Texas Gambling News Archives - Page 6 of 8

Written By Chris Imperiale on February 27, 2022

A look at sportsbook odds for the 3 NBA teams in Texas

Even though the NBA is just coming out of its All-Star break, the season is mostly complete. Teams only have about 20 games remaining on the schedule.

That still leaves plenty of time to get some bets in on your favorite team before the postseason.

Lone Star State residents are still waiting for movement regarding Texas sports betting, but some have alternate options in nearby states.

Louisiana is a popular destination for many Texas bettors, as it offers a quality selection of online sports betting apps.

Those in the state don’t have legal sportsbooks yet, but they do have some great basketball. The state features three professional teams with the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs.

Each is in a different place in the Western Conference standings, however, they all are listed with multiple futures odds at the top sportsbooks.

NBA futures odds

One of the best parts about online sportsbooks and today’s markets is the ability to bet on updated futures odds throughout the year. Regardless of how bad of a season someone might be in, there are odds continually posted for new potential wagers.

This works out well for say someone who enjoys watching the Rockets. Despite their 15-43 record, they’re available on DraftKings Sportsbook for a winnable market.

While you can technically put action down on their odds to make the playoffs or win the title, the Rockets’ updated win total is a very viable betting market.

Houston Rockets odds

Before the emergence of online betting, your preseason wager on Houston was probably a loser by now. With lots of online options, you can still find a way to put a few dollars on your favorite squad.

DraftKings shows its current win total at 21.5 now. The over is listed at -120, compared to the under at -110.

Over-backers just need the Rockets to snag seven more victories this year. Since the team has 24 contests left, you’d only need a 7-17 record the rest of the way to cash.

Of course, the Rockets aren’t the most exciting team to watch this season, but there are probably a lot of residents still paying attention to them. The fact that this market is offered in late February is very helpful.

DraftKings provides odds for Houston to win both the title and conference, but they’re both ridiculously long. Since it looks like it’s going to miss the playoffs comfortably, not too many are putting money down on its odds of +100000.

It wasn’t a good season overall, but there are reasons to be excited in Houston. Its roster includes several encouraging young players, like Christian Wood, rookie Jalen Green, and Kevin Porter Jr.

Each average over 13 points per game and looks like solid pieces moving forward.

Betting on the Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are in a much better position overall. At the moment, they’re in fifth in the West, with a record of 35-24.

Dallas is right in the thick of things and should easily qualify for the playoffs. Naturally, this opens up a few more betting opportunities than the Rockets.

At BetMGM Sportsbook, the Mavs are shown at +4000 to win the NBA Finals this season. The online sportsbook gives them the seventh-best odds to advance out of the Western Conference, at +1700.

Although there isn’t too much time to make up ground in the standings, Dallas has odds of +750 to win the Southwest Division. Memphis holds first place by five games and is the -1200 favorite to end the year that way.

A win total for the Mavs is up at DraftKings, too. They must earn a W in 49 games to cash that over, available at +105. The under for this option is -135.

Dallas needs 14 more wins to accomplish this, which requires a finish of 14-9 down the stretch. That seems doable considering they’ve taken seven of their last 10 and their best player is healthy.

Luka Doncic is having another incredible campaign. He leads Dallas in points, rebounds, and assists with averages of 28, nine and nine, respectively.

Dallas doesn’t appear like a championship team right now, but anything is possible with Doncic. BetMGM shows him with the eighth-best odds for the league MVP, at +3000.

San Antonio Spurs odds

Another Texas-based side in the San Antonio Spurs is directly between the two others. With eight more wins than Houston, the Spurs are just outside the extended playoff picture.

Since 10 teams are involved in at least the play-in games in each conference, the Spurs are just 1.5 games out. This is good fortune somewhat considering their record sits at 23-36.

Still, San Antonio can easily make a run and move up a couple of spots in the standings. The Lakers, who are currently reeling, are in the ninth spot ahead of Portland in the final slot.

Both teams don’t have much going for them between trades and injury. Portland dealt guard CJ McCollum, while Anthony Davis just injured his ankle for LA.

It’s clear San Antonio isn’t competing for a ring this year, but the door is open for it to get into the postseason.

According to DraftKings, the odds are stacked against the Spurs, though. It provides odds of +1000 to qualify for the playoffs, whereas you can bet no at -2500.

Bettors should note that these odds are for which teams make the field of 16 (eight in each conference). The Spurs would need to get into the 10th spot, then also win a few games.

Their win total is an additional option. You can take over for the Spurs at 32.5 wins at -160. The under features odds of +120.

To reach 33 victories, they’d need to take 10 of their final 23 outings.

BetMGM has another consideration when looking at the odds for the NBA’s Most Improved Player. San Antonio guard Dejounte Murray is performing on a new level this season, contributing in just about every area. He’s posted with the fourth-best odds to win most improved, at +1600.

Photo by Lena_graphics / Shutterstock.com

Written by

Chris Imperiale

Chris Imperiale covers sports betting and the online casino industries. He has a journalism degree from Rutgers University and was formerly on staff at Bleacher Report.

View all posts by Chris Imperiale

Written By Chris Imperiale on February 18, 2022

Sports betting odds for Texas Longhorns playing Texas Tech

Although it wasn’t easy, Texas basketball recovered following its loss at No. 10 Baylor.

The Longhorns defeated rival Oklahoma on Tuesday night, 80-78. The two sides needed an overtime session to determine the winner.

