It’s information overload everywhere, and there’s not time enough to sleep and eat and stay fully apprised of what’s happening on this crazy blue dot of ours (two out of three ain’t bad).
Here’s the weekend Sports Handle item, “Get a Grip,” recapping the week’s top stories and rounding up key stories in sports betting, gaming, and the world of sports at large. You may have missed them, and they are worth reading.
A look back, ahead
With 2020 less than a week away, it seemed a good time to take a quick look back at what’s happened in 2019 and a look ahead to the new year. Thirteen states either legalized for went live with legal sports betting in 2019, and when DraftKings launches its mobile sportsbook in New Hampshire on Monday, that will make six states that went live this year. In total, 19 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico all legalized or went live in 2019.
Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, New York and Oregon all launched operations in some form or fashion in 2019. The two quickest to move were Indiana and Iowa, both of which went from legal to live in less than four months. In New York and Oregon, no new legislation was required to effect state-sanctioned operations. Four upstate tribal casinos went live with on-site sports betting only in New York in July, and in Oregon, the lottery launched its Scoreboard mobile product that limits sports betting to professional sports only.
There was also substantial movement across the U.S. on the legislative side. Besides Indiana and Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Montana, New Hampshire, Michigan, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. all legalized in 2019. When New Hampshire launches on Monday, it will have gone from legal to live in only six months. In its law, Colorado has a stated launch date of May 1, 2020, but other than that, it’s likely that most states and Puerto Rico won’t go live until after that date. The sports betting application process is open in Illinois, Montana, and Washington, D.C.
For a little bit more in-depth look at who legalized and went live, check out this story on USBets.com
So, what comes next? The New Year should see another wave of enthusiasm for sports betting, with bills pre-filed in many states, including Kentucky and Missouri. California’s tribes are trying to put sports betting — on-site only at horse racetracks and tribal casinos — to the voters while Connecticut’s governor recently implied that negotiations with tribes there are moving forward.
More of the most important stories
So how did @DraftKings get to a $2.7B Enterprise Value (EV)?
This exercise is not meant to dispute their valuation, but rather shed light as to how they possibly arrived at said number, while also highlighting the most important input variables that could impact their…
— Alfonso Straffon 🇨🇷🇺🇸🇲🇽 (@astraffon) December 27, 2019
MARKET: As U.S. legal sports betting takes off, there’s a chance to make money in stocks. [CNBC]
THE HYPE: The betting event of the 2010s: Mayweather vs. McGregor [Chalk]
VISION 2020: What does 2020 have in store for sports betting in New England? [Boston Globe]
ICKER: KonekTV is offering sportsbooks the chance to run real-time sports betting info. [CDCGaming]
IT’S COMPLICATED Legal sports betting in Sunshine State will take more than a bill. [SunSentinel]
READ ALL ABOUT IT: As sports betting proliferates, sports media will scramble to cover, monetize it. [DigiDay]
I’M DONE: Shaw drops suspension appeal. [AP]
MAKE A BET: Newgioco launches real-money betting on Indian Stick Game at a MT casino. [Yahoo!Finance]
TICKER: Boyd Gaming is cashing in on legal sports betting. [Yahoo! Finance]
ONGOING: Legalized gambling still work in progress in Georgia [Capitol Beat]
NEW: A bill to legalize sports betting in Maryland through a November 2020 voter referendum has been pre-filed by Sen. Chris West. The state legislative session begins on January 8th and ends April 6th. pic.twitter.com/eU3V4MnSc4
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) December 27, 2019
In the wider world of sports
RATINGS: ESPN touts strong year of Monday Night Football ratings and viewership [Awful Announcing]
LETDOWN: Arguments for Browns, Rams, Chargers as biggest underachievers. [NFL.com]
BLACK MONDAY: The five NFL coaches most likely to get fired. [SBNation]
Just because you have the technology doesn't mean you have to use it. https://t.co/Ri7DjkPY0c
— Miles McQuiggan (@MilesMcQuiggan) December 26, 2019
NO TANKING HERE: A look at why the Steelers refused to quit. [BleacherReport]
HORSES, CUBS AND TIGER: Most memorable sports moments of the decade. [WSJ]
Also around our network this week
New chapter for DraftKings, which is going public via acquisition by Eagle Diamond.
Nevada breaks record with $614 million in sports betting handle
Tennessee’s proposed sports betting regs raise key concerns.
DraftKings to go live in New Hampshire on Dec. 30.
Kentucky would ban sports betting on UK, Louisville, according to draft legislation.
