ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (AP) – There’s something new at stake for players to bet on football this fall: in addition to the points difference, the merit of the picture (or this year the absence of it) and the weather, the punters take the coronavirus. account before spending your money.
In a year in which the pandemic has rocked all primary sports, the arrival of the NFL and school football presents challenges.
In stadiums without a reputation, is there even merit on the field?And if not, are you asking for 3 points?
Will the lack of a preseason bring advantages to offensive or defensive, or may it be rusty at first?Does it replace the smart play or not?
Will money that would have been wagered on varsity games this fall go to other college or professional groups, or will that money be wagered at all?
And is it worth placing bets during the season to wait on who will win the Super Bowl if a star quarterback or a team’s running back can suddenly disappear from the roster for weeks afterward? have contracted the virus?
One thing is for sure: Sports are expecting a record season in terms of the amount of cash wagered through a concerned public that has endured months of blackouts and restrictions and only recently had a chance to resume primary American sports.
Basketball stakes have been solid and bookmakers are hoping soccer will smoothly eclipse that point of interest.
“This will be a record season,” said Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US. “People are spending more time at home because of the virus. There’s less to do. They don’t go to concerts, they don’t go to sports. “events, they don’t go to the movies. They watch sports on TV and bet on them. »
“I’m expecting a wonderful season out of football,” added Johnny Avello, director of sports betting at DraftKings. “Because of the virus, other people will largely stay home and bet more than they used to. “
Contradicting those predictions, the American Gaming Association released a ballot Wednesday that 13% of Americans, or more than 33 million people, say they plan to bet on soccer this year, legally or illegally, in compared to 15% who said they planned to do so at the beginning of last season, but it also includes casual groups, which are not measured through advertising sports betting.
John Sheeran, Chief Trading Director of FanDuel, said his company expects industry lines to be more volatile, at least initially. He also expects bettors to wait closer to the start before committing their money, should last-minute injuries and ailments come to light.
A popular sports product is anything called futuresArray, such as predicting the winner of the Super Bowl or division, which player could win the MVP award or the quick title, and the number of games a team will win.
If someone bets that the Kansas City Chiefs repeat as champions, but quarterback Patrick Mahomes falls with the virus and misses, say, six to 8 weeks, it may materially be the Chiefs’ season and the final results of a bet for the future.
Sports combine in the impact, if any, of the virus in the futureArray Some say they do not notice a significant difference in the amount wagered, while others say that they seem to be working below the point of recent years.
“People seem more comfortable from week to week,” said Jay Kornegay, vice president of the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, where futures bets on next season have so far dropped by more than 50% since the start of last season. .
If a full season is not played, Sports says they will eventually void bets and return the stakes.
With many school football meetings canceling their fall seasons, adding Big Ten and Pac-12, there will be fewer games to bet on, but Maximum Sports expects cash to be transferred to other college or professional games, without a net drop in grip or stake.
If school soccer can qualify for a national championship game imaginable, “I would expect the numbers to be surely huge,” said Sheeran of FanDuel, a sentiment that was echoed by many other sports betting companies.
Most, but not all, NFL groups plan to play in fanless stadiums. This means that not having to do so could be the only merit of playing at home, which is normally worth 3 points on the betting lines.
Fans are well aware of those new variables and take them into account in their betting. Dustin Mills of Hanover, Pennsylvania plans to stay away from the big bets (betting on more than one game at a time) until he sees how they fare. to groups at the beginning of the season.
“At first, I go to groups with groups of key players who have played in combination for a few years, as well as more veteran-oriented groups,” he said. “Also during the first few weeks I’m getting a lot more control, because I don’t think there’s a lot of tackles in the camps and, obviously, it’s more of an offensive league. “
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