Here is the simple version of a complicated story. A former Jacksonville Jaguars finance employee stole a very large amount of money over several years by abusing virtual credit cards. A lot of that money went into sports wagers. The team has now reached a settlement in which FanDuel will pay the Jaguars five million dollars. That payment does not erase what happened, but it tells you how the industry is evolving. There is growing pressure for betting companies to show that their monitoring and controls can catch suspicious activity sooner.

What actually happened

The theft ran from 2019 through 2023. The method was simple. Virtual corporate cards were created and used for personal spending that looked like legitimate team expenses. The amounts piled up because the transactions blended into normal payment flows. Some of those funds ended up in wagering accounts. When the team dug into the books the pattern showed up, and the picture became clear. The money did not go to operations. It went to private consumption and to bets.

Why FanDuel is paying money to the team

You might ask why a sportsbook would pay a team in a case where the theft occurred inside the team. The answer sits in the middle of risk and reputation. Modern sportsbooks run know your customer checks, source of funds checks, and abnormal behavior monitoring. If a customer is moving unusually large sums in and out, the platform is expected to look closer and to escalate. A payment like this is both a practical settlement and a public signal that the company takes the safeguards seriously and wants to close the book on the dispute.

What this means for teams and operators

• Expect stricter controls inside team finance departments, especially for virtual cards and vendor payments.
• Expect sportsbooks to tighten source of funds reviews and to add more real time flags for unusual deposits and bet sizes.
• Expect faster information sharing between teams, leagues, books, and integrity monitors when red flags appear.
• Expect more training for staff on how payment abuse shows up in the data and how to report it quickly.

What bettors should take from this

Markets price risk. This story will not swing a point spread by itself, but it does change the background conditions. Operators will be more cautious with high velocity accounts. Banks and payment processors will ask more questions. When there is more friction in the money movement, you see fewer sudden swings from unusual action and you get cleaner markets. That is good for serious bettors who value stable pricing and fair play.

Compliance details that matter

• Enhanced due diligence for customers with rapid deposit and withdrawal cycles.
• Stronger linkage between payment rails and account behavior so alerts can connect the dots in real time.
• Harder limits on corporate card usage and reconciliation inside sports organizations.
• Clearer escalation paths when a team or a book detects a problem so time is not lost in paperwork.

The bigger picture

Legal sports betting is a young industry and the sums involved are huge. Mistakes will happen and bad actors will try to exploit the gaps. The measure of a mature market is how quickly those gaps close and how clearly responsibilities are defined. A case like this accelerates that process. It gives teams a reason to audit harder. It gives books a reason to raise their standards. And it shows fans and bettors that integrity is not only a slogan. It has to be backed by real systems that work when pressure builds.

The short version is this. The settlement is not the end of the story. It is the start of a stronger rule set around money movement in and around sports. That is where the industry is heading and it is better for everyone who wants a clean game and a fair market.

College sports are dealing with a real integrity test. The story started with a handful of cases and it has turned into a broader scandal that keeps pulling in more names and more programs. The pattern is similar each time. Players placing bets when they are not allowed to, people chasing easy money with insider information, and a handful of games that now look different when you go back and watch them with this in mind.

The current wave centers on former players and staff who allegedly placed wagers that never should have happened. Some of the cases include betting on college events, sometimes games involving their own schools. There are claims that information about injuries and lineups moved through private messages and group chats and ended up in the hands of bettors. There are also cases where investigators believe a player deliberately underperformed to move a spread or a total. Not every situation is the same, and not every person is accused of the same thing, but the theme is clear. The guardrails around college sports were not strong enough for the amount of money now circling the games.

How a small rule break becomes a big problem

It often starts with something that looks minor. A prop bet on a player statistic. A friend who asks about a lineup change. A private update about a nagging hamstring. In college athletics any wager by athletes and most staff is off limits. The reason is simple. The public sees the sport as fair only when outcomes feel clean. Even a small bet creates doubt about effort and about the final score. Once that doubt gets into the system the damage spreads to everyone on the court and to every team on the schedule.

What people inside the sport are saying

Coaches talk about the constant pressure on players. Social media messages arrive before and after games asking about injuries and rotations. Compliance offices now act like mini integrity units, teaching rules and watching for red flags. Some athletes say the legal market made it easy to think a small wager was harmless. Others point to prop bets that focus on one rebound or one assist and say that this kind of market puts a target on individual players. Parents worry about direct messages that promise quick cash in exchange for a tip or a missed free throw.

