By now you’ve heard the news: Heat guard Terry Rozier and Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were arrested Thursday in connection with two separate (but overlapping) gambling-related indictments. Former NBA player Damon Jones was also arrested as part of both probes. One indictment focused on bettors using leaked inside information to make player prop wagers. The other indictment targeted underground poker games organized by the mob.
VSiN.com senior editor Zach Cohen has more details.
Other links I found enlightening:
>ESPN: Questions (and answers)
>The Wall Street Journal: On Billups’ alleged role in the poker games that used “James Bond tech” to cheat players. Examples: An X-ray table that could read face-down cards; special contact lenses that could spot marked cards.
>NY Post: The colorful backgrounds of the organized crime figures who were arrested and whom you probably don’t want to testify against.
Stay tuned: No doubt more will come out about the NBA probe — and the FBI indicated that the long-simmering college basketball point-shaving investigation is still pending.
Postscript: A month ago, I was told about a former NBA player in Las Vegas who might be interested in doing some analyst work for VSiN. The name? Damon Jones.
World Series betting options
What, you say? You want action on the World Series, but you don’t like the series prices on the Dodgers (-250 at Circa) and Blue Jays (+215)?
With Game 1 tonight (8 ET, Fox), VSiN.com managing editor Adam Burke has some ideas for you beyond his Series prediction:
>Take a look at the possible MVP choices.
More Series coverage
Dave Tuley shares his betting strategies for the Series.
Greg Peterson has posted his Game 1 pick.
And Jensen Lewis offers this nugget favoring Toronto: The 4 previous teams to win the LCS in 7 games when facing a team that swept its LCS: ALL FOUR won World Series
It’s not over until it’s Over
Amazon Prime announcer Al Michaels knew the TNF game wasn’t quite over yet with 3 minutes left even with the Chargers up big over the Vikings.
But one LA field goal with 2 minutes left and it was. The Chargers (-3.5) won 37-10 and the game went Over the closing Total of 45 (Circa) and 44.5 (DraftKings).
>Everything we do on NFL Week 8 is posted here, including Steve Makinen’s Best Bets.
CFB Week 9: Friday Night Best Bets
Adam Burke has something to say about all three games tonight:
North Texas (-26.5 at Circa) vs. Charlotte (7 ET, ESPN)
Cal (+6) vs. Virginia Tech (7:30 ET, ESPN2)
Boise State (-21.5) vs. Nevada (10 ET, CBSSN)
Steve Makinen has a play on the Cal-Virginia Tech game.
Everything we have on Week 9 will be here.
Tim Murray and Matt Youmans run through more than 20 games on the VSiN College Football Betting Podcast. >Watch. >Listen.
Get the DonBest Pro and College Football Rotation Guide (starting this week and through the postseason), ready for download now.
Circa Friday Football resumes
The aforementioned Matt Youmans will announce 175 picks from 25 contestants tonight on the Circa Friday Football Invitational show (7-10 p.m. ET).
Guests include Circa owner Derek Stevens, who put up the $30,000 in prize money, plus contestants Mike North, Drew Bridges, Frank Betti, Doug Kezirian and Jason Jarvis.
Fox Sports analyst Chris Fallica has a 2.5-pint lead heading into Week 8. >>Standings.
The show is sponsored by Omaha Steaks. This week (so far), I’ve had the burgers, beef tips and kielbasa. See promo above.
Get the VSiN College Basketball Betting Guide
What you’ll find in our 194-page season preview:
>Breakdowns of all 31 conferences
>Matt Youmans’ Preseason Top 50
>Greg “Hoops” Peterson’s Betting Nuggets
>Aaron Moore on player of the year odds
>Zach Cohen on the NCAA Champion futures markets
>Steve Makinen’s Power Ratings and Statistics
You have to be a VSiN Pro subscriber to get the guide, so find the package that works best for you.
Quick Hits
NBA: Don’t forget to check out our new Opta AI NBA player props projections. (Betting life goes on, right?) Zach Cohen will have his Best Bets, plus he’ll look for prop projections that interest him. Steve Makinen will post his Analytics Report. You will find them mid-morning on our NBA page.
NHL: VSiN hockey analyst Jonathan Davis will post his Best Bets around mid-day.
Horse Racing: On the VSiN At The Track podcast, Mike Somich and Aaron Halterman explain why the Breeders’ Cup is the toughest two days of handicapping, analyze the jockey move on Journalism, profile some of the Kentucky Derby hopefuls running in the Juvenile and dish out best bets for this weekend’s races at Churchill Downs and Keeneland. >Watch. >Listen.
VSiN’s “Mr. Ed” Sehonhas picks for today’s card at Keeneland.
Special 1/ST BET offer: Deposit and bet $200 on the Breeders’ Cup at 1/ST BET with promo code VSINBC and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a VIP Vegas Experience at Circa — including a two-night stay, a $250 food and beverage credit, your own cabana at Stadium Swim, and a behind-the-scenes visit to the VSiN studio. Plus, when you deposit and bet just $100, you’ll score a one-year VSiN Pro subscription. Sign up today.
