West Virginia sports betting customers, it’s time to acknowledge your remarkable stature.
DraftKings Sportsbook has paid a significant compliment to online gamblers in West Virginia, who have been betting on an action-packed weekend lineup. This includes MLB, NBA, and NHL playoffs, as well as the Northern Trust PGA tournament taking place from Thursday to Sunday.
The prestigious NFL Pro Football Pick ’em Championship was launched by the operator in West Virginia on Tuesday. This makes the Mountain State the third in the country, alongside New Jersey and New Hampshire, to host this $1 million competition where participants pick NFL games against the spread throughout the season. To participate, players are required to pay a $1,500 entry fee. In addition, DraftKings has introduced a free season-long Survivor Pool that awards $1 million in September and at the conclusion of the season.
Let’s break them down.
Pick ’em championship at one WV sportsbook
An individual puts in $1,500 for the complete NFL season and chooses five games each week based on the point spread. For every correct selection, they earn one point. The participant with the highest number of points in the competition wins a prize of $1 million. The total prize pool is currently set at a minimum of $2 million and is distributed among the top 50 participants. This number might increase. The transition to online betting brought this renowned Las Vegas-based competition to mobile app users and adheres to the legal sports betting age requirements.
According to Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook operations for DraftKings Sportsbook, the great thing about this competition is that you don’t need to travel to Las Vegas in order to participate, as he told play-wv.com.
“We are thrilled to welcome West Virginia bettors to join this competition by simply signing up and playing through their mobile apps.”
The scenario is an ideal scenario for football handicappers, offering both financial gains and opportunities for boasting. Participants will have the chance to make 70 picks, with the competition schedule accommodating two bye weeks. In case bettors are dissatisfied with the selection of games on a particular week, they have the flexibility to skip that set of matches.
The majority of players will aim to secure a bye week for Week 17, as this is when most teams give their regular players a rest. Additionally, in the middle of the NFL season, players typically have a real bye week, which may coincide with a week containing only 12 games. In a 12-game schedule, players will need to choose games that may not be their top preferences.
A $100 bonus is up for grabs in the competition for players who achieve a perfect 5 out of 5 score in any given week.
Golden Ticket freebies for WV betting fans
DraftKings offers free-to-enter contests as well, and their Golden Ticket Giveaway worth $100 million has become a sensation in the gambling industry. Let’s delve into how this incredible opportunity works.
By participating in the free-to-enter $1 million Survivor Pool before week one, customers have the opportunity to instantly claim a complimentary reward with a value ranging from $5 to $25,000.
To enter the Golden Ticket Giveaway sweepstakes and stand a chance to win $1 million in cash, customers simply have to sign into their DraftKings app and opt-in. The lucky winner will be chosen in an official drawing on September 13, right after Sunday’s kickoff.
Customers have the opportunity to participate in numerous contests throughout the season, giving them another chance to win a grand prize of $1 million for free. In just the first five days since the announcement, over 150,000 players have entered the competition.
The Survivor Pool is a game where participants choose an NFL team to win a game every week, without considering the point spread. However, each team can only be selected once throughout the season. The challenge lies in strategically picking an average or weak team to secure a victory. In this competition, ties count as wins (unlike in Suicide Pools). The specific rules will be revealed closer to the start of the NFL season.
PGA betting — another potpourri
The betting board has not only helped golf thrive but has also provided crucial support. The upcoming Northern Trust tournament, commencing on Thursday, features numerous prominent players.
Avello suggests that the sport doesn’t need to worry about losing the gambling market by commencing on Thursday. Fans observe the initial progress and engage in intense betting frenzy throughout the weekend.
He shared that we had bet approximately $500,000 on Si Woo Kim after round 3, who was leading at that time. The odds were around 5-2.
DraftKings managed to avoid a liability of around $1.2 million as the underdog, Jim Herman, who had odds of over 500-1, unexpectedly emerged as the winner of the tournament. With a late surge, Herman secured victory despite having minimal prior support.
Despite the doubt, bettors continue to view Herman as a one-hit wonder. This weekend, DraftKings offers odds of +40000 or 400-1 for his victory. On the other hand, the popular contenders including Bryson DeChambeau (+1100), Justin Thomas (+1300), and Rory McIlroy (+1500) attract significant interest.