It was a tight affair throughout, as Texas’ largest second-half lead only reached seven points.

It couldn’t close out the Sooners down the stretch in regulation but did so in the extra period. Forward Timmy Allen tipped in a shot with around 20 seconds remaining to give the Longhorns a three-point edge.

The victory is massive for Texas, as it now sits among the top teams in the Big 12 Conference. Kansas is in first with a 10-2 record, with Baylor (9-4) and Texas Tech (9-4) just a game ahead of the 8-5 Longhorns.

Texas returns home with an even bigger tilt on the schedule. They face the No. 11 Red Raiders on Saturday afternoon, with postseason seeding on the line.

Longhorns sweep Sooners

The two-point win at Oklahoma gave Texas the season sweep of its main conference foe. It took the Sooners down by 14 in early January.

Allen got the key bucket at the end and finished with 20 points in this latest outing, but he wasn’t alone.

Texas received scoring help from multiple contributors, as senior guard Andrew Jones also hit the 20-point mark. Both Christian Bishop and Marcus Carr totaled 16 points apiece, and the four combined for all but eight of Texas’ points.

Jones led the way with seven rebounds, while the team recorded seven steals as a unit. Allen and Brock Cunningham each had two.

The Longhorns only connected on four three-pointers, but limited Oklahoma to just 5 of 23 shooting from beyond the arc.

Even though it wasn’t flashy, this was a necessary win for Texas. It looks like it should be a lock to earn a berth into this year’s NCAA Tournament, but it can’t afford weak losses.

In the most recent edition of Bracketology, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi puts Texas at a No. 5 seed. This could get much better, though, as the team has several important games still to play before the conference tournament.

Texas basketball odds vs. Texas Tech

Tech is proving itself as one of the better programs in college basketball this season. The Red Raiders beat Baylor 83-73 on Wednesday night and currently sit just outside the AP Top 10.

The Longhorns must play a better game than did they did in their first game against Tech on Feb. 1. They were outplayed in the opening half and ended up falling 77-64.

A major difference in that meeting was each team’s shooting efficiency, especially from deep. Texas shot just over 26%, compared to Tech, which was at more than 42% that day.

Carr led his side in scoring with 18 points, but no one shot the ball particularly well. Allen managed just five points. He’s been more aggressive since then, putting up over 20 points in two of Texas’ last three games.

Rebounding was another area where the Longhorns struggled. They managed just 28 boards for the game, nine fewer than the Red Raiders.

Look for head coach Chris Beard to have his guys ready to go from the jump.

The home-court advantage in Austin should also impact Saturday’s contest. Both teams feature impeccable home records, with Tech at 16-0 and Texas with a 15-1 mark at the Frank Erwin Center.

The Longhorns’ lone slip-up at home was a one-point loss to Kansas State last month.

Betting on Texas basketball

Despite the lack of Texas sports betting inside the state, bettors near Louisiana can hop the border for a few minutes to place some mobile wagers on their team.

The odds for this game aren’t released just yet but should become available by Friday night. Bettors should expect to see a very tight point spread when a line does come out.

Tech was favored laying -4 when it was at home, so look for Texas to potentially be giving a few in this one. The odds could also basically look even since Tech was able to handle its business against Texas the first time.

Texas is in solid shape even with another loss here, but a victory could prove this team can hang with the elite. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index shows the Longhorns with around a 62% chance of coming away with a win.

Photo by AP Photo/Alonzo Adams

Written by

Chris Imperiale

Chris Imperiale covers sports betting and the online casino industries. He has a journalism degree from Rutgers University and was formerly on staff at Bleacher Report.

View all posts by Chris Imperiale

Written By Fairway Jay on February 16, 2022 – Last Updated on February 17, 2022

PGA Tour review and odds for players to watch at the 2022 Genesis Invitational

The final leg of the 2022 PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing is the Genesis Invitational. Tournament host Tiger Woods will not participate, but he’ll welcome and watch the tour’s elite players compete for a huge $12 million dollar purse.

This is the biggest purse in the history of the tournament and a significant jump from last year’s $9.3 million. The event runs from Feb. 17-20, and the winner will receive nearly $2.2 million.

All of the world’s top-10 ranked players will tee it up at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, CA. That includes world No. 1 Jon Rahm, last week’s Phoenix Open playoff winner, Scottie Scheffler, and runner-up Patrick Cantlay.

Scheffler went to Highland Park High School and lives in Dallas. He played college golf in Austin at the University of Texas and earned his first victory on the PGA Tour last week at +2700 odds to win.

Fellow Dallas resident, Texas Longhorn, and three-time major winner Jordan Spieth is also playing in the Genesis Invitational. The former No. 1 ranked player is currently No. 14 in the world, and he finished second in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this month.

Last year’s dramatic Genesis Invitational playoff winner and hometown champion, Max Homa, returns to defend his title.

Top players to watch and odds to win the Genesis Invitational

While Jon Rahm is the favorite to win, he’s got much stronger competition at the top this week.

Here are the golfers ranked top 10 in the world competing in the Genesis Invitational. Odds to win from DraftKings Sportsbook are for news and entertainment purposes, as sports betting is not yet legal in Texas.

Jon Rahm (+800)
Collin Morikawa (+1800)
Patrick Cantlay (+1000)
Viktor Hovland (+2500)
Rory McIlroy (+2200)
Dustin Johnson (+1600)
Xander Schauffele (+2200)
Justin Thomas (+1400)
Scottie Scheffler (+2200)
Hideki Matsuyama (+1800)

Rahm (33) and Cantlay (31) have the most consecutive rounds of par or better on the PGA Tour entering the Genesis Invitational. Tournament host Tiger Woods has the PGA Tour record of 52 consecutive rounds at par or better.

