It was another news-filled week in the world of gambling.
In this installment of the weekly roundup from US Bets, we’re giving you a rundown of some of the more interesting new nuggets from the world of sports betting and beyond.
Also be sure to check out Sports Handle for its weekly news recap, “Get a Grip.”
Tennis judge receives temporary ban for gambling
An English tennis line judge was hit with a relatively small fine and an 18-month ban from the job after betting on matches in 2019. There wasn’t any reported involvement with corruption or match-fixing, hence no reported criminal charges in the case or lifetime ban from the sport.
Tennis line judge David Rocher of France banned for 18 months, with four months suspended, for betting on matches.https://t.co/ORgs9noJQZ
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) December 9, 2020
Sportradar, Amazon develop soccer goal prediction tech
Gambling data provider Sportradar and Amazon ML Solutions Lab have developed a “computer vision-based” Soccer Goal Predictor that can predict future soccer goals with “high confidence” a full two seconds before they happen. The tech could have implications long-term for the sports betting industry, especially when it comes to live, in-play betting verticals.
How soon before Amazon joins the party? Oh wait they already have…
"Sportradar… and the Amazon ML Solutions Lab collaborated to develop a computer vision-based Soccer Goal Predictor"
Predicting soccer goals in near real time using computer visionhttps://t.co/aff5RHvTIy
— Alfonso Straffon 🇨🇷🇺🇸🇲🇽 (@astraffon) December 9, 2020
CFB odds come off the board at sportsbooks
The COVID-related cancellation of a high-profile game between the No. 4-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the far less competitive Michigan Wolverines reportedly caused some sportsbooks to take national championship betting off the board. However, it looks like books have adjusted and the futures market is back up, at least at the likes of FanDuel and DraftKings. Alabama remains the clear-cut favorite.
Odds to win the college football national championship are off the board at most sportsbooks, with the cancelation of Michigan-Ohio St.
Alabama began the week as the consensus, odds-on favorite at around 4/5. Clemson was next at 3/1, followed by Ohio St at 7/2.
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) December 8, 2020
NV beefs up NBA betting markets ahead of season
The 2020-21 NBA season kicks off later this month, and in an effort to bolster the handle on the sport, the state of Nevada this week approved new markets for league awards. These markets are already available in New Jersey, so Nevada is trying to keep pace with its rival on the East Coast. Since PASPA fell in mid-2018, New Jersey has handled $9,919,252,360 in wagers, compared to Nevada’s $11,426,039,429. However, in recent months, New Jersey has been dominating and is quickly closing that gap.
Nevada Gaming Control Board approves wagering on several NBA awards:
Sixth Man of the Year
Coach of the Year
Most Improved Player
Defensive POY— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) December 11, 2020
Trump pushes falsehood about election betting odds
At one point on election night, President-elect Joe Biden had become an underdog in the race, based on President Donald Trump’s unexpectedly strong performance in Florida. However, Biden eventually regained the momentum and before long he was back to being a significant favorite. Trump said on Twitter this week that unnamed oddsmakers had him as a near lock to win at 10 p.m. on election night. That is a falsehood. He did become a favorite at various sites, but nowhere near 97%. The tweet can be seen as an attempt to sow doubt as to how the tide could have turned for Biden after it had done so earlier for Trump.
At 10:00 P.M. on Election Evening, we were at 97% win with the so-called “bookies”.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2020
Wild fight between poker dealer and player in Las Vegas
It’s not unheard of to see fights between poker players in a casino. No-limit hold’em is psychological warfare, and it’s a game where some people lose their cool. However, it’s far less common to see a poker player fight a dealer in a casino. That’s what happened this week at the Aria Poker Room in Las Vegas. According to reports, the player started the incident. Watch below.
Fight in the Aria poker room December 2020 https://t.co/J77J4KxRwt
— Chris (@cnote_vegas) December 11, 2020
Postle attorneys reportedly look to leave poker case
A $330 million defamation case filed by accused poker cheat Mike Postle against a group of people who have accused him of cheating in live poker cash games in California reportedly hit a snag when attorneys for Postle filed a motion to withdraw their involvement in the suit. It’s unclear if Postle will continue pursuing the litigation, which reportedly would require new legal representation or him acting as his own lawyer.
Game over?https://t.co/OWyk6LyXzZ
— PokerTube (@pokertube) December 10, 2020
