Each week, our “What’s on Tap” series previews the week ahead in the world of sports betting. Come here for a summary of upcoming financial happenings, legislative and regulatory meetings, industry conferences, top games scheduled for the week, and much more. Also, check out our weekly review, “Get a Grip,” for a look back at last week’s notable news.
Monday, Sept. 18
Doubleheader on MNF
The NFL will host its first Monday Night Football doubleheader of the season, starting with a divisional game in Charlotte. Bryce Young will make his home debut for the Panthers when Carolina takes on New Orleans, their NFC South rivals. The Saints are 3-point favorites at DraftKings; the total is 39.5 points.
Roughly an hour later, the Steelers will host the Browns (-2) in Pittsburgh. Browns receiver Amari Cooper (groin) is questionable.
Monday Night moneyline parlays (DraftKings)
- Two-leg parlay: Saints, Browns — +181
- Saints, Steelers — +246
- Panthers, Browns — +310
- Panthers, Steelers — +405
Tuesday, Sept. 19
Legal drama could delay Seminoles’ relaunch in Florida
Speculation has mounted that the Seminole Tribe will relaunch mobile sports betting in Florida on Tuesday after it received a favorable court ruling on Sept. 11. But on Friday, South Florida-based parimutuel West Flagler and Associates filed a “motion to stay mandate” that may prevent the Seminoles from launching their Hard Rock Bet platform in Florida this week. An appeals court may rule on the motion Monday, when the mandate is scheduled to expire.
The Seminoles briefly launched sports betting in 2021 before a U.S. District Court judge ordered the tribe to shut down its platform. The moment the Seminoles decide to relaunch sports betting, Florida will regain its status as the most populous state nationwide to offer legal sports wagering.
Not so fast, Florida!
A motion added to the court docket after 10 pm Friday may prevent Hard Rock Bet from relaunching next week. Jill R. Dorson has the details on where the case goes from here and what the Seminole Tribe’s options are:https://t.co/FGx9IZ5ix1— Sports Handle (@sports_handle) September 16, 2023
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Champions League season begins
Manchester City begins its defense of the UEFA Champions League title on Tuesday with a Group G match against Red Star Belgrade in England. In Tuesday’s match, City has odds of -2000 at PointsBet to defeat Belgrade. On the futures market, City has odds of +200 to win the Champions League crown in 2024. Only one other club, Bayern Munich, has odds shorter than +600 to capture the title.
Also this week, Bayern faces a tough Group A opener when it hosts Manchester United in Munich. The Red Devils are +450 underdogs to pull off the upset. PointsBet lists Bayern as a -190 favorite, with odds of +375 on a draw.
Wednesday, Sept. 20
SBC Barcelona Day 1
A litany of sports betting stakeholders will travel to Spain this week for SBC Summit Barcelona, one of Europe’s largest gambling conferences. Smarkets CEO Jason Trost will serve on a panel that delves into the sports betting industry’s facelift, a makeover that features the impact of streaming, gamification, and analytics on the wagering ecosystem.
Another panel focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning features an appearance by a principal solutions architect from Amazon Web Services. As A.I. solutions proliferate, the sports betting industry continues to explore how cutting-edge technology will change the global business.
Thursday, Sept. 21
Saquon’s status in question as Giants face Niners
The Giants rallied for a 31-28 win over the Cardinals on Sunday, completing their first comeback victory of 20 or more points since beating the Baltimore Colts in 1950. But the win may have come at a significant cost, as Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley injured his ankle on the team’s final offensive drive.
While Barkley undergoes an MRI on Monday, his potential absence against the 49ers will likely result in considerable line movements. The Niners opened as 9.5-point favorites at BetRivers. San Francisco remained undefeated with a 30-23 win over the Rams. The Niners are one of only two teams to score at least 30 points in both games to open the season. The 49ers enter Monday with Super Bowl odds of +700 at BetMGM, the best of any NFC team.
