Press Releases
TheLines.com: Oddsmakers take notice of NFL’s early season surprises
Most NFL seasons offer longshots that defy expectations, and through two weeks the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders are riding high with 2-0 starts. Such surprise teams are a feature of today’s NFL, offering a significant payoff to bettors who identify those with lasting power early and fool’s gold for those teams headed for regression, according to TheLines, which tracks odds in U.S. regulated sports betting markets.
Fresh off their 26-17 road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Raiders are a 5.5-point favorite to topple the Miami Dolphins in Week 3 and get off to a 3-0 start, according to a consensus of the nation’s largest legal online sportsbooks — including BetAmerica, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, SugarHouse, and Unibet. The odds for Las Vegas to win the Super Bowl moved from +10000 to win the Super Bowl — meaning bettors would win $10,000 for every $100 wagered — to +4700 in just two weeks. Meanwhile, the Panthers dismantled the New Orleans Saints 26-7 in Week 2, and are 7.5-point road favorites to beat the Houston Texans on Thursday night. In starting 2-0, the Panthers have moved from +9000 to win the Super Bowl to +5000 now.
The Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals are also off to surprising 2-0 starts, but neither were considered as big a longshot before Week 1 as the Raiders and Panthers.
Can these teams sustain the hot start to become true contenders? The odds are against them, but none would be the longest of longshots to win a Super Bowl. The 1999 St. Louis Rams were +30000 to win the Super Bowl before that season kicked off, one of the greatest underdogs to win a championship in a major North American sport.
“Two weeks is too early to know whether a particular team can parlay a hot start into contention, or if regression is inevitable,” said Brett Collson, lead analyst for TheLines.com. “But surprise teams like the Panthers and Raiders can offer an intriguing bet even after their odds to win it all have improved.”
The consensus point spreads for Week 3 games, as of Monday, Sept. 20:
- Carolina Panthers (-7.5) at Houston Texans; over/under 43
- Washington Football Team at Buffalo Bills (-9); over/under 46.5
- Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns (-7.5); over/under 47
- Baltimore Ravens (-7.5) at Detroit Lions; over/under 48.5
- Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans (-5); over/under 50.5
- Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (-7); over/under 54.5
- New Orleans Saints at New England Patriots (-3); over/under 43.5
- Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants (-3); over/under 48.5
- Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers (-4.5); over/under 44.5
- Arizona Cardinals (-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars; over/under 52
- New York Jets at Denver Broncos (-11); over/under 41.5
- Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders (-5); over/under 45.5
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams (-1); over/under 54.5
- Seattle Seahawks (-1) at Minnesota Vikings; over/under 55.5
- Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (-4); over/under 48.5
- Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (-4); over/under 51.5
To access the updated futures lines for every NFL team, and for more analysis, visit TheLines.com/odds/super-bowl. To access Week 3 odds, visit www.thelines.com/nfl-week-3-odds-2021/.
Canada
THE CANADIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES ELECTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS
- Bruce Caughill, Managing Director, Canada, Rush Street Interactive
- Peter Czegledy, Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP
- Neil Erlick, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Nuvei
- Charmaine Hogan, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Playtech
- Dale Hooper, General Manager Canada, FanDuel
- Chuck Keeling, EVP, SH Engagement, Community and Social Responsibility, Great Canadian Entertainment
- David Lucchese, Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Everi
- Adrianne McGrath, Vice President, Business Development, Konami Gaming
- Terry McInally, Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Information Officer, Gateway Casinos
- Niaz Nejad, Managing Director, Americas – Gaming, Light & Wonder
- Bob Parente, SVP Chief Revenue Officer, Gaming, Light & Wonder
- Derek Ramm, Global Head, Advisory Services, Kinectify
- Lindsay Slader, SVP Compliance, GeoComply
- Richard Taylor, President, MGE Entertainment – Fallsview
- Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer Canada, PointsBet Canada
Latest News
Aristocrat Interactive Teams Up with Big Bola to Power Full Suite of iGaming Solutions Across Mexico
Aristocrat Interactive™, Aristocrat’s online Real Money Gaming (RMG) division, has partnered with Big Bola to deliver a comprehensive suite of iGaming solutions, integrating advanced technology and personalized services tailored for the Mexican market.