Other noteworthy names

The rest of the star-studded invitational field of 121 players includes these top-30 players:

Cameron Smith (+2200)
Jordan Spieth (+4000)
Brooks Koepka (+3500)
Sam Burns (+4000)
Abraham Ancer (+8000)
Tony Finau (+5000)
Matt Fitzpatrick (+3500)
Sungjae Im (+4000)
Jason Kokrak (+7000)
Patrick Reed (+9000)
Kevin Na (+7500)
Will Zalatoris (+2800)

Defending champion Max Homa (+5000) is ranked No. 34 in the world top-10 of the current FedExCup Standings.

Other golfers to watch who are playing well, moving up the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), and among the top-20 in the FedExCup Standings include:

Talor Gooch (+4000)
Tom Hoge (+9000) – 2022 winner, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Russell Henley (+4000)
Seamus Power (+6000)
Mackenzie Hughes (+9000)
Cameron Tringale (+8000)
Luke List (+8000) – 2022 winner, Farmers Insurance Open

Three Masters Champions who also won the Genesis Invitational add to the prestigious field. Dustin Johnson (2017), Bubba Watson (2014, 2016, 2018), and Adam Scott (2020) will tee it up. Johnson has finished top-10 in the event in seven of the last eight years.

The international contingent of players in the top-55 of the OWGR

Paul Casey (+6000)
Joaquin Niemann (+6000)
Thomas Pieters (+7000)
Marc Leishman (+5000)
Corey Connors (+10000)
Sergio Garcia (+6000)
Si Woo Kim (+9000)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+10000)
Min Woo Lee (+18000)

Other international players to watch include former Texas Longhorns Jhonattan Vegas (+15000) and Dylan Frittelli (+30000).

Winning scores over the last four years have ranged from -9 to -12 (273 to 270). The 72-hole winning score prop is set at 270.5.

The median four-day score over the last five years has been just about 1-under par, and the cut line has been over par at the Genesis Invitational for every year over the last decade. A total of 37 players finished under par in the 2021 event.

Players with the most birdies or better averages at the Riviera

And with a minimum of 12 rounds over the last eight years include:

Dustin Johnson, 4.34
Justin Thomas, 4.29
Adam Scott, 4.21
Paul Casey, 4.21
Bubba Watson, 4.16

Top finishers at the Genesis Invitational

If you look at top-10 finishers in the 2021 event you’ll see the strength and caliber of players that make this event so competitive and special.

1. Max Homa (win in playoff)
2. Tony Finau
3. Sam Burns
4. Cameron Smith
Jon Rahm (T5)
Viktor Hovland (T5)
Matthew Fitzpatrick (T5)
Dustin Johnson (T8)

Adam Scott won in 2020, and other top-5 finishers included Matt Kuchar, Max Homa, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, and Bryson DeChambeau, who is not playing in this year’s big event while rehabbing from hip and hand injuries.

Multiple top-10 finishers in the event over the last five years include:

John Rahm
Dustin Johnson
Adam Scott
Max Homa
Tony Finau
Justin Thomas
Hideki Matsuyama
Rory Mcllroy
Cameron Smith
Kevin Na

Other multiple top-15 finishers include Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland, Will Zalatoris, Talor Gooch, and James Hahn.

Riviera Country Club

The Par 71, 7,322 yard-layout is a classical tree-lined design with a myriad of interesting doglegs, undulating contours that create uneven lies, and tricky runoff areas around the greens.

Narrower Kikuyu grass fairways make it one of the toughest on Tour in driving accuracy and greens in regulation. It will play very firm and fast with warmer conditions recently in Los Angeles.

The green complexes have as much slope outside of Augusta National for The Masters. Short game strategy and success are more difficult, from holing short putts on bumpier Poa annua surfaces to getting up-and-down from just off the green.

Riviera has ranked as the toughest greens on Tour in very close range. Last season, only two major championship venues at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship yielded a lower Greens in Regulation percentage than Riviera (54.2%).

This tournament has ranked in the bottom two in average Driving Accuracy every year since 2015.

Golf at Riviera requires a player’s full focus while executing all shots in the bag. Stronger approach play and ball striking skills are essential for success. Strokes Gained: Around the Green is also a more impactful statistic than usual at Riviera.

You can follow tournament updates and highlights on the Genesis Invitational Twitter account.

Next week, the PGA Tour heads to Palm Beach Gardens for the start of the Florida Swing. The Honda Classic is played at PGA National Champion Course and the tournament begins Thursday, Feb. 24.

Photo by Todd Williamson / Associated Press

Written by

Fairway Jay

FairwayJay is a leading national sports and betting analyst. He reports, researches and writes on industry news and events providing insight and information you can bet on to engage and assist the avid fan. FairwayJay’s tee-to-green coverage and contributions are provided throughout the PlayUSA network. Follow on Twitter: @FairwayJay

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Written By Chris Imperiale on February 14, 2022

Jackpocket becomes the official digital lottery operator for NBA's Dallas Maveriks

On Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks agreed with Jackpocket to become the NBA franchise’s official digital lottery partner.

Jackpocket is the United States’ top third-party mobile app that provides state lottery tickets.

The new deal marks the first mobile lottery partnership in Texas. Of course, both the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets play within the Lone Star State.

