Analysis. History. Perspective.

Sports Then and Now



A New Chapter in US Sports Betting History? 3

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Stephen Benton

betting-LVGambling has been in a very ambiguous situation in the United States for years, even with the changes that took place in the last decade. There are states where all forms of gambling – even online gambling at Wild Jack Casino – is legal and regulated, and there are others where not even lotteries are permitted. Sports betting, for example, has been under a federal ban all over in the US (with the exception of Nevada) for more than two decades thanks to the piece of legislation called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, that effectively outlawed it to protect the integrity of the sport. But times have changed, and society changed with them – betting has become an “acceptable” pastime today in most parts of the world. And some states want to legalize and regulate it – New Jersey has even taken its case to the Supreme Court, calling the PASPA unconstitutional and demanding its repeal.

At the same time, two of the three biggest sports leagues in the United States have also changed their stance on legal sports betting. The NFL is holding its ground the longest – it is still against betting on its games, but its tone has softened a bit this year, suggesting that it will probably “accept its fate” if the federal law banning sports betting is finally repealed. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred was reserved about the business last summer, stating that his league would prefer to have a say in how the business is implemented and regulated if the PASPA is repealed. It might already be a bit late for that – if the law is repealed, states will have the right to decide for themselves how to handle the matter – but this is a bridge they’ll cross when they get to it. Read the rest of this entry →

Is It Legal For Fighters To Bet On The UFC? 1

Posted on October 16, 2017 by James Andrews

UFC 184: Rousey v ZinganoBetting is a common sport across the world. There is something fascinating, compelling and even berating about predicting the right outcome and generating yourself a few dollars in the process.

The more popular the sport the easier it will be to find the right bet. Sports like UFC have become incredibly popular thanks to high profile athletes like Ronda Rousey. Once you start looking into UFC you will realize that there are approximately ten fights every weekend across the different weight bands. This means there is always something to bet on.

Every fight can end in a submission, decision or a straightforward knockout; increasing the options for you when placing your bet.

In fact, to improve your chances and reduce the effect on your wallet you may find it a good idea to start by doing a little UFC free betting.

Free betting means you get to place a bet without having to put any money down! All you actually need to do is create an account with the betting agency and use the free funds they give you to place your first bet or bets! Read the rest of this entry →

How Betting Lines Work In Sports Betting 1

Posted on September 19, 2017 by Jaxon Pescott

sports bettingFor beginning sports gamblers, betting line can be confusing to understand. Unlike point spreads, which are concerned with who wins and by how much, a moneyline is solely dependent upon who wins. Moneylines are used most commonly in low-scoring games like baseball or hockey, but they may also be used in boxing and other sports.

Here is a guide on how actually betting lines works in Sports Betting.

1. What is Betting Line?

Before we start with how betting lines works, it is more important to understand what actually betting line is? Betting line is a not as complex as people think but still it throws the average person off and deters them from wanting to learn more about sports gambling. Betting lines are wagers that are made against the line. Line, is a number assigned by the bookmakers which handicaps one team and favors another when two teams play each other and one is perceived as being more likely to win.

For example, if the bookmaker believes Team A is a 10-point better team than Team B, the bookmaker can handicap Team A 10 points. The line bet becomes Team A to win by more than 10pts or Team B to get within 10 points. Both outcomes should be of equal odds roughly $1.90. Read the rest of this entry →

How To Make Money From Your Sporting Obsession 22

Posted on August 14, 2017 by John Harris

Sport Hockey Fan Team Ice HockeyNot many of us have the good fortune to play sports for a living. If we did, we would soon be on the way to making a fortune. However, while we may need to be content with the meager salary we get from our ‘normal’ jobs, there are still ways to make money from our sporting obsession.

Here are a few (sporting) tips to get you going, and you won’t need to break any sweat in the process.

Sports betting

An easy, though risky way to make money from sports, is to take part in sports betting. From horse racing to EPL betting, signing up to a site like Unibet and spending a little bit of money on the bet can net you a sizeable return if your luck is in. Of course, you can just as easily lose money, and for many people, betting can lead to a gambling addiction. However, if you limit yourself each month, you may just score your bank balance a winning goal.

Sell sporting memorabilia

You have probably amassed quite a bit of memorabilia yourself over the years, and amongst the tat, you have no doubt built up, there may be something that is worth a lot of money. Of course, true sports obsessives will buy anything associated with their favorite team or sport, so you may be able to sell anything in your collection. Letting go of it, of course, is another matter, but if you want to make money, this is a viable way to do it. Take a look at sites such as Amazon and eBay and price up your items.