What happened in recent cases

Recent cases include permanent bans for a few players who admitted to placing wagers and to altering their effort to influence a result. Other cases involve former players who are being reviewed for wagers on their own sport and for sharing insider information. Some people refused to cooperate during interviews which becomes its own violation. Schools have avoided major penalties in several of these matters, but institutions are being pushed to add education, to monitor for suspicious activity, and to report faster when something looks off.

Why prop markets keep coming up

Prop markets focus attention on a single data point. One turnover. One made three. One quick foul. That is fertile ground for manipulation and it is why many people in the sport want limits on college specific props. Team based markets are harder to tilt with one action. A total number of points by two teams is less sensitive to one intentional miss than a line that pays if one player goes over a specific number.

The bigger picture for fans and bettors

For fans this comes down to trust. People want to believe that games are decided by talent and preparation. For bettors it raises questions about data quality, about late line moves, and about the reliability of player information. Books and exchanges track abnormal patterns and many are working with leagues to flag them faster. That cooperation helps, but it is still reactive. The best defense is keeping athletes and staff away from wagering and away from sharing inside details in the first place.

Where this likely goes next

Expect more education, stronger verification inside athletic departments, and clearer lines about what is allowed. Expect continued focus on college prop bets. Expect faster discipline when someone crosses the line. The legal market is not going away, so the rules inside college sports have to catch up to that reality and remove the easy paths to abuse.

None of this is about blaming every athlete. Most are doing the right thing. This is about protecting the game and the people in it. If you care about college sports, you care about clean results. That is the standard, and the work now is to make sure the systems and the incentives support that standard every day.

Here we go again. Week one of the NFL season and the San Francisco 49ers are already a walking infirmary. George Kittle out with a hamstring, Jauan Jennings hurt his shoulder, Brock Purdy battling toe and shoulder issues, Christian McCaffrey dealing with another leg problem. The season barely started and the same nightmare is happening all over again.

This is not new. It has been happening year after year for what feels like forever. Fans spend all offseason getting hyped about a Super Bowl run only to see star players dropping like flies before September even ends. Last season fell apart because of injuries. The season before had the same story. Every single year it is the same broken record and the excuse of bad luck does not cut it anymore.

At some point you stop calling it bad luck and you start calling it mismanagement. Someone has to answer for this. How many soft tissue injuries are too many before people realize that strength and conditioning might be part of the problem. How many times do you let your top stars go down before the medical staff and training routines are put under a microscope. The conditioning coach should be held accountable because whatever they are doing is not working. Players are breaking down in the prime of their careers and it keeps happening in San Francisco more than almost anywhere else in the league.

It is exhausting for fans. You buy tickets, you buy jerseys, you commit to a team that always has the talent to win it all but you rarely get to see them at full strength. It is unfair to the players too. They work their whole lives to reach this level only to be trapped in a cycle of constant rehab and recovery. Every year the championship window gets shorter while the injury list gets longer. Nobody is pointing the finger publicly, but somebody has to. This is not just football fate. This is an organizational failure that must be addressed before another promising season goes down the drain.

Fans are right to be aggravated. The front office has to stop shrugging its shoulders. The 49ers are too good and too proud of a franchise to keep living with this. The time for excuses is long gone. Change is overdue, accountability is overdue, and until it happens, the same story will keep playing out every September like clockwork.

So they finally did it. College football went from letting four teams play for a championship to letting twelve teams have a shot. And you know what? It's about time. But while everyone's debating whether this ruins tradition or whatever, I'm looking at the betting angles because this changes everything.

Think about it. We went from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and whoever could sneak in as the fourth team to an actual tournament where teams like Boise State and Cincinnati can make real runs. The sportsbooks are scrambling to figure out how to price this thing and that creates opportunities.

Here's what matters. The top four conference champions get byes. Everyone else plays in the first round on campus sites. Twelve teams total. Three weeks of playoff football in December and January. More games means more ways to find value.

The odds are completely different now

Remember when only four teams had any real shot at a title? Those 100 to 1 longshots on teams like UCF or Coastal Carolina were basically donations to the sportsbook because they were never getting in anyway. Now some of those same programs are sitting at 25 to 1 because they actually have a path.

The Group of Five champion gets an automatic bid. That's huge. Boise State goes undefeated, they're in. No committee politics, no strength of schedule debates. Win your conference, you're dancing. That changes how you value these teams from day one of the season.