The announcement noted that the partnership is for multiple years.

Mavericks’ owner and entrepreneur, Mark Cuban, discussed his optimism about this latest venture, saying:

“I’ve been following Jackpocket’s momentum in the mobile gaming space and what they’re doing is not only innovative, but it’s also a natural and fun evolution for lottery play. The way Jackpocket has elevated game experiences is something I’m excited to bring to Mavericks fans in Dallas.”

Jackpocket is giving Dallas fans new activations with sweepstakes every month through its mobile app. By entering the code MAVS, basketball enthusiasts can earn free tickets, VIP experiences, and team merchandise.

Mavs partner with Jackpocket lottery

This partnership works quite well for many reasons. Since Cuban can’t take advantage of gambling partners because of the lack of legal Texas sports betting, the lottery is a good alternative.

According to reports from YouGov, about 30% of Mavericks fans purchased some variety of lottery tickets in the last 30 days. It also mentioned that nearly 12% of these fans play the lottery daily.

While Cuban and residents probably wish they had some other form of online betting, the state lottery is popular.

Jackpocket paid out over 294,000 individual winners in Texas alone, totaling more than $32 million in winnings.

Jackpocket’s CEO, Peter Sullivan, is pleased with the future outlook of the lottery in Texas. Sullivan said:

“This partnership with the Mavericks, a Dallas institution, is a great opportunity to bring this dedicated fanbase a new way to play the lottery. Since 2019, we’ve been proud to offer Texans the ability to play the lottery right from their phone and we’re excited about this growth in the state.”

Outside of all the great prizes that fans can win through the app, those in attendance will see some Jackpocket branding throughout American Airlines Center.

This is now the company’s fourth major league sports deal, but the first within the NBA. It also features partnerships in the NFL, NHL, and some college athletic programs.

Jackpocket is available in 10 additional locations in the US. Its players have won over $100 million in total lottery prizes since launching.

Betting on the NBA

Even though Texas residents can’t wager from the convenience of their phone yet, they can head to nearby states like Louisiana to place a wager on their Mavs.

Dallas is currently 29-23 overall and in the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference. It’s certainly in a decent spot when looking at the playoff picture, but the conference is always tough.

The Los Angeles Lakers own the ninth spot right now but are just four games behind the Mavs. At the same time, Dallas is only two games out of the No. 4 seed.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Mavs are listed at +360 to win their division. They currently sit six games behind Memphis, which is available with odds of -550.

The online sportsbook provides plenty of other markets as well. You can take Dallas’ updated season win total; that’s 45.5 at the moment. The over is shown at -135, while the under is +105.

Bettors can also take the team’s futures for how they’ll perform in the postseason. DraftKings gives Dallas the seventh-best odds to win the West, at +1800. It’s offered at +4000 to win the NBA title.

Another option is to look at some player futures. At FanDuel, Dallas’ star in Luka Doncic is on the shortlist of players in contention for this year’s MVP.

He’s listed at +6500 to snag the award, averaging 26 points to go along with almost nine rebounds and nine assists per contest.

Photo by EFKS / Shutterstock.com

Written by

Chris Imperiale

Chris Imperiale covers sports betting and the online casino industries. He has a journalism degree from Rutgers University and was formerly on staff at Bleacher Report.

View all posts by Chris Imperiale

Written By Chris Imperiale on February 11, 2022

Texas sports bettor's guide to popular props for Super Bowl LVI

Super Bowl LVI is just a few days away, which means bettors in the Lone Star State need to make a plan to get their bets in.

Outside of the standard game lines that show the Los Angeles Rams laying around -4 to the Cincinnati Bengals, there are a lot more options.

While Texas sports betting isn’t available yet, residents near Louisiana can cross the border just for a few minutes to place a couple of online bets.

That’s what Houston’s Mattress Mack did when he put down $4.5 million on the underdog for Sunday’s matchup.

Louisiana features several great online sports betting options, including DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars Sportsbook. They all highlight lots of game, team, and player props for the Super Bowl like normal games, in addition to even more.

Online books provide a wide range of props for the big game, like choosing the coin toss or Gatorade color.

Super Bowl LVI props

Prop betting is always expanded for the Super Bowl compared to regular-season games. That said, the markets took another step when online sports betting apps started launching and becoming popular.

Now, there appear to be endless possibilities when considering prop options at any of the major operators.

These markets are great because they create added excitement throughout the game. They can also get a neutral fan involved in the tilt without having any action on either team.

Those who bet throughout the season are accustomed to seeing the normal props for NFL games, like for yardage and touchdowns. However, Super Bowls give plenty of new and bizarre options, with some even combining two different sports.

Super Bowl specials

One of the most popular props available for the Super Bowl and not for other games is the coin toss. As simple as it sounds, you’re able to build some excitement before the game even begins through this market.

At DraftKings, both the heads and tails options are listed with odds of -105. If you feel more confident in picking which team will win the toss, that’s an option, as well.

Again, each team owns odds of -105 to take the opening toss.

While the ref’s flip of a coin will swing one market, the color of the Gatorade used for the postgame-celebration shower on the winning head coach alters another.

Unlike the coin flip, every choice in this category comes at plus money, giving you some value for this crazy market.

At BetMGM, orange opened as the favorite with odds of +200. Of course, there is probably some reasoning there considering the Bengals’ main color is orange.

