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 U.S. sports betting stories, highlighting some fresh news, and rounding up key stories.
Top stories around our network this week
We don’t cover as much horse racing here as we do over at US Bets, but I can’t help it. It’s Kentucky Derby week!
We’ve had ample Derby coverage this week, including a look at the contenders, the longshots we like, and a look at some significant figures surrounding the race’s economic impact. We also touched on where to watch and wager on the Derby in Ohio, spoke about Derby futures with Johnny Avello, and took a look back at the shocking upset from Mine That Bird in 2009.
Enjoy the Derby, everybody. Now let’s take a look around the sports betting world.
Add Maine to the big board
Maine is the first state to legalize sports wagering in 2022
Get ready for a fight in California
Operator referendum would allow for mobile sports betting, but state’s tribes are opposed
Is Missouri back from the dead?
Lawmakers, stakeholders back in talks in last-ditch effort to legalize sports betting
Missouri sports betting bill draws debate, backlash in Senate
What about Vermont?
Draft Vermont bill would allow for statewide mobile wagering
North Carolina, too? Sure, why not
Optimism In North Carolina about legalizing mobile sports betting soon
Getting closer in Ohio
Ohio sports betting application window opens June 15
More drama in Florida
Seminoles stop making gaming payments to state amid court case
And I thought I was special
Sportsbook VIP programs ain’t what they used to be, bettors say
This may not last
Virginia loses out on tax revenue because of promotional credits
Situation normal, all …
NCAA tweaks outlook on sports betting, but potential problems loom
Revenue reports
Arizona sports betting handle falls just shy of $500 million for February
Iowa sports betting handle slips to $177 million
They fought the law, and the law won
Illegal Flint-area gambling operations busted by MGCB
FanDuel has new CFO
FanDuel earlier this week announced that David Jennings, formerly parent company Flutter’s group director of investor Relations and FP&A, has been appointed CEO.
In his new role, Jennings will oversee all things financial, including FP&A, strategy, accounting, procurement, tax and treasury in support of the company’s sportsbook, casino, racing, daily fantasy, retail and corporate functions, according to a company press release. Jennings was formerly an equity research analyst at Goldman Sachs Asset Management and J&E Davy.
— Jill R. Dorson
DraftKings drops new batch of NFTs
DraftKings on Wednesday dropped a new batch of NFTs featuring Major League Baseball’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as part of a new collaboration with Metabilia. The company will supply the DraftKings Marketplace.
The collection will also include NFTs from Ronald Acuna Jr., Shane Bieber, Wander Franco, Joe Musgrove, and Fernando Tatis Jr. The DraftKings Marketplace also features NFTs from Autograph, co-founded by Tom Brady.
Today, @metabilia_io teams up with @DK_Marketplace as DraftKings’ latest NFT supplier where fans can soon chronicle the careers of rising star athletes. The debut collection drops tomorrow featuring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Official press release here: https://t.co/Woaujwfk4B pic.twitter.com/tVFCAFWXKH
— DraftKings News (@DraftKingsNews) May 3, 2022
— Jill R. Dorson
Racing salvaged at Grants Pass Downs
After Grants Pass Downs owner Travis Boersma said there would be no racing at Grants Pass Downs this spring and summer, the Oregon Racing Commission unanimously approved a barebones, seven-date meet at the track that will instead be operated by the Southern Oregon Horse Racing Association.
Boersma, who leases the land his track sits on from Josephine County, canceled his commercial meet — which was one of the major small-track success stories of 2021 — after an Oregon Department of Justice ruling forced the ORC to deny his request to house hundreds of Historical Horse Racing machines in the Flying Lark facility adjacent to the track. The newly approved, fair-style meet ensures that live horse racing will not go completely dark at Oregon’s lone remaining track.
— Mike Seely
More of the most important, interesting stories
COME ON, HON: Online sports wagering in Maryland won’t begin before football season [WJZ]
REJECTED: Bally’s rejects Standard General takeover as company turns to profit in Q1 [iGaming Next]
BET AND OGLE?: Hooters appealing to the increasing numbers sf sports bettors [Forbes]
GET IT TOGETHER, MASS: House Speaker shifts, subtly, on expectations for sports betting [WGBH]
NEIGH: As sports betting expands, horse racing faces an ‘essential’ need to adapt [Courier Journal]
DELAYED: Supply chain woes, ‘market forces’ mean casino won’t open until 2024 [Register & Bee]