Conference championships actually matter

Those conference title games everyone used to ignore unless their team was playing? They're massive now. The top four conference champs get first round byes. That's a free win and an extra week to get healthy and prepare.

So when Oregon is already locked into the playoff but still has to play Washington in the Pac 12 championship, don't think they're going to mail it in. The difference between the 1 seed and the 5 seed is hosting a home playoff game versus traveling to Alabama in December. That matters.

Chaos is coming

College football is already the most unpredictable sport and now we're adding tournament pressure. The 12 seed that barely squeezed in is playing with house money. They've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. If they catch the right matchup or get a lucky bounce, suddenly they're in the quarterfinals.

I want teams with good defenses and experienced quarterbacks who don't turn the ball over. Give me a grind it out program over some flashy offense that needs everything to go perfect. Weather happens. Injuries happen. Weird bounces happen. The teams that can adapt and stay composed are going to cash tickets.

Don't sleep on the little guys

Yeah, the Group of Five champion will probably lose in the first round most years. But probably isn't definitely. You think a hungry Cincinnati team can't beat some banged up Big Ten champion that's been sleepwalking through November? You think Boise State at home on that ridiculous blue turf can't catch somebody off guard?

These smaller programs know this might be their only shot for twenty years. They're going to play like maniacs while some 11 and 1 power conference team might already have half their roster thinking about the NFL draft. Motivation matters in big games.

How to bet it

Forget everything you thought you knew about college football playoffs. This isn't about finding the best team anymore. It's about finding teams that can get hot at the right time. Look at March Madness. The best team rarely wins it all.

Pay attention to November games that decide conference champions. Those aren't just important for bowl positioning anymore. They're playoff elimination games. When the winner gets an automatic bid and the loser goes home, the intensity changes everything.

And don't overthink the futures early in the season. Yeah, Alabama and Georgia will be favorites but they were favorites before too. The real money is finding the teams that can make the field and then cause some damage once they get there.

This expansion changes everything about how we should approach college football betting. The window just got a lot wider for finding value. Don't waste it betting the same old chalk.

Forget sci-fi — this is real, weird, and possibly sinister. 3I/ATLAS, our third confirmed interstellar visitor, isn’t just another comet drifting through. Its chemical fingerprint and emerging chatter are setting off speculative alarm bells.

1) The CO₂‑dominated coma: highest ever seen

JWST reveals a coma overwhelmingly dominated by carbon dioxide, with a CO₂‑to‑water ratio of about eight to one — among the highest ever recorded in a comet and over six standard deviations above typical trends. Additional volatiles detected include H₂O, CO, OCS, and fine‑grained amorphous water ice. This composition suggests formation near a CO₂ ice line, exposure to intense radiation, or a thick insulating crust suppressing water sublimation.

2) Nickel without iron & early CN onset

VLT saw a dramatic rise in atomic Ni I with no corresponding Fe I — abnormal because nickel and iron usually outgas together. Simultaneously, CN began appearing at large heliocentric distances, with production rates roughly 10^23 molecules of CN per second and ~10^22 atoms of Ni per second.

3) Carbon‑chain depletion

Inbound spectroscopy in August found weak CN and conspicuous depletion of carbon‑chain molecules like C₂, putting this object among the most carbon‑chain‑depleted comets known.

4) SPHEREx: visible water ice, vast CO₂ coma

SPHEREx reports a bright CO₂ gas coma ~3 arcminutes across, dominated by water‑ice absorption features. Inferred CO₂ outgassing is ~9.4 × 10²⁶ molecules/sec, with only upper limits for H₂O and CO — underscoring the CO₂‑dominated reality.

But what about a signal?

No confirmed artificial radio signals have been detected from 3I/ATLAS. Theories of “signals” trace to speculative interpretations, not observations. Avi Loeb and others have floated ideas about trajectory alignment, chemical oddities, and hypothetical mini‑probes — interesting, but unverified.

The strange trajectory

Retrograde, near the ecliptic, and lined up for flybys of Mars, Venus, Earth (~1.8 AU), and Jupiter. Modeling pegs the configuration as very rare (≈1 in 20,000). Perihelion occurs behind the Sun from Earth’s view, complicating ground tracking.

The chemistry that shouldn’t exist

Eight‑to‑one CO₂ to H₂O, nickel without iron, carbon‑chain depletion, and early CN — not the profile of a “normal” outer‑system rock.