Blue is right behind at +300, as it’s always one of the most common. The online sportsbook shows the following odds for the remainder of the Gatorade colors:

Yellow/green/lime +450
Clear/water +450
Red/pink +800
Purple +1000

Since legal sportsbooks started taking bets on this in 2019, Blue has cashed twice. It did so in 2019 for the Patriots’ triumph over the Rams, then again last year with the Bucs.

When the Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi in 2020, Andy Reid’s shower included orange Gatorade.

Although the odds are set with some thought, there’s no real reason that one color is a favorite over another. Sure, if the Bengals win it would be fitting to use orange, but what if the first cooler grabbed contains purple?

This is certainly one of the more fun markets out there.

Super Bowl LVI betting markets

There are several interesting betting categories regarding things that will unfold during the game.

One of these is determining the jersey number of the first touchdown scorer.

DraftKings set the over-under for this at 23.5, which means the over will hit if say Bengals running back Joe Mixon (No. 28) scores the first touchdown.

This one takes a little bit of homework to see which players fall into each category. With the NFL allowing skill players to wear any digit now, it’s a little more confusing, too.

DraftKings gives the edge to the under, sitting at -140 right now. The over 23.5 is posted at +110.

The number at 23.5 is also important because it allows Rams’ starting back Cam Akers (No. 23) to fall into the under grouping.

For those considering putting some action down on this, take a look at the notable players you’ll have for each side:

Under 23.5

Cooper Kupp
Cam Akers
Ja’Marr Chase
Odell Beckham Jr.

Over 23.5

Joe Mixon
Tee Higgins
Tyler Higbee
Sony Michel
Tyler Boyd

The group that makes up the under contains four of the top five players in terms of odds for an opening scorer at DraftKings.

The online book also offers player specials that include a wide range of odds.

Bettors can take something like either Mixon or Akers to record 100 rushing yards at +150.

Despite having the fourth-best odds to score first and odds of +100 to put it in the end zone at any time, Chase can earn someone a sizable payout if he scores the first two.

If he can somehow punch it in twice before anyone else does, it will win you $550 on a $10 wager (+5500).

Be sure to check out all of the online sportsbooks you can access, as they feature more than enough options for Super Bowl LVI.

Photo by AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Written by

Chris Imperiale

Chris Imperiale covers sports betting and the online casino industries. He has a journalism degree from Rutgers University and was formerly on staff at Bleacher Report.

View all posts by Chris Imperiale

Written By Chris Imperiale on February 10, 2022

Texas business owner bets $4.5 million on Bengals to win Super Bowl LVI

If you pay attention to the sports world or anything related to legal sports betting, then you’ve probably heard of Mattress Mack.

The Houston resident owns a furniture store and often finds himself in the national spotlight thanks to some outrageously large bets.

Despite the lack of Texas sports betting, Jim McIngvale traveled over to a neighboring state to place $4.5 million on the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl LVI over the Los Angeles Rams.

Mattress Mack put his action down in Louisiana, where online sports betting is active. Through Caesars Sportsbook, he wagered the entire $4.5 million on Cincinnati’s moneyline at odds of +170. This is now his largest bet ever to date.

A victory from Joe Burrow and the Bengals will put an additional $7.7 million in Mattress Mack’s pockets.

Texas’ Mattress Mack bets big on Bengals

For those who might be wondering if Caesars accepted the entire bet in one, it didn’t. Mack explained to ESPN how he needed several wagers to complete everything. McIngvale said:

“I had to make like twenty $200,000 bets to make it work. But I want to thank Caesars for taking it.”

This is now the operator’s second-largest bet in the history of the Super Bowl. In 2002, Caesars took a bet worth $4.9 million on the then St. Louis Rams to beat the New England Patriots.

That wager was much different than Mattress Mack’s.

That bettor put almost $5 million on the Rams moneyline at -900 odds, which would have only netted about $545,000 in earnings.

It turned out to be a terrible wager, as the Patriots won and Tom Brady earned his first ring.

Mack’s bet has a lot more value and is on a side with plenty of momentum, both on the field and at sportsbooks.

The head of sports at Caesars Sportsbook, Ken Fuchs, discussed some of the Super Bowl action thus far. He said:

“The Joe Burrow magic is pulling fans in, especially in Louisiana with his college roots. With this $4.5 million bet on Joe and the Bengals, Mack will make history again.”

While some may view the amount of his bet as crazy, this is something Mack is regularly doing.

In combination with his Gallery Furniture chain, he offers a full refund for anyone who spends more than $3,000 at the store if his bet is successful.

Last October, Mack bet about $13 million on his hometown Houston Astros to win the World Series. Unfortunately for locals, they lost to the Atlanta Braves in six games.

Mattress Mack’s recent wagers

Mack had better luck in last year’s Super Bowl, where he made the right choice taking the Bucs receiving +3.5. He put $3.46 million on Brady’s squad as another promotion tied to the store.

The Houston resident is usually fairly successful in these noteworthy bets, but he’s struggled somewhat of late.

In one week this January, McIngvale lost $4.7 million on football markets, including making the wrong selection for the CFP National Championship. Mack put $2.7 million on Alabama’s moneyline before the Crimson Tide fell to Georgia by 15 points.

When the NFL playoffs started, Mack’s futures bet on the New England Patriots to win it all fell by the wayside. Buffalo blew out its division foe in the Wild Card Round.

Even though some might see this as a sign to slow down, Mack is more of an opportunist. He said:

“I’ve always said that a setback is just a setup for a comeback.”

