Dave Bontempo, Author at

Setting The NFC East Betting Picture: Breaking Down The Eagles And Giants Odds Versus The Field

The NFC East presents a fascinating NFL betting puzzle as the Cowboys are once again favored over the Eagles and Giants.

In 2020, it was the NFC Least. But in late July and early August this year, it becomes the NFC Feast for New Jersey online sports bettors.

The NJ sports betting wagering menu for the NFC East is both diverse and creative for gamblers awaiting the Sept. 9 NFL season opener.

The Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Washington Football Team, and the Dallas Cowboys present a fascinating NFL betting puzzle.

And the Cowboys are opening the 2021 regular season in that Sept 6 game against the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They are part of a rapidly expanding, entertaining lineup. Now that NFL training camps are open, it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at these teams.

Recent NFL betting developments

DraftKings Sportsbook as a prop to select the top-scoring team in the NFL, with the Kansas City Chiefs favored at +500. Or an over-under of 510.5 yards (each side -110) as the highest passing yardage in any game this season.

William Hill has some excellent alternate-win totals on NFC East teams and an emerging prop to select the exact number of wins for various teams. Only some teams have been selected so far, but watch this one develop in the coming weeks.

There’s also a prop for the over-under on sacks (18.5) for the eventual league individual leader. Take the “over “at -120 and every defensive lineman in the league plays for you. Take the “under” at +100 and the offensive line is your team.

Bet MGM has some defensive-award potential recipients via odds on Chase Young from the Washington Football Team and Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys.

WynnBET has several intriguing Giants-related props.

Several books have the longest play from scrimmage at over 96.5 yards at varied prices. Last year it was an over, as Ronald Jones of the Buccaneers rumbled for a 98-yard score.

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Overview of NFC East teams

Let’s start with the current NFC East odds from DraftKings. Remember last season, none of the teams finished with a winning record. Washington ended up making the playoffs with a 7-9 record.

However, it’s those Cowboys with the slight edge heading into camp:

Dallas +135
Washington +200
New York Giants +450
Philadelphia +550

Eagles trying to shed ‘rebuild’ tag

How does 4-11-1 happen, especially when the Eagles averaged five rushing yards per play, third in the NFL last year?

This is how the Eagles had 29 turnovers, which ranked 30th in the league.

And the unseen stat, lost in the clamor and excitement of drafting marquee names like Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, is quarterback sacks. The Eagles not only led the league in sacks allowed but towered above it, at 4.1.

Look at the correlation between sacks and an early off-season. Of the 13 teams that yielded the most, only one, the Seattle Seahawks, had a winning record last year.

Besides the Eagles, these teams allowed the most sacks:

New York Giants, Houston Texans. Washington Football Team, and Seattle Seahawks, 3.1
Cincinnati Bengals, 3.0
Dallas Cowboys, 2.8
New York Jets, 2.7

Conversely, look at this efficiency from successful teams:

Pittsburgh Steelers, 0.8
Indianapolis Colts, 1.2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1.4
Green Bay Packers, 1.4
Cleveland Browns, 1.5
Kansas City Chiefs, 1.5

What do these teams have in common?

They all made the playoffs.

It makes sense. Yielding four sacks per game could disrupt four out of 12 or 13 game possessions. If the Eagles cut that number in half under second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts, they can flirt with .500.

Otherwise, the rebuild tag fits.

New York Giants, breakout or bust in NFC East

Saquon Barkley has dropped from +650 to +500 at MGM for Comeback Player of the Year.

He gets betting love but shows reluctance about returning from the Week 2 injury that finished his 2020 campaign. He’s on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list and is a question mark for opening day. So consider this for an in-season prop.

The Giants may try to protect Barkley by pounding the ball with more durable backs, using him more in the passing game. They also signed talented wide receivers Kelvin Benjamin and Kenny Golladay and seek a quick contribution from top pick, receiver Kadarius Toney.

The G-Men share a big problem with the Eagles. They yielded more than three sacks per game last year and quarterback Daniel Jones still makes crucial mistakes.

This is likely a do-or-die season both for him and Barkley.

The Giants established an excellent culture under new head coach Joe Judge, going 6-10 after an 0-5 start. Judge, coming from the New England Patriots, established the ball-control philosophy the Pats had.

As a side note, WynnBET has some excellent Giants-specific props. The book has specific odds for exact team win totals. Some extremes include a 12-win season at +1500 and a four-win campaign at +5000.

The sweet spot, eight wins at +300 and nine at +400, is in line with the team’s projected win total across the books.

