The Super Bowl may be taking center stage here in the States but the Premiership stops for no one!. James Kempton is back with his gambling game capsules for a busy weekend highlighted by a showdown at the Etihad between the top two teams in the EPL table. Hull vs Newcastle Pick and 2.25 Until Newcastle appoint a manager you either go against them or avoid them. On the Pick line I will shade with the home team and even on an under 2.25 line I’m happy to side with limited scoring at the KC Stadium. Crystal Palace vs Everton Pick Goals 2.25 Another game where on a Pick line I’m happy to support the home team Crystal Palace. Everton will win again this season but until I see it with my eyes I cannot back them against a home team with significant momentum. Liverpool vs West Ham Liverpool -0.75 Goals 2.75 The Hammers are resilient, don’t concede many goals, and bar the really elite teams I can’t have them laying more than half a goal against any EPL team. Liverpool are not an elite side and on the goal line I particularly like the under 2.75 as I can’t see Liverpool carving the away team up at will. Manchester United vs Leicester City United -1.5 Goals 3 This game is priced so accurately that I don’t even want to try and figure it out. My only thought would be to the goal market and if you believe Leicester can prevent United from keeping a clean sheet then an overs ticket will probably cash. I’m just not sure they can… Stoke vs QPR Stoke -0.75 Goals 2.5 Twenty nine goals have been scored in QPR’s away games while Stoke have conceded 12 times at...

Every prop is not created equally.  Naturally recreational bettors or professional bettors gravitate towards different props given their level of engagement.  The folks at William Hill US were kind enough to share their top 10 most popular prop bets thus far in anticipation of Sunday’s big game #10: Team to receive opening kickoff: Patriots +115 #9: Will there be overime? Yes +500 #8: Exact Margin of Victory: New England by 13-18 +1000 #7: First scoring play of the game: Seattle Safety +5000 #6: Player to score first touchdown: Julien Edelman +1200 #5: Which will be the highest scoring quarter: 3rd Quarter +320 #4: First score of game: Field goal or safety +150 #3: Will there be a successful 2 pt conversion? Yes +310 #2: Will there be a special teams or defensive touchdown? Yes +145 #1: Will there be a safety in the game? Yes...

Cross sport props continue to grow in popularity each and every year.  Books offshore and in Las Vegas tend to offer a wide variety to test even the most veteran handicappers abilities.  Whether it’s golf, rugby, hockey, soccer, you name it…if you can find an angle worth attacking there will be a bet for you come next Sunday.  Here’s a list of the numbers currently available at the Westgate Superbook here in Vegas. WHO WILL HAVE MORE: **(Heat/Celtics–February 1, 2015) Prop closes at 10:10 am Pacific HEAT POINTS                                -31.5  -110 ROB GRONKOWSKI (NE) RECEIVING YARDS        +31.5  -110   WHO WILL HAVE MORE: **(Heat/Celtics–February 1, 2015) Prop closes at 10:10 am Pacific CELTICS POINTS                             -15.5  -110 MARSHAWN LYNCH (SEA) RUSHING YARDS         +15.5  -110   WHO WILL HAVE MORE: **(Heat/Celtics–February 1, 2015) Prop closes at 10:10 am Pacific HEAT+CELTICS POINTS                        +11.5  -110 RUSSELL WILSON (SEA) GROSS PASSING YARDS   -11.5  -110   WHO WILL HAVE MORE: **(Heat/Celtics–February 1, 2015) Prop closes at 10:10 am Pacific CHRIS BOSH (MIA) POINTS                     +1.5  -110 TOM BRADY (NE) COMPLETIONS                  -1.5  -110   WHO WILL HAVE MORE: **(Lakers/Knicks–February 1, 2015) Prop closes at 11:10 am Pacific JEREMY LIN (LAL) POINTS                     +0.5  -110 SEAHAWKS FIRST HALF POINTS                  -0.5  -110   WHO WILL HAVE MORE: **(Lakers/Knicks–February 1, 2015) Prop closes at 11:10 am Pacific LAKERS FIRST HALF POINTS                   -10.5  -110 JERMAINE KEARSE (SEA) RECEIVING YARDS      +10.5  -110   WHO WILL HAVE MORE: **(Lakers/Knicks–February 1, 2015) Prop closes at 11:10 am Pacific KNICKS FIRST QUARTER POINTS                 -1.5  -110 PATRIOTS POINTS                             +1.5  -110   WHO WILL HAVE MORE: **(Lakers/Knicks–February 1, 2015) Prop closes at 11:10 am Pacific (If no punt—all bets are refunded) **Must be an official punt LAKERS+KNICKS FIRST QUARTER POINTS          -7.5  -110 JON RYAN (SEA) DISTANCE OF FIRST PUNT       +7.5  -110   WHO WILL...

