Warriors -900 to set record; bank fires workers for sports betting; WestGate bans smoking

Twice weekly, we’ll comb through as many articles, tweets and podcasts as we can find related to the world of sports betting and daily fantasy sports, and publish the good stuff here. 

Stumble upon something you think we should include? Email info@bettingtalk.com.

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The Golden State Warriors are now listed as -900 favorites to win at least 73 games this season at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook, jumping up from -360 before the game. The Warriors were able to force overtime and go on to win 103-96 on the road against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. With seven games remaining, the Warriors need to go at least 5-2 to set the record for most regular season NBA wins of all time. They will be tested by the San Antonio Spurs two more times — once at home and once on the road. They host the Celtics tonight.


According to a Dealbreaker article, JP Morgan fired five employees who were caught betting on sports during company time.

According to one person, “One day we were all separately told to leave and go to Brooklyn. In Brooklyn they…interrogated me and made me provide a written statement. Everyone apparently had a similar experience. Their investigation was very thorough; the way they put the pieces together was unreal. It was like CSI.”

We’re told that “people were winning/losing upwards of $10k each week individually– not everyone, but it wasn’t peanuts,” and that an attempt to convince the bank “it was for Super Bowl squares” wasn’t bought, since the numbers were so large. The betting had been going on for at least six months to one year. JP Morgan declined to comment.


The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook recently banned smoking in the sportsbook.

Westgate Las Vegas Vice President of Race and Sports Operations Jay Kornegay says Westgate is just trying to keep up with the times by banning smoking, especially as public calls for non-smoking spaces have grown louder over the years.


A local television news commentator makes the argument Illinois and Iowa are leaving a lot of money on the table by not legalizing, regulating and taxing sports betting.


DraftKings and FanDuel made a deal with the NCAA to no longer offer contests on college sports following the Final Four next week.

The decision should have little effect on either company’s business. For FanDuel, which alongside DraftKings controls around 90 percent of the daily fantasy market, college sports make up only about three percent of revenue. College sports nets DraftKings 10 to 20 times less revenue than bets on NFL games. Yet by agreeing to ban college betting, both companies may see a boost of goodwill in more contentious legal battlegrounds like New York, where they’ve ceased operating in hopes the state will legalize the activity.


A new startup called FlowPlay launched which offers daily fantasy sports action where players can buy virtual currency with real money but can’t cash out any winnings.

“Significant issues – including regulatory pressure, limited audiences, and high operating costs – continue to burden the online fantasy sports industry, especially in the U.S.,” said Morton. “FlowPlay is leveraging our experience in the casual games industry to introduce a completely new model that is sustainable and legal. Social sports wagering games are a viable alternative to the embattled daily fantasy industry and supply an appealing experience for millions of sports enthusiasts that have been largely alienated by current offerings.”


UC Irvine announced the construction of a 3,500-square-foot e-sports arena.

The grand opening of the UCI esports arena is slated for fall 2016. With up to 10 academic scholarships up for grabs, UCI will become a highly touted destination for the nation’s top young gamers. One of the biggest deterrents for kids and parents alike when it comes to esports is the need to put school aside for professional gaming. This new initiative from UCI will combine the best of both worlds and may serve as a model stepping stone for future gamers and gaming programs.