Signals, alloys, glitches — the fringe reports

Unconfirmed chatter includes narrowband signal claims from Chile, hints of exotic alloys from reflected spectra, amateur reports of interference and tracking failures, and tiny non‑gravitational course changes. These remain rumors until verified.

The pattern emerging

ʻOumuamua (2017) — the alleged scout. 2I/Borisov (2019) — the follow‑up. 3I/ATLAS (2025) — bigger, slower, and on a deliberate path. The timing, chemistry, and geometry feel less like chance and more like reconnaissance to some — a hypothesis, not a conclusion.

The “impossible” odds

• “1 in 50 duodecillion” for all anomalies to occur naturally (a claim; not consensus)
• Perfect timing after 4.6 billion years of quiet

The tactical behavior

• Apparent deceleration for systematic survey
• Ecliptic alignment for planetary observation
• Solar occultation at closest approach
• Course designed to pass Venus, Mars, Jupiter

The physical anomalies

• Unusual chemical signatures
• Unknown emission patterns
• Possible self‑illumination traits
• Shifting size estimates

The historical pattern

• ʻOumuamua (2017) — anomalous acceleration
• 2I/Borisov (2019) — follow‑up observation
• 3I/ATLAS (2025) — main reconnaissance mission?

Bottom line: this might be the strangest astronomical story in years. It is not proof of visitors. It is a stack of anomalies that deserves serious, public scrutiny.

The sports betting landscape is experiencing seismic shifts as multiple state regulators launch coordinated legal challenges against Kalshi, the prediction market platform that has rapidly expanded into sports related event contracts. This unprecedented regulatory battle could fundamentally reshape how Americans access sports wagering and determine whether traditional state by state licensing remains the dominant framework for the industry.

What started as a single state's objection has evolved into a multi jurisdictional legal war that pits federal regulatory authority against state gaming control. The implications extend far beyond one company's business model, potentially affecting billions in sports betting revenue and the future of online prediction markets across the United States.

Kalshi launched its sports event contracts in January 2025, positioning them as federally regulated derivatives rather than traditional sports bets. The platform allows users to buy and sell positions on sporting event outcomes, from NFL game winners to college basketball tournament results. Unlike conventional sportsbooks that set odds, Kalshi operates as an exchange where market prices fluctuate based on user trading activity.

The company's rapid expansion caught state regulators off guard. Within months, Kalshi processed over 5.2 million trades on sports contracts worth approximately $1.6 billion in total volume. During March Madness alone, the platform generated over $320 million in trading activity on tournament related contracts, demonstrating the massive appetite for sports based prediction markets.

This explosive growth occurred while traditional sportsbooks remain bound by state specific licensing requirements, creating what many regulators view as an unfair competitive advantage. Kalshi operates nationwide under federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight, bypassing the patchwork of state regulations that govern established operators like DraftKings and FanDuel.

Nevada became the first state to directly challenge Kalshi's operations, with the Nevada Gaming Control Board issuing a cease and desist order in March 2025. The Silver State's regulators argued that Kalshi's sports event contracts violated multiple state laws by constituting unregulated sports betting within Nevada's borders.

Nevada's position stems from its longtime status as the epicenter of American sports betting. The state maintains strict licensing requirements and substantial tax obligations for any entity offering sports wagering. From Nevada's perspective, Kalshi's ability to operate without these constraints undermines the carefully constructed regulatory framework that has governed sports betting since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was struck down in 2018.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board's order specifically targeted Kalshi's marketing claims about being legal in all 50 states, arguing that such statements misled consumers about the platform's regulatory status. Nevada officials expressed particular concern about the lack of consumer protections typically required for sports betting operators, including responsible gambling measures and age verification protocols.

New Jersey quickly followed Nevada's lead, with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement issuing its own cease and desist order. The Garden State's involvement carries particular weight given its pioneering role in challenging the federal sports betting ban and its position as the second largest legal sports betting market in the country.

New Jersey's regulatory action reflects concerns about market integrity and consumer protection. State officials argued that Kalshi's prediction markets lack the oversight mechanisms that traditional sportsbooks must implement, including suspicious betting monitoring, player protection programs, and revenue sharing agreements with professional sports leagues.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement emphasized that allowing unregulated operators to circumvent state authority could undermine the entire legal sports betting framework. Officials pointed to the significant tax revenue generated by licensed operators and questioned whether Kalshi's federal regulatory status exempted it from contributing to state coffers and problem gambling programs.