Golladay is +2500 to lead the league in receiving yardage.

And it’s game on. Prop bets for this season are already strong.

Dallas Cowboys are once again NFC East team to watch

They have the most skill-position players in the division. And by far the worst defense.

Moneyline bettors don’t like that combo, but “over” bettors do. Consider the point totals in four games before QB Dak Prescott was lost for the season, 79, 69, 87, and 71. The overs were clinched halfway through the third quarter.

Compare this offense with the Eagles:

Amari Cooper led the Cowboys with 1,114 receiving yards.
Rookie CeeDee Lamb had 935
Michael Gallup delivered 843 yards.
Tight end Dalton Schultz had 615 yards.

And the top Eagle?

Try WR Travis Fulgham with 539 receiving yards. That’s less than the fourth Cowboys receiver.

Two props reflect the Dallas storyline.

Prescott, back from the injuries, last year, is +180 for Comeback Player of the Year at BetMGM.

Not much value, but he’s the favorite.

Micah Parsons represents the bold direction Dallas headed with the draft The Cowboys took six defensive players, starting with Parsons.

The Penn State linebacker is the +400 chalk to be the top rookie at MGM.

Dallas was wise with the draft. “Dem Cowboys” had a Swiss-cheese defense, surrendering a division-high 473 points last year. That’s a shade under 30.

Washington, the 2020 NFC East champs, yielded just 329, a bit over 20.

Washington Football Team is Young at heart

The defending division champions obtained a minding-the-store quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick rather than roll the dice in the draft. Fitzmagic will improve Washington’s offense, but the team needs a quarterback for the future.

The defense, meanwhile, is one of the best in the league.

Washington’s Chase Young resembles Lawrence Taylor, who transformed the Giants into a Super Bowl champion in the 1980s.

Young is listed third for the top defensive player award at BetMGM. He’s a hefty +700, right behind favorite and three-time winner Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams at +500 and Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns at +450.

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Light The Olympic Betting Flame: NJ Sportsbooks Offering Variety Of Odds And Props, Some With Garden State Ties

The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo presents a golden opportunity for NJ online sports bettors to enjoy some widespread wagering.

Assemble national pride with a breakthrough betting platform and what results in the next couple of weeks. The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (delayed until now as a result of the global pandemic), offering widespread wagering for the first time ever.

The Olympic Games run until Aug 8. New Jersey online bettors observe numerous options.

Team USA heavy favorite for most Olympic medals

Taking a broad concept, they can slam a wager at lopsided prices for the United States to win the most medals. Not many will opt for -1000 across the major NJ sportsbooks, but some with large bankrolls will take a small return on a near-certain sure thing.

Gamblers can also stab at the U.S. total medal count of 111.5 over-under at William Hill, for example, with odds of -115 either way.

The projected medals total across the sportsbook spectrum is slightly less than in 2016 when the USA earned 121 medals. It included 46 gold, 37 silver, and 38 bronzes.

That nearly doubled the 70 earned by second-place China (26 gold, 18 silver, and 26 bronzes).

Major advancement is expected here from China, with DraftKings Sportsbook putting the medal total at over-under 85.5 for that country.

Besides the medal count, gamblers can direct individual bets on swimming and track and field props, as they become available. Some have a Garden State connection, more on that below.

Either way, the Olympic betting realm has arrived.

DraftKings Sportsbook ‘loaded for the Olympics’

NJGamblingSites.com caught up with Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook operations for DraftKings. He summed up the Olympic wagering menu with the words “We are loaded for the Olympics.”

“I think basketball is going to be the No. 1 sport, but soccer is also going to do pretty well. Tennis is going to do well. Golf is going to be good too,” said Avello.

“As a surprise, table-tennis is going to do business too. It did well during the pandemic and then afterward,” he said of a sport that, in the initial stages of COVID-19, was all that people could wager upon.

Avello also revealed a concept bettors will savor. Books have no information edge on a circuit that plays out once every four years.

“We have a ton of sports up there,” he noted. “Surfing, rowing, volleyball, cycling. There is no way you are able to research all of them and have a great feel for it.

“If there is something soft on that board, it’s a guarantee that a sophisticated player will find it and play it. Gamblers will peruse everything, looking for some hidden value and they are going to find some.

“For us, the idea is to put up a lot of content and see what people like.”

Setting the 2020 Summer Olympic scene

Bettors can take over-under medal counts on numerous countries.

A New Jersey resident emigrating from overseas, especially Europe, may have a sense of the athletic level of his/her native country. Witness the passionate betting on England and Italy by New Jersey gamblers in the recent Euro 2020.

