SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
NCAA Tweaks Outlook On Sports Betting, But Potential Problems Loom
The NCAA is changing its tune, at least slightly, when it comes to sports betting. News broke last week that the organization will allow individuals, conferences, and teams to sell official data to sports betting operators.
Official data can be particularly useful to sports betting companies for live betting, as the faster a sportsbook receives the data, the more accurately and effectively it can offer bettors in-game spreads.
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Lightfoot Picks $1.7B Bally’s Proposal For Chicago Casino
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot selected the $1.7 billion Bally’s proposal for a casino and hotel at the Tribune publishing plant in River West on Thursday as the finalist to recommend to the Illinois Gaming Board for the city’s downtown license.
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Without Baffert, The Kentucky Derby Rolls On
The Derby is still the Derby, and that trumps all.
This has been the unstated stance from Churchill Downs Inc. since it suspended trainer Bob Baffert from its properties, after his trainee, Medina Spirit, came up positive for a banned substance after his 2021 Kentucky Derby victory.
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Sports Betting Application Window To Open June 15
The Ohio Casino Control Commission on Wednesday announced that it will open the month-long application window for potential sports betting licensees on June 15.
According to the timeline that the OCCC released, it will determine a “universal” go-live date, similar to how Tennessee and Arizona regulators launched operators. The timeline does not indicate how long it will take the OCCC to approve applications, but in other states, it’s taken between 60-90 days, depending on the process and availability of information.
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Sportsbook VIP Programs Ain’t What They Used To Be, Bettors Say
Back in the old days of legal online sports betting — you know, like 2018 and 2019 — the sportsbooks sure seemed to be doing a lot more whale fishing.
“The gist of it is the VIP stuff was very good in the past, now it’s gone way down,” said Sid M., a New Jersey sports bettor. “FanDuel never had much of anything there, but FOX Bet and DraftKings — in the past, they were very good.”
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Not Dead Yet! Sports Betting Revived In Missouri
A new stand-alone sports betting bill that has been shared with stakeholders such as casinos and professional sports teams could be in play in Missouri as soon as the end of the week, sources told Sports Handle Wednesday.
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Commercial Operators’ California Proposal One Step Closer To Getting On 2022 Ballot
The political committee running the proposed California Solutions for Homelessness and Mental Health Act referendum announced Tuesday that it has collected 1.6 million signatures, creating the potential for a statewide vote on digital betting in November.
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