The odds for Sunday’s contest are holding strong for the most part, as Mack’s Bengals are posted at +160 on the moneyline at Caesars. It shows the Rams available at -190.

The online sportsbook differs from some others at the moment in regards to the point spread. It lists Los Angeles giving four points, compared to 4.5 at other books.

Those in the Lone Star State who make it over to Louisiana or other locations with legal betting apps will find lots of additional markets and props for the Super Bowl, too.

Photo by AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Written by

Chris Imperiale

Chris Imperiale covers sports betting and the online casino industries. He has a journalism degree from Rutgers University and was formerly on staff at Bleacher Report.

View all posts by Chris Imperiale

Written By Chris Imperiale on February 9, 2022

A few weeks ago, three separate bettors took home more than $130,000 each from a crazy NBA parlay that only cost 50 cents to place.

These Pennsylvania residents earned a total of $130,284 apiece through FanDuel Sportsbook for their parlay that involved six NBA markets.

It paid out so well, with odds of +26056700, because it was six different first-basket scorer props.

For those unfamiliar, most online sports betting apps provide odds for which player will score the opening basket in an NBA tilt. Like betting a first-touchdown scorer in an NFL game, this takes a bit of luck.

Even the favorites are listed with somewhat promising odds of around +400.

This particular wager consisted of six of these bets combined into one parlay. Miraculously, all six hit, and three PA bettors couldn’t be happier.

NBA parlay wins big in Pennsylvania

Usually, you’d be content locking in just one successful prop that pays around 4-1 any night of the week. To get six of those right in one parlay is ridiculously difficult.

The fact that three different bettors from the Keystone State all won well over six figures on this NBA parlay is downright silly.

The wager featured two bigger favorites in the Lakers’ LeBron James at +370 and Houston’s Christian Wood at +450.

Interestingly, FanDuel’s rules state that the first-basket scorer is for the player who records the initial points in a game, not the first field goal.

This worked in favor for those who took James, as his free throw got the scoring started in Los Angeles’ contest with Sacramento. This result was the last of the sixth needed, so that first free throw from LeBron went through with lots of excitement from at least three bettors.

They can send a thank you to Lakers forward Trevor Ariza. He secured the offensive rebound to give his side another opportunity following James’ missed jumper.

Wood’s opening score was much less suspenseful, as he dunked it home on the game’s opening possession.

The parlay had four additional legs, and all of them showed much longer odds. It included the following:

Evan Fournier, +700
Gordon Hayward, +900
Bogdan Bogdanovic, +950
Lauri Markkanen, +1100

Charlotte’s Gordon Hayward was the first to come through. Without his opening bucket, the rest of the parlay wouldn’t have mattered.

This one was a little more eventful than others, as it didn’t occur until the third possession of the game. Both teams missed shots on their first attempts, as Charlotte’s Terry Rozier and Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris came up empty.

Hayward took a pass from Rozier the next time down and nailed a 28-footer to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead.

First basket nets six figures

After seeing several shots before Hayward’s, this first selection of the parlay likely provided some optimism for the three PA winners.

The next player needed was Atlanta’s Bogdan Bogdanovic, who got in the scorebook early.

Miami turned it over following the opening tip and Bogdanovic finished the rest on the next possession.

New York’s Evan Fournier also alleviated some of the stress by scoring early. He put home a 25-foot jumper and solidified his portion of the wager within the first 15 seconds of the game.

The final choice besides the favored Wood and James was Cleveland’s Lauri Markkanen. While some of these first-basket picks were painless, this one was not.

Of course, Markkanen ended up scoring the first points, but it occurred seven possessions into the tilt. The teams combined to go 0 of 5 from the field to start.

Markkanen’s lay-in with just around two minutes already burned off the clock kept the parlay alive. This was actually his second shot attempt of the game.

The choice was a risky one but paid off in the end. Markkanen is obviously a talented player. However, Cleveland was a five-point underdog going against the Jazz.

Many bettors putting action down on this market probably leaned with some Utah options, especially at home.

The three PA residents could feel their potential victory after surviving that leg, needing only James to come through. Luckily, the Laker forward hit his first attempt from the free-throw stripe.

Three bettors rejoiced in creating a magical payday exceeding $130,000. This will probably inspire others to take aim at these long-shot parlays that can generate life-altering money.

Photo by Brocreative / Shutterstock.com

Written by

Chris Imperiale

Chris Imperiale covers sports betting and the online casino industries. He has a journalism degree from Rutgers University and was formerly on staff at Bleacher Report.

View all posts by Chris Imperiale

Written By Joana Neziri on February 8, 2022

While most gamblers are waiting for sportsbook gaming to finally come to their state, one lucky Texas gambler started the year as a lottery millionaire.

As the state lottery starts the year crowning a new multi-millionaire, Texas gamblers wonder when their luck will bring legal sportsbook gambling to the Lone Star State.

Texas Lottery reports that the fortunate resident picked up the winning Quick Pick ticket for New Year’s Day drawing. They purchased the ticket at the Justin Road RaceTrac store in Flower Mound. Matching all six numbers ended up being worth more than $16 million. The winner came forward to claim the prize on January 14. He or she is remaining anonymous and taking the one-time payout of the more than $12 million prize, or an estimated $9.5 million after taxes.

How to play the Texas Lottery

Since 2019, theLotter Texas players can purchase tickets and play in the comfort of their homes. Texas lottery players safely buy tickets for theLotter Texas through an easy-to-use, digitally-secure website and app.