The 2020 Summer Olympics feature five new sports:

Surfing
Sport climbing
Skateboarding
3×3 basketball
Karate

Plus, baseball and softball are back as medal sports for the first time since 2008.

While the Rio de Janeiro 2016 games saw 28 sports with 306 medal events, these games advance to 41 sports and 339 events.

DraftKings has introduced a promo for first-time users. Bet $1 on any Olympic event and win $100 in free bets if the U.S.A. wins any medal in any event.

So, it’s $100 in free bets. Go to the promos section on the DraftKings website.

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Olympic odds for high-profile sports at DraftKings

The United States is -320 to win the basketball gold medal, with Australia second at +750.

The first team for the U.S. is Sunday, July 25, as a relatively modest -12 against France.

Here is a betting angle: Watch a particular sport and handicap it, round by round, as if it’s a professional league here. Eventually, some patterns will emerge.

LPGA Rediscovered

We haven’t seen the LPGA Tour, for the most part, because of COVID-19. But it moved to the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Nelly Korda, the 2019 money-winner, is in the Olympics, at +600 to win the women’s golf gold medal.

So is Inbee Park, at +600

Jin Young Ko, another LPGA stalwart, is +900

At +1800 is Lexi Thompson. New Jersey golf fans know her. She captured the LPGA ShopRite Classic at Seaview Country Club in Galloway in 2019.

Thompson, a Florida native, is a transplanted New Jersey favorite.

Olympic betting fun: the Springsteen thread

New Jersey has a stellar group of athletes in Tokyo. Many cannot be represented in bets, but some props emerged just before the Games and can align with tunes from a famed Garden State native.

Imagine a betting-world foray for rock legend Bruce Springsteen, skipping the worn Born to Run parody.

How about: “Sha-La-La-La, I bet chalk with a Jer-sey girl …”

Even if that can’t be done with his own family.

You can’t bet Jessica Springsteen’s equestrian event, but the 29-year-old daughter of Springsteen and wife Pattie Scialfa did make the United States Olympic team. The Colts Neck native competes in a sport that hasn’t developed a full betting platform.

More Jersey-girl chalk

Gamblers can wager collectively on Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath, two stalwarts on the U.S. women’s soccer team. Lloyd, from Delran, also plays for Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League. Heath is from Morristown.

The U.S. Women’s soccer team is the +120 favorite to win the gold.

Yes, they were just stunned 3-0 by Sweden in an opening-round game that wasn’t even that close. But gamblers can watch the women try and rebound.

And if you think they can’t? Sweden is +350 at DraftKings.

Blinded by the Olympic light

Sydney McLaughlin of Dunellen does have blinding speed. She already has set a 400-meter world record for the hurdles and is the first woman to clock in under 52 seconds (51.9).

By the time McLaughlin graduated from Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains in 2017, she had already visited Rio as part of her first Team USA experience in 2016.

Now she’s an Olympian and major chalk.

She’s -250 at DraftKings for the 400-meter hurdles gold medal. McLaughlin is the class of this field.

You won’t like the odds, but a small bet to cash an Olympic ticket on another Jersey superstar?

Why not?

At the very least, a must-watch if you can find the telecast.

Glory Days, the male side

Toms River native Todd Frazier finds himself in the Olympic fervor. The former New York Mets and Yankees star is part of the American team that’s a live dog at +350 in the baseball competition.

Japan is +160 followed by South Korea at +310.

Team USA is comprised of many former MLB players, who may want one crack at their glory days.

For bettors, the Olympics have a new purpose. And for television networks concerned about the odd hours some events are shown, there’s at least one more reason for people to watch.

AP Photo/Lee Jin-man

How The Eagles, Giants, And Jets Props Look Heading Into NFL Training Camps

As teams report to NFL training camps, here is a look at the Eagles, Giants, and Jets, all likely to attract NJ spots betting attention.

Bring out the spreadsheet. Summon the hunches. NFL training camps opened this week, prompting NJ sports betting customers to seize some futures values and move the lines.

Here’s a brief look at the league-wide betting picture. We are putting a heavier focus on the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and New York Jets – New Jersey’s most heavily wagered-upon teams

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Eagles are a long shot in BetMGM totals

Kansas City, here they come.

The Chiefs are the Super Bowl favorites. BetMGM has the Andy Reid-coached team down to +450 from +600, despite being drubbed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last February.

The Bucs also made a strong move, from +1200 to +700.