With the Super Bowl looming closer, most of the articles out there relating to sports gambling pertain to the big game itself.  However we still stumbled across a handful of interesting columns covering regulatory issues that remain very prominent.  Remember, feel free to submit any relevant articles so we can share them with the community each week if we happened to overlook them. US Treasury Warns Casinos on Illegal Sports Betting – Source: Reuters (Wolf) ST. LOUIS (Reuters) – U.S. casinos must take steps to combat illegal sports gambling, the Treasury Department has told an industry group in a letter that came just weeks before the Super Bowl, one of the biggest betting events of the year. “Increases in sports betting conducted on behalf of third parties are facilitating criminal activity and posing a money laundering risk to the U.S financial system,” the Treasury said in a letter made public on Friday. The letter was dated Dec. 24. Click here to read full article My Take: This is more of a regulatory formality during peak seasons in Nevada sportsbooks.  FINCEN helps with the bank secrecy act, attempting to prevent illegal third parties from wagering on behalf of undisclosed third parties (largely illegal gambling rings).  I find it interesting that the article only states 80% of sports betting around the world is conducted illegally.  However the main focus of the piece is the explanation of why these policies and procedures are put into place during a busy busy weekend. Could Legalized Sports Gambling Yield Officiating Integrity? – Source: CBS New York  (Max) Who makes the greatest stink over a blown call? (A) Fans (B) Players (C) Coaches (D) Owners Don’t bother, it’s a trick question. The answer is G … as in gamblers. While I’m strongly...

FanDuel 4Q Revenue Jumps From $7 Million to $37 Million Written by Trev Rogers The enormous growth of DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) was hard to miss during the 2014-2015 football season with an onslaught of advertisements from FanDuel and DraftKings enticing new players to join each week. There is no doubt that we have seen the “tipping point” for the DFS industry happen before our eyes over the past 6 months. The casual sports fan now MUST know what FanDuel is in order to be included in the most relevant fantasy sports conversations. FanDuel this past week reported nearly $37 million in revenue for the 4Q 2014. That is a massive increase from $7.4 million posted in the same quarter the previous year. 2014 total revenue was approximately $57 million on the year. So how did FanDuel grow their revenue at such a rapid rate? For the first time, more than 1 million people paid to play at FanDuel in Q4 2014. In Q4 2013, that number was just over 190,000. In the DFS industry, Q4 is where you need to show big growth since the NFL is in full gear along with the NBA. Year over year, this is the true test of growth due to player retention rates coming into play for football and new player acquisition for fantasy NBA players. Speaking of the NBA, after a $70 million funding round in September, FanDuel signed a four-year deal with the NBA to be the league’s official daily fantasy sports service. As part of the deal, the NBA also became a FanDuel investor and took a seat on FanDuel’s board. In case you were wondering, deals like this are the main reason FanDuel is NOT a profitable company. We have to assume the...

Sports journalists operate in shades of grey.  It’s an unspoken truth within the industry during the social media era that being right (or accurate) isn’t nearly as important as being first. Opinions dominate the space and that’s why we choose to read our favorite columnists each week, appreciating the unique lens through which they view the game.  Earlier Tuesday I stumbled on an article (and was also sent to me by countless people) that blew the oddsmaking process entirely out of proportion.  While the words sound harsh, I’ve grown critical of folks covering the gambling industry that don’t exactly understand that of which they write (exactly how I’d expect everyone to feel if I started writing about quantum physics). Let’s start with the headline and go from there… LAS VEGAS SCREWED UP THE POINT SPREAD FOR THE SUPER BOWL – AND IT COULD COST MILLIONS Ah yes, the grandiose proclamation that a point spread has been messed up by oddsmakers on the single most important game to the entire industry here in town.  Before we come to a final decision let’s see how the number moves between now and next Sunday. The article continues… With 12 days to go before the Super Bowl, there is no favorite to win the big game. But it didn’t start out that way, and that could spell disaster for Las Vegas sportsbooks. Shortly after the New England Patriots completed their destruction of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game, the 2015 Super Bowl opened with the Seattle Seahawks as 2.5- or 3-point favorites, depending on where you looked. However, in the first 24 hours of betting, the line fell all the way to a pick ’em (no favorite), a surprisingly big move for a point spread and...