Avello claimed that the growth of golf has been exponential.
The statistics are truly astonishing, particularly when the prominent contenders are participating. The excitement is not limited to just the beginning, but extends throughout the entire weekend. How many fairways will this individual successfully hit? Will they manage to score a birdie on the following hole? Additionally, our predictions for the top two finishers have been quite accurate. It’s akin to selecting the exact order in an exacta bet.
MLB betting — the wagering ebb and flow
Throughout the week, MLB offers a plethora of betting opportunities. As bettors delve into the week, here are a few trends they can analyze.
Anticipate a surge of seven-inning doubleheaders, especially involving the St. Louis Cardinals, who faced a lengthy hiatus before returning to action this past weekend. Historically, doubleheaders often end in splits, making it advantageous for bettors to wager on the team that lost the first game to win the second. However, the introduction of seven-inning doubleheaders will alter this dynamic to some degree, potentially allowing a few more teams to achieve sweeps. Nevertheless, considering splits as a betting strategy remains a reliable approach.
Pay close attention to the over-under line, especially if it displays a “7” for the total. This typically indicates a seven-inning game, which may catch some bettors off guard as baseball games have traditionally been played for nine innings. However, this year, all doubleheaders consist of two seven-inning games. Therefore, most regular over-unders now fall within the 9-10 run range. Therefore, whenever you encounter a “7,” keep in mind that it signifies a seven-inning game.
Who is on fire? The New York Yankees emerged victorious in every game throughout the past week, showcasing an impressive performance during their intense matches against the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox on their home turf.
Who is feeling deflated? The San Francisco Giants, known for their strong performance at home, experienced consecutive nights of demoralization at the hands of the Oakland A’s. They squandered significant leads in the ninth inning for two games in a row, ultimately enduring a crushing defeat on Sunday.
The Giants, on Monday, squandered a one-run advantage in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels. This marked the third blown save in four games for them. Those supporting the Giants felt distressed, while those who bet on the overall score were thrilled as it successfully cashed in all four games.
What lies ahead for the Giants in the near future?
Throughout the season, it has been observed on multiple occasions that a team hovering around the .500 mark tends to collapse after losing games they appeared poised to win.
The Baltimore Orioles have surpassed expectations by sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies and splitting four games with the Washington Nationals on the road. Despite FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings projecting them to win only 21 games for the season, the Orioles are well on their way to exceeding that prediction.
After a disappointing sweep by the Orioles at home, the Phillies managed to turn things around by sweeping a three-game series against the New York Mets at home. Additionally, they kicked off the week with a victory in Boston. Considering this rebound, can these performances attract the interest of bettors?
NHL, NBA and WV horse racing
In the NHL playoffs, the Vegas Golden Knights achieved a historic milestone by being the first team to advance, triumphing over the Chicago Blackhawks in just five games. Meanwhile, the Washington Capitals, who hold the highest seeding, find themselves in a precarious situation. Despite managing to prevent a four-game sweep by the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, they still face a daunting uphill battle. As the NHL playoffs progress, games are scheduled to take place daily.
In a surprising turn of events, the Portland Trail Blazers emerged unexpectedly in the past few weeks to secure the last spot in the NBA playoffs. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers, who held the top seed, had no stakes in the game. However, Tuesday night witnessed a stunning upset as the Trail Blazers defeated the Lakers in the first game of their playoff series.
The upcoming series is bound to be captivating. Assuming the Lakers live up to their potential, they will dominate the Blazers not only in game two on Thursday but also in subsequent matches. The scoreboard will likely mirror this prediction. If you’re a fan of the Trail Blazers, prepare to receive more points than you might anticipate.
Once again, West Virginia’s horse racing enthusiasts witnessed an impressive feat last week. Mountaineer Park delivered yet another remarkable payout to its spectators. The combination of Red Cat at 8-1, King’s Reckoning at 30-1, Selling Out at 4-1, and Cee R Bee at 4-1 in the superfecta yielded an astonishing $28,808 for a mere $2 wager. Notably, none of the horses were the favorites, resulting in all entries receiving significant bets. Horse racing events occur at Mountaineer Park from Sunday to Wednesday nights, while Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races operates on Thursday to Saturday evenings, starting at 7 p.m.
Related Articles