The Giants have overcome a 21-point deficit for the 1st time since 1949.
They had lost 150 straight games when trailing by at least 21 points, the 2nd-longest streak in NFL history (Bears have lost 179 straight dating back to 1925). pic.twitter.com/xClmfDAi4j
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 17, 2023
Friday, Sept. 22
Kings-Coyotes in Melbourne
The NHL preseason begins on Friday with the league’s first-ever trip to Australia. The two-game set at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne will feature the Los Angeles Kings against the Arizona Coyotes.
After a three-season playoff drought, the Kings have made the postseason in each of the last two years. The Kings have odds of -400 at FanDuel to make the playoffs, with odds of +285 to miss the postseason. The Coyotes are a longshot to qualify for the postseason, with odds of +480. Arizona last made the playoffs in 2020.
Rangers-Mariners begin key three-game set
As the MLB regular season winds down, the final weeks should be contentious in the American League West. The Rangers enter Monday with a one-game lead over the Mariners for the league’s final wild card spot, and the teams open a critical three-game set on Friday in Texas.
The Rangers have -295 odds to make the playoffs at DraftKings, while the Mariners have odds of -125. The Astros, who hold a 1.5-game lead over the Rangers, are seeking back-to-back World Series titles.
Saturday, Sept. 23
Buckeyes-Irish meet in Top 10 matchup
Ohio State University exploded for 42-first half points en route to a 63-10 drubbing of Western Kentucky on Saturday. The victory set up a prime-time Top 10 matchup against Notre Dame this weekend. The Buckeyes will make their first trip to South Bend in more than 25 years. Ohio State opened as a 3-point favorite at Circa Sports; the total is 51.5 points.
In another Top 25 matchup Saturday, Oregon will host Colorado in Eugene. The undefeated Buffaloes are coming off an exhilarating double-overtime win over Colorado State, but they now face a much stiffer test. The Ducks are 21-point favorites over the Buffs; the total is 61.5 points.
There are several other matchups featuring a pair of teams in the Top 25, including an SEC West clash in Tuscaloosa, where Alabama will face Ole Miss. Alabama is a 6-point favorite; the total is 52.5 points.
“DO YOU BELIEVE NOW?”
No. 18 Colorado survives over Colorado State in 2OT‼️ pic.twitter.com/2mQu8wMfsy
— ESPN (@espn) September 17, 2023
Sunday, Sept. 24
Several 2022 playoff teams look to avoid 0-3 start
Seemingly every year, a top playoff team from the season before underperforms by failing to return to the postseason. Three NFL teams — the Vikings, Chargers, and Bengals — emerged as candidates after opening the season 0-2. At least one is assured of starting 0-3, as the Vikings will face the Chargers in Minneapolis. The line is set at pick’em at Caesars Sportsbook; the total is 51.5 points.
On the flip side, seven teams can still open the season at 3-0, headlined by the Cowboys. Through two games, Dallas has a league-high point differential of plus-60. The Cowboys are just the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to score at least 70 points and allow 10 or fewer through two games, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Dallas opened as a 10.5-point road favorite against the Cardinals at bet365.
Key injuries and absences heading into the NFL’s Week 3:
- Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow tweaked a calf injury in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens. Burrow, who was unsure Sunday of the severity of the injury, will be reevaluated this week. The Bengals opened as 3.5-point favorites over the Rams at Caesars.
- Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) left Sunday’s loss against the Seahawks on a cart. The Lions are 4-point home favorites over the Falcons.
- Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. left Sunday’s win over the Bengals with an ankle injury. Following the victory, Ravens coach John Harbaugh indicated that the injury is not serious. The Ravens are an 8-point home favorite over the Colts.
- Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson left Sunday’s win over the Texans with a concussion. Richardson scored two rushing touchdowns before leaving the game in the first half. In his absence, Gardner Minshew went 19-of-23 for 171 yards and one touchdown. Richardson will begin this week in the concussion protocol, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
