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,” rounding up top stories in sports betting and gaming, and the world of sports at large. You may have missed them, and they are worth reading. This is meant to be brief, so that’s it.
Iowa Sports Betting Prospects; Delaware Sports Betting Profits; New Jersey Sports Betting Partnerships and More
The Iowa City-based Gazette reported this week that Iowa lawmakers, its casinos and the state lottery are “all in” on sports betting. Iowa sports betting had decent momentum but little runway in the spring of 2018, when Representative Jake Highfill (R-Johnston) led the the charge on HF 2448 — a bill that would legalize sports wagering in Iowa.
“I really think that if the Supreme Court ruling came in our favor, we would’ve had it done by now because of the momentum,” Highfill told Sports Handle in early April, after one of the possible decision dates passed with no ruling on Murphy v NCAA.
But the session ended on April 17, before Highfill could educate fellow lawmakers and garner enough support with other priorities on the table — and just about a month before the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Several other neighbors in the U.S. heartland are in the same (river)boat — Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois, among others.
Now that SCOTUS has ruled favorably for states’ rights and the ability of each to legalize sports betting or not — Iowa stakeholders appear to be congealing around the same points.
“They’re all in,” Highfill said about Democratic and Republican colleagues who have been calling him since the Supreme Court ruling.
“Now that the Supreme Court has ruled, there is a lot more awareness,” said Wes Ehrecke, CEO of the Iowa Gaming Association.
On the business side, there are more than 20 commercial casinos in Iowa. The Iowa sports betting bill would levy what amounts to a 7.66 percent tax rate on sports wagering revenue and would allow mobile wagering right off the bat. Highfill previously said that the “integrity fee” or “royalty” is a complete non-starter. The legislature returns to session in early January.
The Other Most Important Stories of the Week in Sports Betting and U.S. Gaming
DEBUTS: Delaware sports betting yielded $7 million in handle and $1 million profit in the first three weeks [SH]
REFRESHING: Ohio State AD Gene Smith has a rational approach to sports betting [Dispatch]
GOOD QUESTION: Taking a slice: Pirates seek sports-betting cut. Will play improve? [Post-Gazette]
THEY WANT NEXT: ‘Kansas and Missouri should get ready to offer sports gambling’ [KC Star]
POSITIONING: Mississippi poised to become sports betting capital of the South [Gridiron]
MEDIA: Legal gambling could change the way we watch, talk and experience sports [WashPo]
EVERYTHING’S RELATIVE: For the last time, NFL ratings aren’t down. They’re up, compared to everything else [Deadspin]
TRUTH: Lawyer whose firm reps Yankees and Cubs takes a cut at MLB’S ‘integrity fee’ [NJ OG]
AGREEMENTS: SBTech announces partnership with Resorts Casino for NJ sports betting [Marketwatch]
INDEPENDENCE DOGS: Wait, how many hot dogs did Joey Chestnut just eat? [ESPN]
Elsewhere in the Wild World of Sports:
SCOUTING: Hunter S. Thompson told Colts owner Jim Irsay to draft Ryan Leaf over Peyton Manning [ESPN]
GOLDEN STATE: DeMarcus Cousins on the Warriors is fascinating and frightening [TBL]
ON THE LINKS: Eagles will wear home jerseys in New Orleans after golf bet between coaches [PFT]
AND, OH, YEAH: LeBron James is now a Laker! Lingering questions [Ringer]
Tweets of Note:
My mate has two tickets for the England vs Sweden game on Saturday. He didn't realise that it's going to be on the same day as his wedding, so he can't go. If you're interested and want to go instead of him, it's at St. Andrew's Church in Cambridge and her name is Sarah
— Billy 🎅🏼 (@WHUFCBilly) July 5, 2018
With the addition of Cousins, the Warriors now have more gold medals than 102 countries/teams recognized by the IOC in all Olympic events.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) July 3, 2018
Dan Gilbert has spoken. And no, it’s not in Comic Sans this time. A classy way to send LeBron James off… pic.twitter.com/Nfmaar73cx
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 2, 2018
— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) July 3, 2018
Quote of the Week:
The NFL’s “The Checkdown” asked top active players who they would put on the Mount Rushmore of NFL Players. Said Jaguars All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey:
“My Mount Rushmore is me with four different expressions.”
Video of the Week:
Here’s a preview of the remainder of Grayson Allen’s NBA career before he inevitably ends up in Europe:
Trae Young and Grayson Allen mixing it up in Summer League 👀 pic.twitter.com/wCJx50Q2GS
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 6, 2018
ICYMI at Sports Handle:
Bet365 Set to Join European Contingent in U.S. Sports Betting Market
7 Parlay Bets That Overcame Long Odds and Paid Big
‘Enthusiasm Is High’ as Mississippi Sports Betting Preparations Underway