Tis the season for prop bets and Sportsbook.com has unveiled a sampling of what we can expect offshore this Superbowl season.  Not only will players be offered but everything from pop culture, to Gatorade, to anything the most twisted oddsmaker may dream up by then.  Keep those creative juices flowing…there’s a good chance you can influence the industry into turning your brain child into a bettable commodity.  Amazing to think it’s been 25+ years since the birth of prop bets back in 1985 when William Perry plunged into the endzone for a 1 yd TD run. Complete list can be found here and will be continuously updated Marshawn Lynch – Will he be fined by NFL for any incident on Super Bowl XLIX Media Day YES +800 NO -2000 Bill Belichick – What Color Hoodie will he wear for Super Bowl XLIX (Main Color) Grey      -145 Blue       +105 Bill Belichick – Hoodie Style for Super Bowl XLIX Sleeves                +115 Sleeves Cut        -155 Katy Perry – What will she be wearing during her first song performance for Super Bowl XLIX halftime Dress/Skirt                          -150 Pants/Shorts/Any Other              ...

It’s not a Friday without our futbol fix from the main man across the pond James Kempton.  Remember you can not only read his analysis here but also listen to his weekly podcast here. Aston Villa v Liverpool Liverpool -0.5 and 2.25 goals Although recent form suggests Liverpool and under, the goal line set at just 2.25 makes me side with the over. Beware of Villa here on the match line as they often produce a performance in these spots and Liverpool have still not rectified all of their problems.   Still paying for the name on the jersey when looking to back Pool.   Burnley v Crystal Palace Burnley -0.25 and 2.25 goals   Both teams games last weekend cashed an overs ticket but I see Palace adopting a very cautious gameplan for this match. I’m going to lean slightly to the home team Burnley and give me the Unders on the goal line.  Leicester City v Stoke City Pick and 2.25 goals   Stoke and under are the sides that appeal to me given the fact I trust Mark Hughes to get a reaction from his team following last weeks pathetic effort. However, history tells us that backing Stoke away from home consistently in the EPL loses you money over the long term. There are far better opportunities for investing on the weekends card than tangling here.   QPR v Manchester United Man United -1 and 2.5 goals   The tight confines of Loftus Road should see a barnstorming game as I expect QPR to have a real go. This should see goals aplenty as I can’t trust United to keep a clean sheet if there are lots of crosses and high balls going into their box. Give me the over 2.5 goals and we’ll hope to cash this by...

We’re Back!!! After an unplanned technology induced hiatus PayneInsider and I are back with a full breakdown of this weekend’s conference championship games.  As always there are still a multitude of ways to listen before the season comes to an end in a few weeks. Subscribe on itunes Subscribe to the RSS sound cloud...