Under this agreement Aristocrat Interactive will provide Big Bola with a robust Player Account Management (PAM), Sportsbook Solution, and bespoke managed services system, strengthening Aristocrat Interactive’s presence in Mexico. Additionally, Aristocrat Interactive will supply Self-Service Betting Terminals (SSBTs) for retail sports betting and Over the Counter (OTC) solutions, ensuring an enhanced and seamless betting experience for Big Bola’s players.
“We’re thrilled to take our existing land-based strong relationship with Big Bola, one of Mexico’s top operators, to the next level and enhance their online business,” said Tsachi Maimon, Chief Strategy Officer, Aristocrat Interactive. “This deal reinforces our commitment to delivering a fully connected and innovative experience across both digital and land-based verticals in this key market.”
Leveraging Aristocrat Interactive’s in-house aggregation platforms, Big Bola will gain access to a wide range of content from leading casino providers. The fully customizable PAM platform offers seamless API integration, real-time player engagement tools, advanced data analytics, secure payment methods, and stringent compliance features. Big Bola’s players will also benefit from a customizable, scalable sportsbook platform featuring horse racing, esports, boosted odds, and jackpot offerings.
“With nearly two decades of experience in the gaming industry, we re-entered the digital space seven years ago by launching our Big Bola Online platform,” said Emilio Quirós, COO & Business Development at Big Bola. “Now, we are excited to take the next step in our evolution by partnering with a global leader like Aristocrat Interactive to provide a richer, immersive gaming experience to players in Mexico.”
Aristocrat Interactive will also develop a mobile application that will play a crucial role in delivering a fully integrated player experience, vital for Big Bola’s mobile-focused audience in Mexico.
Latest News
Scientific Games Named Ohio Lottery’s New Lottery Gaming System Partner
Scientific Games announces that the company has been selected as the Ohio Lottery’s new lottery gaming system technology partner following a competitive procurement process by the State of Ohio. The global lottery company won the award and looks forward to responsibly driving the Ohio Lottery’s future growth and sustainability. One hundred percent of Ohio Lottery profits help support the state’s K-12, vocational and special education programs. Scientific Games is the lottery industry’s fastest-growing lottery systems provider.
Pat McHugh, Scientific Games CEO, said, “On behalf of all the Scientific Games teams who have been hard at work developing a responsible, sustainable growth plan for the Ohio Lottery with our newest, performance-driven technology, we are celebrating this award. We look forward to working with the Ohio Lottery to bring new products and technology which will ultimately help support education funding in Ohio.”
Scientific Games will provide the Ohio Lottery with the company’s Momentum ecosystem, featuring the advanced AEGIS central gaming system and Infuse business intelligence tool. The company’s innovative WAVE point-of-sales terminals and Lottery InMotion digital content system will support the Ohio Lottery’s extensive retailer network. Scientific Games’ PlayCentral suite of self-service machines will enable the lottery to engage Ohio players with expanded game content while also supporting new retailer and restaurant locations.
The Ohio Lottery will be supported by a Scientific Games team of game, product and technology experts and facilities management services. The company provides the Lottery’s Scratch-Off games and manages the games through the performance-driven Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership program at its facility in metro Cleveland.
The SGEP program, which has been in place with the Ohio Lottery since 2019, provides inside sales, and advanced logistics and analytics. The Lottery is ranked in the top 20 worldwide for instant game per capita performance (La Fleur’s 2024 World Lottery Almanac). The company has provided Ohio Lottery Scratch-Off games for more than 23 consecutive years.
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