The Cleveland Browns jumped from +2500 to +1400.

These three teams earned the bulk of the early money. The Eagles garnered less than 1% of the handle, but one bettor put $4,000 on them to win $500,000 at + 12500 (125-1).

How deep is that wagering hoist?

It’s Ron Jaworski to Mike Quick deep, for NJ gamblers recalling that 99-yard scoring strike, longest in Eagles history. Of if you prefer, Randall Cunningham to Fred Barnett, 95 yards and a truly deep throw.

It’s a long shot, but a wager like this hits every year, at some book.

Long odds as NFL training camps open

DraftKings Sportsbook, meanwhile, reflects the notion that Rodney Dangerfield got more respect than the Eagles, Giants, and Jets. Combined, the teams are +33000 (330-1):

Jets at +15000
Eagles at +10000
Giants representing the “chalk” of this group at + 8000 (80-1)

But money can be made on all three teams. Let’s examine them through the lens of a significant prop that could impact their chances.

DraftKings capsule on the Eagles

The Eagles’ odds to win the NFC East are +550 (currently trailing their other three division rivals).

Win total over-under of 6.5. Over is -130, Under is +110

Remember, this team finished 4-11-1 last season.

What are the Birds’ chances of doing a dramatic 360, as in making the playoffs?

Yes is+275, No is-350

The key props involve Heisman trophy winner DeVonta Smith, their top draft pick, and Jalen Hurts, set to open at quarterback.

Smith is considered an immediate impact player.

DraftKings has the yardage prop at 777 yards, with the over and under both at -115.

Based on last year’s numbers, Smith would lead the Eagles with this total. Travis Fulgham had the most, 539 last season. That projects to 572 over the full season. Fulgham was a head-scratcher, going from stud to dud throughout the campaign.

Will Smith step up?

Smith would need 45.1 yards a game to reach this prop. Reasonable.

Some success will be determined by Hurts, who has a low prop bar. This could inspire serious thoughts of betting the over on his season totals.

The DraftKings prop has Hurts at 3,650 yards. That’s below Zach Wilson’s 3,800.5 yards, and Wilson hasn’t even played a down for the Jets.

Hurts is a scrambler, which could reduce his passing total. But he also had two 300-yard plus games for the Eagles last year. The sample size of four games is small, although he produced 896 yards, good for 224 per game and one was in January.

Project that total onto 17 games and he comes out at 3,808. You’ve got some desirable weather in September and October to consider.

But if we break the prop down by NFL weeks, Hurts would only need 215 yards per game to clear this over. So this looks reachable.

He’s also slated for 20.5 over-under for passing touchdowns. His rushing scores could diminish this total, but it’s still less than two per game.

If Hurts and Smith both hit their “overs.” it could enable the Eagles to surpass their modest expectations

A closer look at the New York Giants odds

DraftKings has the Giants’ odds of winning the NFC East at +450 (third behind Dallas and Washington).

New York is coming off a 6-10 season.

Their win total over-under is 7. Over is -130, under is +110

William Hill sportsbook has boosted the Giants from +250 to make the playoffs to +300. Do you believe a second-place team in this division can make the postseason?

It may take 10 wins. But if you think the G-Men have 10 in them, this bet has been boosted.

This could be the year of decision regarding quarterback Daniel Jones and star running back Saquon Barkley.

Jones has a low-bar prop of 3,800.5 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Can “Danny Dimes” rise beyond the stature of wooden nickels for the Giants? The prop requirement, 223 passing yards per game, is not steep. But there’s no perceived edge.

Jones averaged 210 yards per game in 2020 and 232 in 2019.

This projection is part crap-shoot, part anticipation of improvement. Jones has a good arm for a deep ball and has nice new receivers in Kenny Golladay, Kelvin Benjamin, and Kyle Rudolph. If he stops holding the ball too long and spreads the ball well, he hits the over.

A major success factor lies in the next piece of the puzzle: Saquon Barkley.

Glass half-full perspective on Barkley

Barkley returns after missing the last 15 games last season. After Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys (+210), he’s +700 at DraftKings for Comeback Player of the Year along with Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Remember Barkley’s 2,028 passing and receiving yards in 2018 and 1,441 in 2019? He was sorely missed.

The Giants were 6-10 without him last year and almost made the postseason. He could get them over the top.

Glass half-empty perspective on Barkley

He’s back but inspires only mild confidence.

Barkley suffered a torn ACL on a seemingly routine running play against the Chicago Bears in Week 2. He was wrestled out of bounds. That’s it, and was lost for the season.