If you know your stuff about your chosen sport, you may even find something of value online or at a car boot sale, giving you the means to sell it for a profit. Be aware that there are a lot of forgeries out there, however, so be wary of sellers looking to flog signed items, for example. Read the rest of this entry →

Online Gambling as a Great Sponsorship Opportunity 15

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Rik Snuiverink

Make no mistake about it … online gambling and bingo have become huge business. Billions of dollars in revenue is now being generated online, and it’s not just with basic apps that rely on advertising; it’s in direct wagers and betting from players. There’s a massive market for companies and merchants to tap into, as long as you hit the right market.

NASCAR-1

Knowing the Market

Anyone worth their weight understands how important it is to know the market. A football league isn’t going to be targeting a general audience who has no interest in this or other sports.

The online gambling world is massive and it draws in a wide range of people from all walks of life and from around the world and that can make it seem as though marketing to such a wide audience would be difficult, but think about this: they love games, they love competition, and they’re a captive audience. What’s not to love about that?

Sponsorship Deals

When you have a sports league, like football (soccer to those fans across the pond), you drive business by sponsorship deals. When you have the name of your league, team, or even a favorite player front and centre, it gets people thinking about that sporting event.

Nothing really goes together better than sports and online gaming and bingo. That’s because many of the people who love these online games also have a thrill for either watching and cheering on a favorite team or placing some well thought out wagers on an upcoming game.

Sky Bingo is one of those online gaming sites that draws in thousands of fans every day. These men and women are riveted to their computer screen, tablet, or even their smartphones while engaged in some heated bingo. They wait almost impatiently for the next number to be called, checking their cards, and waiting for that precious word ‘bingo’ to be highlighted on the screen.

But a person isn’t going to just be staring at the numbers … they’re going to be looking around that screen and that’s where these sponsorship/advertising opportunities are so powerful. Read the rest of this entry →

Understanding Point Spreads In Sport Betting 5

Posted on March 19, 2017 by Christina Sommers

betting-3Sports betting is an art to predict the outcome of a game or competition.  It seems to be as simple as winning the bet by intuition; however, it is not always clear for everyone how the winning amounts and odds are spread.  To make an efficient bet, one has to be aware of the current sports events and have good analyzing skills. The understanding of odds and chances is also necessary. The knowledge of basic math will be helpful there as well.

Types of bets

Different bookmakers offer various types of wagers. Here are the most common ones:

  • Spread betting
  • Fixed odds betting
  • Live betting
  • Pari-mutuel betting

Spread betting is not a simple win-or-lose wager. This type of bet depends on the accuracy of the prediction. In the recent the spread betting has become more popular in the UK than ever before, reaching almost one million of sports bet gamblers. This type of wager is applied not only to sports but also to financial betting, regulated by Financial Conduct Authority.  In Spread betting, the bookmaker suggests the point to be spread for the result of a match. It works as follows:  for example, the suggested point is 3. The gambler will wager on team A:

If the score is A-7, B-9, 7+3 = 10, which is more that B’s result. This means that the gambler wins.

If the score is A-7, B-15, the gambler loses, as B’s result exceeds the sum of A’s outcome and the spread (7+3 = 10)

Fixed-odds-betting is still favourite wager for many gamblers, in particular beginners. It has simple rules and is based on the simple win-lose prediction. Live betting may be an exciting process, as the odds change during the match or race, fitting to the current result. Pari-mutuel betting is similar to pull in the lottery: a group of gamblers unite and settle different wagers. After the win, the amounts will be distributed proportionally to the wagers and the winning gambler is paid from the common pull. Read the rest of this entry →

  • Vintage Athlete of the Month

    • Rusty Staub: A Man For All Ages
      April 8, 2024 | 1:26 pm
      Rusty Staub

      The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is a former major league baseball player who came into the game as a teenager and stayed until he was in his 40s. In between, Rusty Staub put up a solid career that was primarily spent on expansion or rebuilding teams.

      Originally signed by the Colt .45s at age 17, he made his major league debut as a 19-year old rookie and became only the second player in the modern era to play in more than 150 games as a teenager.

      Though he hit only .224 splitting time between first base and rightfield, Staub did start building a foundation that would turn him into an All-Star by 1967 when he finished fifth in the league with a .333 batting average.

      Read more »

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