They’re finally here! Yes, Oscar odds for this year’s 6 biggest categories courtesy of Bovada.  I won’t claim to have ever bet into any of these markets (ok that’s a lie) but know you degenerate sickos out there are licking your chops to identify value. The Oscars – Best Picture              Boyhood                                              1/14 The Grand Budapest Hotel              12/1 Birdman                                               14/1 Selma                                                   18/1 The Imitation Game                           20/1 Theory of Everything                          25/1 Whiplash                                               50/1 American Sniper                                    50/1   The Oscars – Best Director            Richard Linklater – Boyhood                                               1/14 Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – Birdman                             13/2 Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher                                                  25/1 Morten Tyldum – The Imitation Game                               25/1 Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel                      25/1   The Oscars – Best Actor                 Michael Keaton – Birdman                                              4/5 Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything                  1/1 Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game                   12/1 Steve Carrell – Foxcatcher                                              25/1 Bradley Cooper – American Sniper                                  33/1   The Oscars – Best Actress             Julianne Moore – Still Alice                                             1/20 Reese Witherspoon – Wild                                              10/1 Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl                                            20/1 Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything                       20/1 Marion Cotillard – Two Days One Night                           33/1   The Oscars – Best Supporting Actor          JK Simmons – Whiplash                                                 1/18 Edward Norton – Birdman                                               9/1 Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher                                             12/1 Ethan Hawke – Boyhood                                                20/1 Robert Duvall – The Judge                                             33/1   The Oscars – Best Supporting Actress      Patricia Arquette – Boyhood                                           1/25 Emma Stone – Birdman                                                  12/1 Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game                        20/1 Laura Dern – Wild                                                           20/1 Meryl Streep...

TRENDS TRENDS AND MORE TRENDS! Everyone loves numbers when it comes to the NFL The numbers here are all courtesy of www.oddshark.com (follow them on twitter).  As always trends should never be the lone justification for any of your bets with a limited sample size but the information contained here within. This article is also worth a read regarding same season rematches Conference Championships NFL Betting Trends ·         Since 1998, there have been 12 instances where the Conference Title Games had a favorite of a touchdown or more (see the accompanying chart below of those games) o    The highest spread was St. Louis -15.5 over Tampa in 2000. They won 11-6 o    Four times the spread has been in double digits since 1998 and each time the dog covered o    In the 12 games, the dog is 9-3 against the spread and 5-7 straight up Date Road Home Line Total ATS OU Dog/Fave 1/17/1999 Atlanta 30 Minnesota 27 -12 55.5 Atlanta OVER DOG 1/17/1999 NY Jets 10 Denver 23 -9 50.5 Denver UNDER FAVE 1/23/2000 Tampa Bay 6 St. Louis 11 -16 45 Tampa Bay UNDER DOG 1/23/2000 Tennessee 33 Jacksonville 14 -7.5 39.5 Tennessee OVER DOG 1/27/2002 New England 24 Pittsburgh 17 -8 36 New England OVER DOG 1/27/2002 Philadelphia 24 St. Louis 29 -12 51.5 Philadelphia OVER DOG 1/19/2003 Tennessee 24 Oakland 41 -7.5 47 Oakland OVER FAVE 1/20/2008 San Diego 12 New England 21 -14 46.5 San Diego UNDER DOG 1/20/2008 NY Giants 23 Green Bay 20 -7 40.5 NY Giants OVER DOG 1/24/2010 NY Jets 17 Indianapolis 30 -7.5 40 Indianapolis OVER FAVE 1/22/2012 Baltimore 20 New England 23 -7 49 Baltimore UNDER DOG 1/20/2013 Baltimore 28 New England 13 -8 49.5 Baltimore UNDER DOG Green Bay Packers at Seattle...

This is a new feature I’ve wanted to add to the site for a long time.  Naturally you’re all going to ask what took me so long to do so and the simple answer is I don’t know.  Each Thursday moving forward my goal is to collect some of the most relevant sports betting articles to share right here.  Whether it’s about legalization, fantasy, strategy, or history the goal will be to help educate the community using the voices of others.  In order to make this an even better exercise I’d encourage loyal readers of the blog or just sports betting enthusiasts to email articles they think would be worth sharing.  I’m realistic: you all have lives, families, and schedules that don’t let you scan the internet for interesting articles.  Hopefully I can help the process because making for a more educated sports betting community helps all of us. Topic – Daily Fantasy – Source USA TODAY LAS VEGAS — The head honchos at FanDuel want to make something very clear. The product they sell is not sports betting, they say. It’s something different. In exchange for an entry fee, FanDuel allows sports fans the chance to win cash prizes every day based on the performance of players in professional or college sports. click here to read full article My Take: This is a discussion that’s not going away any time soon: is daily fantasy sports betting?  The author does a nice job getting different view points on the topic.  I think the spread of daily fantasy only helps full legalization of sports betting in all 50 states become an eventual reality but to say somehow it’s not gambling is borderline preposterous. Topic – Illegal Bookmaking – Source New Orleans News A federal judge...