It wasn’t a crunching hit.

He’s valuable but vulnerable. Maybe even brittle. Barkley is being coy on returning for Week 1. You also can’t trust him with an individual yardage prop, because his total is divided among passing and rushing.

It may be best to incorporate him into team expectations rather than bet as an individual play.

Jets outlook from DraftKings

The New York Jets are facing the biggest uphill battle as their AFC East division odds are+2500.

The win total over-under is 6. Under is -120, Over is +100

This franchise is looking to turn things around from last season’s 2-14 mark

The Jets odds of not making the NFL Playoffs is -800. Yes is +550.

Zach Wilson factor heading into first NFL training camp

So how much will the Zach Wilson attack come into play?

Well, heading into his first NFL training camp, Wilson’s team resembles the Eagles.

Trading Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers mirrors the Birds dispatching Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts. Replacing Darnold, who the Jets No. 3 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, with Wilson resembles the Birds turning to Hurts, a second-round pick in 2020.

Can Wilson get you 223 yards per game to reach the 3,800.5 yards and the over? (Both sides are -115).

The Jets took a lineman, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and receiver, Elijah Moore, to help him.

The Jets took offensive players with the first three picks for the first time since 2009.

If nothing else, the J-E-T-S are going to be aggressive.

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Haskell Stakes First: Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes Runners-Up Lead Deep Field

The 54th Haskell Stakes is Saturday at Monmouth Park with Hot Rod Charlie, runner-up at the Belmont Stakes, as the morning-line favorite.

Here comes a mid-summer, Garden State spectacle. New Jersey becomes the center of the horse-racing world Saturday with the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes from Monmouth Park.

Garden State gamblers can bet on this summit of the nation’s top 3-year-old thoroughbreds live at the Oceanport facility or via 4NJBETS, powered by TVG.

The Haskell post time is 5:45 p.m., as the 12th race on a 14-race schedule begins at noon.

A loaded undercard marks Monmouth’s bid to maximize a captive gambling audience. Throughout the afternoon, a supporting card contains four additional graded stakes: $500,000 Grade 1, United Nations, $300,000 Grade 3, Monmouth Cup, $250,000, Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes, and $150,00, Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes.

It’s a full day of horse betting geared to produce a multi-million-dollar handle.

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What does the 2021 Haskell look like?

Here is the result of Wednesday’s draw with post positions and early betting odds.

Post Position	Horse	Morning Line Odds
1	Following Sea	3-1
2	Antigravity	30-1
3	Mandaloun	2-1
4	Hot Rod Charlie	6-5
5	Pickin Time	20-1
6	Midnight Bourbon	9-2
7	Basso	30-1

The road to possible Horse-of-the-Year honors passes through the Oceanport facility with the 54th running of the event, launched in 1968.

Recent Haskell winners who became Horse of the Year include Authentic from 2020, Maximum Security in 2019, and American Pharoah in 2015.

Haskell Stakes has star power

The Haskell, one of the industry’s most prestigious races, is historically deep this year. It features the three runners-up from the Triple Crown races for the first time ever. The horses are:

Mandaloun in the Kentucky Derby
Midnight Bourbon in the Preakness
Hot Rod Charlie in the Belmont Stakes

The winner of this event gains automatic entry into the Nov. 6 Breeders Cup Classic at Del Mar in California.

From a class perspective, Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie, and Midnight Bourbon tower over the field. The wild-card is whether other horses run so hard early that they lure one of the big three into a compromising speed duel.

In theory, the top three horses would like to gain position at the top of the lane and thunder through the homestretch in what amounts to a match race.

Will they get that chance?

How the race shapes up

Here’s a look at the top contenders.

Hot Rod Charlie was established as the morning-line favorite behind a blazing performance at the Belmont Stakes. He finished second to Essential Quality after being caught in a draining speed duel with Rock Your World.

The Belmont fractions, 22.78 seconds for the first quarter-mile and 46.49 for one half-mile, were incredibly fast for the 1 1–2-mile race. The times were even faster than the 1 1–4-mile Kentucky Derby, which had splits of 23.09 seconds for the quarter and 46.70 for the half.

That means the long Belmont race, which should be run more slowly early, was contested faster than the shorter Derby. In theory, Hot Rod Charlie should have fallen apart at the Belmont. But he ran a game second and notched a career-high Beyer figure of 108.

(A Beyer figure, among other things, measures a horse’s performance against the track conditions on that day and the track record for the distance.)