To play, a user makes a lottery game choice and registers their account to purchase for the upcoming draws. Players can use favorite numbers or make a random selection, just like buying lottery tickets in person.

With this online system, theLotter Texas puts Texans’ most-played games, like Cash Five, Texas Two-Step, and others, right at their fingertips. During the past year, theLotter has also added new payment methods. These include MasterCard and Visa debit cards, Skrill virtual wallets, and PayPal via bank transfers and ACH payments.

Where Texas sportsbooks launch stands at the start of 2022

Sportsbook gambling was under serious consideration during the 2021 legislative session.

On September 15, 2021, PointsBet became the official sports betting partner for Austin FC. However, since it’s still illegal in Texas, the deal with the Major League Soccer franchise doesn’t imply sports betting at Q2 Stadium. But if winds of change shift in Texas, the franchise has a gambling partner already in place.

In January 2022, Fubo Gaming announced a deal with the Houston Dynamo, potentially granting Fubo a Texas online sports betting license. Again, this is contingent on when sportsbooks become legal in Texas.

The future of Texas sportsbooks: Hurry up and wait

Despite a fair amount of activity in recent months, sports betting’s approval continues at a pace that demands a gambler’s patience.

In general, it seems that Texans are okay with bringing sports betting in the state. A survey conducted by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs found 70% of Texans support legalization and taxing casino gambling. As the second-most populous state with no shortage of professional teams, online betting could explode once legalized here.

While awaiting sportsbook approval, Texas gamblers can always indulge in daily fantasy sports. Although the state previously has had issues with daily fantasy sports operators, there appear to be no obstacles to Texans playing them now. DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo currently operate DFS contests in Texas.

Texas’ border states only offer limited action for those willing to travel. While Louisiana recently kicked off sportsbook betting, neighbors Oklahoma and New Mexico currently limit sports gaming to reservation casinos.

If legalized, the Texas sports betting market would immediately become one of the most lucrative in the United States. The Texas legislative session only occurs during odd years. With that schedule, sports betting in the state won’t become a reality before 2023.

It’s unknown how many sportsbooks will launch in Texas since legalization is still some time away. However, several politicians involved believe that 2024 or 2025 could be realistic launch dates.

Who will be first? With DraftKings and FanDuel already operating DFS sites, they’re likely to launch the first sites once the time comes.

Photo by Feng Yu/Shutterstock

Written by

Joana Neziri

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Written By Frank Weber on February 1, 2022

Texas Lottery sees success with new $50 scratch ticket

Pollard Banknote Limited recently released a congratulatory statement towards the Texas Lottery for the success of their new $50 Casino Millions scratch ticket.

Since it launched in September 2021, sales have reached over $143 million. Based on the sales through the first 10 weeks alone, the Casino Millions scratch game is the highest-selling $50 scratch ticket in Texas Lottery history.

Gary Grief, Executive Director of the Texas Lottery, said:

“We are thrilled with the success of the Casino Millions scratch ticket game. Our players enjoy high-quality, engaging scratch ticket games with exciting prizes, and Casino Millions delivers on all aspects. We look forward to continuing our collaborative work with Pollard Banknote to bring Texans exciting games for years to come.”

The Casino Millions ticket offers a top prize of $5 million, with over $250 million in total prizes.

The Texas Lottery and Pollard Banknote

The Texas Lottery first collaborated with Pollard Banknote at the $50 price point ten years ago. They first introduced the idea of dazzling Scratch FX, which gave high-value tickets a high-value look.

Since then, the demand for high-value tickets has spiked. The Texas Lottery then took things to the next level by presenting Pollard Banknote’s new Scratch FXtra print innovation.

It combines the Scratch FX patterns with other visually striking designs. This created a dazzling ticket that is unlike any other. Brad Thompson, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Pollard Banknote, said:

“We are pleased to congratulate the Texas Lottery on the outstanding success of its Casino Millions scratch ticket game. The Texas Lottery has been an industry leader in launching games at the $50 price point. And the significant accomplishment of reaching over $140 million in sales with a single game has reinforced how well the Texas Lottery understands its players. As a proud partner to the Texas Lottery, we look forward to helping it continue to drive sales to support public education throughout the state.”

The Texas Lottery’s record-setting year

Whether it’s a scratch game or an online casino, it’s clear that gambling in Texas is on the rise.

The Texas Lottery cleared $8.107 billion in sales in the Fiscal Year 2021. This is the most since it began in 1992. This sees a 21% increase over last year’s numbers.

A large majority, $6.617 billion, came from scratch ticket sales. Draw games sales also continued to grow in Texas, accounting for $1.49 billion of the Lottery’s total sales.

According to previous breakdowns, the Lottery paid out approximately 66% of its revenue proceeds in prizes. And just under a quarter will be sent to the Foundation School Program.

A quarter of this year’s revenue would be $2.026 billion. We can expect something around that number to be going to Texas schools.

The Lottery allocated less than one percent of revenue for veterans residing in Texas. The agency, however, has reported giving $164 million to Texas veterans since 2009.

The Texas Lottery Executive Director Gary Grief calculates that this year’s contributions would:

“translate into a record-breaking revenue contribution to our beneficiaries, Texas education, and Texas veterans, for [the] fiscal year 2021.”

What is Pollard Banknote?

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries across the world. They provide:

High-quality instant ticket products
Schafer Systems and Fastrak retail merchandising solutions
World-Class mkodo game apps
Other licensed games

Pollard Banknote was established in 1907 and is publicly traded on the TSX.

