcher handedness and venue, and injuries all play into how a game is priced. Finding small market inefficiencies can be profitable when plotted against a daily slate of 10 to 15 games each day.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Betting 101: How to bet on the NHL for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around the NHL, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

Hockey is one of the most unpredictable of the major professional sports, and as such, betting on the NHL can add excitement to a game or a season. Below, we take a look at definitions of key sports betting terms and how odds work in the many ways to get a piece of NHL betting action.

NHL betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • Single-game betting: Individual games are broken down into a moneyline, against the spread or Over/Under, where bettors back one of two sides of a line.
  • Live betting: Get action while the game is underway with lines adjusting almost constantly based on which team is winning or dominating play. In-game injuries, particularly to a starting goaltender, can also drastically affect the lines and odds.
  • Alternate lines: When looking to bet on a game, it’s always wise to look at all of the available options on the alternate lines. These can offer either a greater profit margin or a higher probability of winning the bet.
  • Futures betting: Place bets in the offseason or at any point within a season by backing a team to win the Stanley Cup or their division or conference, or to win a certain amount of games. Player awards such as the Hart Trophy (MVP) or Vezina Trophy (top goaltender) are also available as futures. Odds are generally at their highest at the beginning of a season, and they’ll be adjusted throughout the year based on team or player performance.
  • Prop bets: Get single-game action on players by betting stars to score or not, or to record a certain number of a specified stat such as shots, hits or saves.

NHL betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorite: Generally the home team or the team with the better season record. Starting goalies and current injuries also weigh-in.
  • Underdog: Conversely, underdogs or dogs, will generally be the visitor or the team with the worse record.
  • Moneyline: The most common bet type, simply pick one side or the other to win the game. Moneylines typically look for a team to win the game at any point, but alternate lines are available to specify one side winning in regulation vs. in overtime or a shootout.
  • Spread/puck line: Get better value on favorites by backing them to win by two or more goals on a line of -1.5, or get some insurance on the underdogs by betting them to cover a line of +1.5 and either lose by one goal or win the game straight up.
  • Total or Over/Under: A line set for how many combined goals will be scored in the game by the two teams. Can be limited to regulation time or include a winning goal from overtime and a potential shootout.
  • Push: In some rare cases, totals or puck lines are set at an even number. The bet will be refunded if exactly that amount of goals are scored or if the line is covered by the exact number of goals.
  • Chalk: Referring to odds on heavy favorites. The odds are generally so low as to not be worth betting as the profit margin is too small to warrant the small risk.
  • Parlay: Combining two or more bet types from the same game or across multiple game offerings. It increases the total odds, but they’re extremely risky as all plays need to be correct for a bet to win. The more bets included, the higher the payout, but the higher the risk.
  • Teaser: Buy or sell some goals on a puck line or a total bet in order to get better odds or increase your chance of winning with lower odds.

NHL betting: How do odds work?

Hockey odds on the moneyline generally range from -250 to +250, but can extend in either direction in lopsided matchups. The -250 would represent a fairly heavy favorite and borders on a chalky play. A $10 bet would return a profit of just $4. A $10 bet at +250 on an underdog fetches a plus-money profit of $25 if they pull off the upset.

Even-money refers to odds of +100, where a $10 bet fetches a profit of $10. These lines are more frequently seen on puck lines or totals. The lower the odds, the more likely the result and the smaller the profit margin. Futures odds are typically at their most profitable before a season starts, but the odds can rise for a preseason favorite if it gets off to a slow start. It’s good to note preseason odds and track them as the season goes on.

All bets are paid out shortly after a game finishes, with those funds being allowed to be placed on new bets or be withdrawn from the sportsbook.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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