Hot Rod Charlie vs. Haskell Stakes field

Now that he shortens up to 1 1-8 miles, Hot Rod Charlie is in a good position here.

If Hot Rod Charlie repeats the Belmont performance, he wins here. That’s why he’s the favorite.

While Hot Rod Charlie improved after the Derby, Mandaloun scored a shaky subsequent victory over the Monmouth Park track, winning the Pegasus in June. After breaking last in the five-horse field, he moved up and had just enough to win. Not a great performance, but a victory over the track is beneficial.

Midnight Bourbon broke badly in the Kentucky Derby and finished sixth, behind Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie. He broke alertly in the Preakness and finished second, beating Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. This horse always runs hard and obtains jockey Paco Lopez, a seven-time Monmouth riding champion.

Here’s the pace uncertainty: Following Sea.

After coming out of a 6 1–2-furlong race at Belmont Park, he is the logical pacesetter. He has to stretch out to 1 1-8 miles and graduate from allowance company to major-stakes foes, a monumental jump. This resembles going from AA to the major leagues in MLB.

Speed nonetheless is valuable at Monmouth Park and he’s being respected on the morning line.

Will he lure Hot Rod Charlie into a speed duel? If he does, Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon benefit.

Antigravity has a win over the track, but steps way up from the allowance ranks to major stakes.

Pickin Time and Basso have been soundly beaten in cheaper races and look to be over their heads.

Betting considerations

Midnight Bourbon will remain a good win-bet price. If that’s your favorite horse, that’s a good first wager.

But with Hot Rod Charlie and Mandaloun, the win-line might not be profitable. And a $1 trifecta box with them alongside Midnight Bourbon won’t pay much either.

Here’s another idea: For $20, take a $10 straight trifecta with your favorite horse over the other two. This should return more money than win-bet odds, at least those of Hot Rod Charlie and Mandaloun.

Bettors can also check projected exacta payouts before wagering. An exacta box with Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie will pay peanuts unless the bettor slams it.

If Following Sea’s odds stay where they started, it gets even harder to cash a profitable trifecta or superfecta (top four finishers). The superfecta makes financial sense either if Midnight Bourbon can win or a longshot like Antigravity can profit from a speed duel and capture third or fourth.

Besides the Haskell, on-site gamblers can also enjoy a William Hill sportsbook on its premises. It is located on the first floor of the Grandstand.

Customers can watch every big game over 100HDTVs and a 75-foot video wall. They can also bet on the horses.

Saturday hours are 9 a.m.-1 a.m.

AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez

Get Ready To Hit The Open Golf Betting Tees With Early Morning Start From Royal St. George Course

The Open, the last of the four PGA majors, unfolds Thursday-Sunday in England and New Jersey gamblers will find an extensive props menu.

Don’t blink, New Jersey online golf bettors. Here comes the Open Championship, formerly known as the British Open, at an unusual time.

The last of the four annual PGA Tour Majors unfolds Thursday-Sunday from Royal St. George’s course in England, creating viewing and betting time differences.

Here’s how to watch The Open

The NJ golf betting customers may want to consider adjusting the wake-up time on the alarm clock as coverage starts at 4 a.m. on the Golf Channel.

Once again, The Open is being split between sister networks NBC and the
Golf Channel. Here is a closer look at how and when to watch live each day:

Thursday, July 15: 4 a.m-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Friday, July 16: 4 a.m-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, July 17: 5-7 a.m. ET (Golf Channel); 7 a.m.-3 p.m. ET (NBC)
Sunday, July 18: 4-7 a.m. ET (Golf Channel); 7 a.m.-2 p.m. ET (NBC)

The new times can become a boon for early-bird bettors or gamblers with insomnia.

The tournament will entice both Garden State bettors who make pre-tournament wagers and others who place bets throughout the four-day event.

Many gamblers wager into both areas. The beauty of PGA betting is that gamblers can find an abundant lineup, even if they miss the initial action.

Tough Royal St. George course impacts prop strategy

Weekend betting warriors can eye the birdie and bogey possibilities on the “next” hole bets all weekend.

Most holes for the pros end in par, but the winning score in this event at this layout 10 years ago was 5-under-par by Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland. Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson were second at -2. One other player was -1.

The rest of the field, more than 100 players, did not break par. That means bogeys could be paramount this weekend.

Don’t be afraid to bet “bogey” on a number of these holes.

Some top candidates:

The third hole, a long, difficult par-3, plays 239 yards and had a scoring average above 3 in the 2011 Open.

The fourth hole is a tough par 4 at 491 yards. It usually averages above 4 strokes.