Maryland provided the first major regulatory victory against prediction markets when a federal judge ruled that the state could block Kalshi's sports offerings. Unlike federal courts in Nevada and New Jersey, which declined to grant preliminary injunctions, Maryland's judge dismissed Kalshi's claims that its contracts were materially different from casino style sports bets.

The Maryland ruling represents a significant crack in Kalshi's legal armor, providing other states with a potential roadmap for successful challenges. The judge's decision explicitly rejected the argument that federal commodity trading regulations preempt state gambling laws when it comes to sports related prediction markets.

However, Maryland's victory proved somewhat hollow as Kalshi continues operating in the state while appealing the decision. This pattern of continued operations during litigation has emerged as a consistent strategy, allowing the company to maintain market presence even as legal challenges mount.

At the heart of these legal battles lies a fundamental question about regulatory jurisdiction. Kalshi argues that as a federally registered derivatives exchange under Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight, it enjoys exclusive federal regulation that preempts state gambling laws. This position relies on the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, which grants the CFTC authority over futures and derivatives markets.

State regulators counter that sports betting has traditionally fallen under state jurisdiction, with the Supreme Court's Murphy v. NCAA decision specifically affirming states' rights to regulate sports wagering within their borders. They argue that calling sports bets derivatives or prediction markets doesn't change their fundamental nature as gambling activities subject to state oversight.

The jurisdictional dispute has created a regulatory gray area that extends beyond Kalshi to affect the entire prediction market industry. Other platforms, including Robinhood's prediction market partnership with Kalshi, face similar challenges as states assert their authority over any form of sports related wagering.

Robinhood's partnership with Kalshi has added another layer of complexity to the regulatory challenges. The investment platform began offering sports prediction markets through Kalshi's infrastructure in March 2025, immediately drawing attention from multiple state regulators who viewed the partnership as an attempt to circumvent traditional sports betting regulations.

Unlike Kalshi, which operates solely as a prediction market platform, Robinhood manages a diverse portfolio of regulated financial products serving over 20 million users. This scope has made Robinhood more cautious in its regulatory approach, leading to voluntary compliance with some state cease and desist orders while Kalshi continues to fight.

The partnership has become a focal point for regulators concerned about the normalization of unregulated sports betting. Officials worry that major financial platforms like Robinhood legitimizing prediction market sports contracts could encourage widespread adoption among users who might not fully understand the regulatory uncertainties involved.

Ohio's Casino Control Commission expanded the regulatory pushback by issuing cease and desist letters not only to Kalshi and Robinhood but also to Crypto.com, which had begun offering similar sports prediction products. Ohio's action demonstrated that the regulatory concerns extend beyond any single platform to encompass the entire prediction market approach to sports wagering.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission's letter specifically stated that the event contracts offered by these companies meet the definition of sports gaming under state law, which requires proper licensure to operate legally within Ohio's borders. This position aligns with the regulatory consensus that prediction markets cannot simply rebrand sports betting to avoid state oversight.

Additional states have reportedly begun investigating prediction market operators, though not all have taken formal enforcement action. The growing regulatory scrutiny suggests that the challenges facing Kalshi may expand to include more jurisdictions as state officials coordinate their response to what they view as a threat to established sports betting frameworks.

Native American tribes have emerged as another significant opponent of unregulated prediction markets, filing federal lawsuits that add constitutional and sovereignty issues to the legal mix. Tribes argue that sports prediction markets operating on reservation lands violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which grants tribes exclusive authority to regulate gaming activities on their sovereign territory.

The tribal challenges represent a particularly potent legal threat because they invoke federal laws specifically designed to protect tribal gaming rights. Unlike state regulatory actions, which Kalshi can argue are preempted by federal commodity trading regulations, tribal sovereignty claims operate within an established framework of federal Indian law that courts have historically respected.

Tribal gaming operations generate billions in revenue that funds essential government services for Native American communities. Tribal leaders argue that allowing unregulated prediction markets to operate on their lands without proper compacts or revenue sharing agreements undermines their economic sovereignty and violates decades of established federal policy.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission finds itself at the center of the prediction market controversy despite traditionally focusing on agricultural commodities and financial derivatives. The agency's ability to effectively oversee sports prediction markets has been questioned by both state regulators and members of Congress who argue that sports betting expertise lies with gaming regulators, not commodity trading oversight bodies.

