Sports Betting Briefs: Jake Paul Fight Big for Books, NFL Gets Cozy With Sports Betting
Jake Paul Win Big for Books - Though it may have seemed silly at the time, the fight between social media influencer Jake Paul and UFC fighter Ben Askren turned into a big win for the books. Paul knocked out Askren within the two-minute mark.
This one turned into the most heavily bet on boxing match so far this year. Granted there haven't been a whole lot of headliners.
The betting handle certainly exceeded bookmaker's expectations. William Hill compared the handle on the fight to a main event of a UFC card, though probably one of mid-level draw. They reported taking $160,000 bet on Paul at -160 from a bettor in Nevada. Paul was the -150 favorite and won in the first round.
NFL Cozies Up Further With Sports Betting - The NFL has entered into deals with Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel. It wasn't too long ago that the league considered sports betting akin to something between Satan and Charles Manson.
The three deals are worth close to $1 billion combined and will allow for the NFL shield and team logos to be used on each company's platforms. Caesars, Draftkings and FanDuel will have a presence on the NFL website and app along with some access to NFL footage and highlights.
“As the sports betting landscape has continued to evolve in the United States, we have been thoughtful with our strategy and are excited to announce three partners who share the NFL’s vision and goals,” said NFL chief revenue officer Renie Anderson. “Working closely with Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel, we will provide fans new and different ways of interacting and engaging with the sport they love.”
Whether any of this is worth $1 billion remains to be seen.
The NFL is the last of the major U.S. sports leagues to partner with an American sportsbook.
Massachusetts’ 3 Casinos Have Encouraging Month in March
Revenue from Massachusetts’ three casinos reached its highest level during the month of March since the start of the pandemic, according to state gambling regulators, a sign that the industry may be recovering.
Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge Park Casino brought in a total of $84 million in gross gambling revenue last month, more than any month since February 2020, according to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. That resulted in almost $24 million in tax revenue for the state.
The casinos were shut down for a period of time last year during the pandemic, and are still subject to capacity limits and other public health protocols.
$603K Slots Jackpot Hits at Red Rock Casino
Red Rock Casino marked its 15th anniversary on Sunday with an Arizona visitor winning more than $600,000 on IGT’s Wheel of Fortune slots game Saturday night.
Volha Anderson bet $1.75 to win a big payday of $603,644.67, according to a Station Casinos spokesperson. She and her husband have been visiting the resort since November.
The casino also said it paid out on the Jumbo Hold ‘Em Poker “Bad Beat” Progressive for the second time in three days, good for $176,935.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