The 15th, a 496-yard par 4, has bunkers in play along the right side and in front of the green. It is considered the hardest hole on the course.

There’s a real good birdie opportunity too.

The seventh is a big birdie hole. It is a par-5, 566-yard layout most of the pros will reach the green in two. Mickelson delivered an eagle on this hole 10 years ago. Betting a golfer to make at least a birdie is a worthwhile consideration.

It’s good to watch how certain players fare on the potential birdie and bogey holes. It will give gamblers some data to wager into in the final two rounds.

Intrigue may follow the seventh, for example. A par will feel like a bogey on that hole. A player might be deflated by under-achieving on a potential scoring hole and that could carry over.

Pre-tournament wagers for The Open

The early DraftKings Sportsbook board has Jon Rahm is favored at +700. He’s +180 for the Top 5 and -120 for the Top 10. He should play well but doesn’t have great value.

Jordan Spieth is +1400 to win, +270 for Top 5, and +135 for Top 10.

Brooks Koepka is +1600 to win, +350 for Top 5, +160 for Top 10.

Rory McIlroy, the Irishman, may be comfortable in this type of setting. McIlroy is +1800 to win, +350 for Top 5, and +160 for Top 10.

So is Dustin Johnson.

European golfers will merit a closer look in this tournament. Will this be when Tyrrell Hatton of England, +3500 to win, +550 for Top 5, and +300 for Top 10, comes alive?

The Open could offer longshot values and sleepers

Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook operations for DraftKings, said he loves this tournament because it offers something different.

“When you think about the courses in England, and this one in particular, these guys are not going to be able to just hit it and spin the ball onto the green,” Avello told NJ Gambling Sites. “There will be a lot more hitting the ball to land in front of the green and letting it run up.”

The old-school bump-and-run style rewards shot-making from around the green. It may also impact putting. If the course takes rain, the greens will become slower. Some players like that because it enables a firm putting stroke, making the shot more about the stroke rather than the break.

“Some guys may be attuned to this, like McIlroy,” Avello says. “One thing you have to love, though, is the talent of the field. A lot of these players will have the ability to adjust to the conditions.”

Avello always touts longshot values and prefers to look well down the board to find sleepers. Rahm is a short price for this level of competition.

“But nobody was ever shorter than Tiger Woods,” he laughed about the golf legend. “You see well over 100 players and here he is 7-5. And then he’d go out and win the tournament!”

Avello said that although the start time could impact business on the East Coast, DraftKings would have its best Open handle ever.

William Hill and the Rory McIlroy story

Odds at William Hill are similar to DraftKings, in most respects.

But McIlroy shoppers can find some value before the tournament. He is +188 for the Top 10 compared to +160 at DraftKings. That may not look like much, but it’s a difference of $28 for a $100 wager.

Here’s a fun, interesting, yet difficult prop, the margin of victory.

A one-stroke difference is +250

A two-stroke edge is +350

A three-shot margin? It’s +450

A win of four shots or higher is +333

Playoff is +300

This is a great side ticket, especially if one’s favorite golfer fails to contend.

Here’s a little history: the last Open at this site produced a three-stroke margin.

BetMGM has a creative Open menu, too

BetMGM is offering value for McIlroy shoppers at + 220 for a Top-10 finish.

Other wagers include top lefties, golfers by nationalities, and a four-pack: Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Rahm, and Koepka to make the cut. It’s -110.

A hole-in-one by any golfer in the first round is +400.

Keep checking the boards. Some wagers are taken off for newer ones and reappear later.

AP Photo/Peter Morrison

Top Horse Racing Talent Gallops into Monmouth Park for Haskell Stakes 2021

The 2021 Haskell Stakes field is coming together for the July 17 race at Monmouth Park in NJ but a Baffert horse won’t be among them.

Do you want to relive the Kentucky Derby?

Just watch the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park July 17, when the eyes of the horse-racing world focus upon the Oceanport facility.

Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie, who ran second and third in the famed Run for the Roses on May 1, have been announced as confirmed by recent published reports and listed as “expected to run” on the Monmouth Park Facebook page late this week.

Monmouth Park announced Thursday that Mandaloun, who arrived on the grounds Tuesday, would work out Saturday if weather permitted.

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Potential runners at 2021 Haskell Stakes

Midnight Bourbon, sixth in the Kentucky Derby, also is likely to run in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell. Rombauer, the Preakness Stakes winner and distant third-place Belmont Stakes participant, is considered 50/50 to run.