Photo by Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock

Written by

Frank Weber

Frank Weber is a US-based gambling writer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. He loves baseball, football, basketball, soccer, and the UFC, and even collects sports cards and memorabilia in his spare time. In his free time, you could find Frank either out at a concert with friends, or at home sweating out all his bets.

View all posts by Frank Weber

Written By Chris Imperiale on January 31, 2022

Texas bettors await online casinos and sports betting

Online casino betting is becoming more and more popular across the US, and for plenty of good reasons. As additional states legalize online casino apps, more people around the country will have the ability to play their favorite casino games right at home.

While online Texas casinos aren’t an option yet, they are hopefully not too far off. Residents in the Lone Star State are also patiently waiting for online sports betting to debut, as well.

While lawmakers try to move that forward, the industry overall is constantly improving.

With lots of online casino operators active in the US, each is looking to upgrade its product at all times. There is now a lot of competition in certain states that feature several mobile platforms.

Beyond updating their gaming titles available to play, many are rolling out new ways to enjoy your online gaming experience.

Online casino popularity

The emergence of online casinos in several places has lots of gamblers around the country realizing the benefits. Although there isn’t anything quite like sitting down at your favorite retail casino, the online apps are doing the best they can to replicate that.

Outside of the convenience of not having to go anywhere to play and bet on your favorite casino games, many apps provide much more.

One of the top reasons online figures are soaring is because people feel comfortable betting online. They know they aren’t dealing with some weird offshore website and feel safe with moving funds to and from their account.

All of the legal platforms are extremely secure and have ways to get help if something were to go wrong. You’re able to contact customer support at any time and they’re usually able to solve any issue promptly.

Another aspect of these online casinos that bettors love is the ability to self-restrict. The majority of them allow you to set limits on a variety of different things, like the amount you wager, deposit, or the time spent gambling overall. Some send you actual reminders, telling you exactly how long you’ve been utilizing the app.

Of course, if you find yourself betting over your head, the operators insist that you lock yourself out of the online casino for some time. They also have information regarding ways to seek help through programs like the hotline 1-800-Gambler.

In the same regard, parents don’t have to worry about their children participating in online gambling. All of the legal apps require you to be the minimum age to bet in your specific state, which is set at 21 in most parts of the country.

How to take advantage of online casinos in Texas

Some people might not feel overwhelmingly comfortable betting through an online app because of their lack of experience.

If you’re just starting to bet through an online casino, there are a few things to know and steps to follow.

One of the most important for any type of gambling in Texas is to set your limits. Always know how much you’re willing to bet (and lose) in a sitting and make sure that amount is something you’re fine with. No one should ever wager with money they can’t afford to lose.

Winning is always fun, however, when it comes to gambling of all sorts, everyone is going to be defeated at some point.

Before you start, confirm your threshold and don’t exceed it.

Once you’re betting, there are a couple of ways to get everything you can from the online casino.

The first is through utilizing bonuses and free money. Most online casinos give new users offers that often include bonus funds and a match with your initial deposit.

A lot of times, these deals seem too good to be true. While operators aren’t trying to trick you, they do usually only provide one welcome offer per user.

You’ll have access to other daily and weekly promotions, but none like you’ll receive when signing up.

For those who are lucky enough to be in a state like New Jersey or West Virginia where there are several options, downloading more than one app can be beneficial.

This way, bettors can take full advantage of all of these new-customer bonuses and bounce between platforms based on which one is more advantageous at the time.

There’s usually a casino game or specific title that’s tied to a promo that can net you more free money.

Choosing the right casino game

New bettors who are just beginning to use an online casino should try everything out to see what they might like. Of course, you should prepare yourself with the rules of any game you’re not completely sure of. But the only way to find out if something is for you is by trying.

By betting just a small amount, you can test out different casino games and their many alternatives. A lot of casino regulars usually find their niche and stick with it.

Most online casinos all provide the classic table games you’d find in a real casino, like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and slots.

Online casino apps are helpful for new bettors in that the minimum wager is usually quite small. Unlike some legal sportsbooks, most casino platforms let you bet as little as 10 cents.

New online casino trends

As with everything, online casinos are frequently improving with new sorts of innovations. One of those that many operators use is live dealers.

To try to make your experience as similar as possible to a real casino, apps are coming up with new technology.

Live dealers are great because you aren’t playing against a computer any longer, but physically receiving your cards from a real person. You see your dealer through a live stream, as they’ll be dealing cards to others at your table, as well.

If your goal is to feel like you’re sitting in your favorite casino, a live dealer does the trick.

This feature could potentially go even further. With the expansion of virtual reality in recent years, some online casinos may adopt another new way to play your preferred titles.

Instead of just having a real dealer, you’d be completely immersed in the casino environment with sounds and all.

In a different capacity, some bettors want access to their online casinos while on the go. Something you may see this year is operators providing their app to be used through various smartwatches.

Since you’re able to do so much with these watches, it just makes sense that online casinos would also give you the option.

As far as banking in 2022, some operators may dive into the future with cryptocurrency. With so many now using different digital coins, it wouldn’t be shocking to see online casinos begin accepting deposits from certain currencies.

Photo by Marko Aliaksandr / Shutterstock.com

Written by

Chris Imperiale

Chris Imperiale covers sports betting and the online casino industries. He has a journalism degree from Rutgers University and was formerly on staff at Bleacher Report.

View all posts by Chris Imperiale

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