Press Releases
TheLines.com: Pandemic weighs on NFL’s Week 16 schedule
The holiday weekend will bring with it an uncertainty in the NFL schedule that oddsmakers haven’t seen since the 2020 season, according to TheLines.com, which tracks odds in the U.S. regulated sports betting market.
Eight teams have yet to play in Week 15 after COVID-19 outbreaks pushed three games into Monday and Tuesday — Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks at the Los Angeles Rams, and Washington Redskins at the Philadelphia Eagles joining the regularly scheduled Monday Night matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. Those late games put half the NFL Week 16 schedule on relative standby as oddsmakers await Week 15 to play out.
As we stand, five games have double-digit spreads, including two that have significant playoff implications, and six have spreads of 3.5 or lower, according to a consensus of that nation’s largest legal online sportsbooks — including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, and PointsBet. And oddsmakers are expecting the potential of more outbreaks, combined with late-season injuries and winter weather, to affect scoring. Half of the Week 16 schedule has an over/under of 45 points or less and no game features a point total of 50 points or more, which if it holds would mark the first time in two seasons that not a single game would reach the 50-point over/under threshold.
“We were all hoping to put this kind of uncertainty behind us after the 2020 season brought unprecedented challenges,” said Brett Collson, lead analyst for TheLines.com. “The odds could still significantly shift this week as the pandemic rears its ugly head again. Unfortunately, that might be a fact of life for the rest of the season.”
The consensus point spreads for Week 16 games, as of Monday, Dec. 20:
- San Francisco 49ers (-3.5) at Tennessee Titans; over/under 44.5
- Cleveland Browns at Green Bay Packers (-7.5); over/under 45.5
- Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals (-1.5); over/under 49
- Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons (-4.5); over/under 44
- Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5); over/under 44.5
- Los Angeles Rams (-3) at Minnesota Vikings; over/under 49
- Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (-1.5); over/under 44
- Jacksonville Jaguars at New York Jets (-2.5); over/under 41.5
- New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (-10); over/under 42
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-11.5) at Carolina Panthers; over/under 47.5
- Los Angeles Chargers (-10.5) at Houston Texans; over/under 47.5
- Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks (-7); over/under 43.5
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs (-10.5); over/under 46.5
- Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders (1.5); over/under 42.5
- Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys (-10); over/under 47.5
- Miami Dolphins at New Orleans Saints (-3); over/under 40
To access updated lines and a betting guide for every NFL team, visit www.thelines.com/betting/nfl. To access Week 16 odds, visit www.thelines.com/nfl-week-16-odds-2021/.
Latest News
THE UNIT TO STEP UP EXPANSION PLANS WITH OPENING OF NEW YORK CITY OFFICE
The Unit aims to grow its presence in the Americas with move to new Manhattan location in January 2025 at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub
The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, will proudly open its new office in New York City, as part of its long-term global expansion objectives, in January 2025.
The Americas division was established in 2023 with the launch of The Unit’s partnership with online operator PlayStar Casino. The New York City office, located in the heart of Manhattan, will now be the hub for The Unit’s activity in the Americas.
This new base will be located at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub, which was launched to help Irish business owners expand their North American operations. The offices at 2 Grand Central Tower are a great asset to Irish companies aiming to expand their operations in the United States and beyond. This is an ideal location for The Unit to grow its footprint in the region.
The project will be put into practice by The Unit’s Head of Business Development & Account Management Mark O’Hare, who has relocated to New York and will be responsible for The Unit’s commercial growth in the region.
With product and development teams in Ireland and Moldova, the addition of an American hub is further proof The Unit holds an unwavering commitment to becoming the partner of choice, on a global scale, throughout the industry.
Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “These are exciting times for The Unit, and with plans in place to exponentially grow our presence in the Americas across the next few years, the start of 2025 will be the perfect time for us to move into one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
“This will be the ideal addition to our existing bases in Ireland and Moldova. The flexible workspace the hub can provide will be integral to our plans and will give us the opportunity to grow the team.
“This is an excellent opportunity for us to touch base with clients in the Americas and strategise further launches. We’re looking forward to mapping out our future in the region with our team on the ground there.
“I would like to thank Mark O’Hare for making the move to New York, and I’m sure both he and his team will have the skills and experience to execute our vision for the Americas division across the long-term.”
Tania Sheikh, Manager of NYC Hub for Bank of Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to welcome The Unit to the NYC Hub. The facilities we can provide have helped businesses scale up and connect with their partners, and we are proud to offer that opportunity to The Unit.
“We look forward to hosting The Unit and wish them well in their endeavors to grow their business here.”
The Unit has solidified its strong track record of building world-class, scalable and efficient products for the sports betting and iGaming sector in recent years.
As The Unit embarks on this exciting period of growth, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional products and services to its clients. With its experienced team, best-in-class product development capabilities, and focus on innovation, The Unit is poised to shape the future of the sports betting and iGaming industries.
Latest News
Golden Matrix Group to Participate in the 2025 ICR Conference
Golden Matrix Group Inc., a developer and licensor of online gaming platforms, systems, and gaming content, today announced that management will participate in the 2025 ICR Conference on January 13-15, 2025 at the Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, FL.
Zoran Milosevic, Chief Executive Officer of Meridianbet, will participate in a fireside chat with an equity research analyst on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 2:30 PM ET and will also be available for meetings during the conference.
Canada
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
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