Lesser-known Pickin’ Time, guided by top Monmouth trainer Kelly Breen, joins Basso and Antigravity as potential entries. All three are stabled at Monmouth Park, making them logical considerations

The official draw has been announced for July 14, when the field will be finalized and initial Haskell betting odds established.

The Haskell routinely attracts the nation’s top 3-year-olds for this $1 million event.

Besides the purse, the race awards the winner entry into the Breeders Cup Classic Nov. 6 at Del Mar in California.

Haskell Day schedule, undercard races

Haskell Day 2021 will have 14 races with the Haskell scheduled as Race 12.

Monmouth Park follows recent industry tradition. It surrounds the major event with strong earlier races, trying to garner a day-long gambling audience.

The Haskell undercard includes the Grade I United Nations, the Grade III WinStar Matchmaker, the Grade III Monmouth Cup and Grade III Molly Pitcher.

Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie Could Balance the Betting Board

One would consider them relatively even after their gripping Kentucky Derby stretch battle. Mandaloun finished just behind victorious Medina Spirit and just ahead of a hard-charging Hot Rod Charlie in third.

What happened since then?

Hot Rod Charlie finished second at the Belmont Stakes in June. He was compromised by a wicked early pace duel with Rock Your World but held second to victorious Essential Quality.

In the eyes of many bettors, he gains endorsement from that.

Mandaloun followed the Derby with a victory at Monmouth Park at the Pegasus in June. A race over the host track is considered a strong edge by handicappers.

Not only did Mandaloun prevail on the Monmouth oval, but he survived a bad start. He was last in the five-horse field before steadily moving up and taking control. Mandaloun gained the lead in the stretch and held off Weyburn at the wire.

Mandaloun was a prohibitive 1-5 betting favorite and nearly beaten by an average field. But the Monmouth victory was coupled with a recent workout of 59.6 seconds for five furlongs, according to his trainer Brad Cox. The race and the workout put him in a good position.

The Haskell contenders will try to be forwardly placed early in the race, but not involved in a speed duel.

Medina Spirit and the Bob Baffert Saga

Mandaloun may yet be declared the Derby winner because of Medina Spirit’s failed post-race drug test and there is a legal mess involving the horse’s trainer Bob Baffert. Kentucky and New York tracks have banned Baffert from operating there and he has filed litigation to block the bans. Stay tuned.

But in New Jersey, where he’s nearly a rock star, Baffert has been welcomed with open arms at Monmouth Park.

Baffert trained the last two Triple Crown winners, American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018. He brought American Pharoah here in 2015, after the horse had just secured racing’s first Triple Crown in 37 years, and inspired a record Monmouth Park crowd of 60,983.

American Pharoah then won the Haskell.

Despite the invitation to compete here this year, Baffert will not enter Medina Spirit, saying it came up too quickly after the Preakness Stakes, in which Medina Spirit finished third to Rombauer and Midnight Bourbon.

Playing the training angle

For gamblers who endorse specific trainers, Mandaloun’s trainer Brad Cox has a group of contenders entered in the earlier Haskell Day races.

Arklow (Grade 1 United Nations), Juliet Foxtrot (Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker), Night Ops (Grade 3 Monmouth Cup) and Vault (Grade 3 Molly Pitcher) accompanied Mandaloun on the van from Kentucky.

“Everyone shipped in very well,” said Blake Cox, the son of the trainer. “All of them galloped Wednesday and today (Thursday).”

“Mandaloun is doing very well. He’s ready to go,” he added.

ABOUT MONMOUTH PARK

The track conducts its live meet on Fridays through Sundays until September 26. There also is a Labor Day card Sept. 6.

Post time on Fridays is 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays have a 12:15 p.m. first post. Haskell Day has a noon first post.

The facility, located off Garden State Parkway exit 105, also has a William Hill sportsbook on its premises. It is located on the first floor of the Grandstand.

Customers can watch every big game over 100HDTVs and a 75-foot video wall. They can also bet on horses.

Hours:

Monday to Thursday: 10am-12am
Friday: 10am-1am
Saturday: 9am-1am
Sunday: 9am-12am

ABOUT THE HASKELL

First run in 1968, it is one of the industry’s most celebrated races.

Consider this group of recent winners:

2020 – Authentic, who went on to capture the Kentucky Derby
2019 – Maximum Security, the Kentucky Derby winner prior to a disqualification for alleged interference
2018 – Good Magic, second to Justify in the Kentucky Derby
2016 – Exaggerator, the Preakness Stakes winner
2015 – American Pharoah, winner of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Mel Evans