Political complications have further hampered CFTC oversight, with the current administration's nominee to chair the agency serving on Kalshi's board of directors while owning stock in the company. This conflict of interest has created uncertainty and left the agency operating with limited leadership during a critical period for prediction market regulation.

The CFTC cancelled a planned roundtable discussion on event contracts amid mounting pressure from lawmakers and gaming industry representatives, suggesting internal uncertainty about how to proceed with sports prediction market oversight. This regulatory vacuum has emboldened prediction market operators while frustrating state officials seeking clear federal guidance.

The ongoing legal battles have created significant uncertainty for prediction market investors and users. Kalshi achieved a $2 billion valuation in June 2025, but continued regulatory challenges could affect future funding rounds and expansion plans. The company's ability to maintain operations during litigation demonstrates the complex relationship between innovation and regulation in rapidly evolving markets.

User behavior patterns suggest strong demand for prediction market sports contracts, with trading volumes continuing to grow despite regulatory uncertainty. This demand indicates that regardless of current legal challenges, some form of prediction market sports betting will likely persist, either through regulatory accommodation or technological adaptation.

The prediction market approach offers several advantages over traditional sports betting, including potentially better odds for sophisticated users, increased market liquidity, and more transparent price discovery mechanisms. These benefits explain why major financial platforms like Robinhood have partnered with prediction market operators despite regulatory risks.

The resolution of these legal challenges will likely determine the future structure of American sports betting. If prediction markets prevail, it could open the floodgates for nationwide sports wagering without state by state licensing. If states successfully assert their authority, it may force prediction market operators to comply with traditional gaming regulations or exit the sports betting market entirely.

Look, I've been watching the sports betting industry for years, and what's happening right now is absolutely wild. We've got companies like Kalshi and Robinhood basically saying "Hey, we're not running sports betting operations, we're running sophisticated financial markets." And somehow, they're getting away with it in states where you can't even download DraftKings.

Here's what's going down. These platforms are calling their sports wagers "event contracts" or "prediction markets," and they swear up and down that this makes them completely different from traditional sportsbooks. It's like calling a hamburger a "beef sandwich" and pretending you invented something new.

But here's the thing - there actually are some real differences, and they matter way more than you'd think. When you bet on FanDuel, you're stuck with whatever odds they give you. Place your bet, cross your fingers, and wait for the game to end. That's it.

These prediction markets work more like trading stocks. You buy a contract that says the Chiefs will win, but if you change your mind or want to lock in some profits, you can sell it to someone else before the game even starts. The prices move up and down based on what other users are willing to pay, not what some sportsbook algorithm decides.

Now, why does this matter legally? Because these companies are basically arguing that since users set the prices instead of the house, they're running financial markets, not gambling operations. And financial markets get regulated by the feds, not individual states.

Kalshi figured this out first. They went to court over election betting and won, which opened the floodgates for sports. During March Madness this year, they processed almost $200 million in volume. That's real money we're talking about here.

Then Robinhood jumped in, which was huge because they've got over 30 million users already familiar with trading. Their stock has basically doubled this year partly because investors are going crazy over this prediction market potential.

Even Polymarket, which has been the king of crypto betting but couldn't legally serve Americans, is gearing up to come back. They bought some licensed platform and are telling everyone they'll be live for football season in all 50 states.

But state regulators are absolutely furious about this whole thing. Nevada basically told Kalshi "We don't care what you call it, you're running illegal sports betting in our state without a license." New Jersey and Ohio said the same thing.

So now we've got this massive legal war brewing. Kalshi and Robinhood are suing states in federal court, saying "You can't touch us, we're federally regulated." Meanwhile, 34 states are backing New Jersey's position that this is all just clever marketing for regular old sports gambling.

The timing couldn't be better for these prediction market companies. The federal regulators are basically letting them do whatever they want, and some of the people running these agencies used to work for the prediction market companies. It's like having your buddy be the referee in your basketball game.

This gives them a massive competitive advantage. While DraftKings has to get licenses in every single state and can only serve customers who are 21 and older, these prediction market companies are operating nationwide and taking 18-year-olds' money. They're basically playing by completely different rules.

From a user perspective, there are some real benefits here. The prices often make more sense because they're set by the crowd instead of bookmakers trying to maximize profits. You can get out of bad bets early, hedge your positions, and bet on stuff that regular sportsbooks won't touch.

But the business model is tricky. Instead of making money from the house edge like traditional sportsbooks, these platforms take tiny fees on each trade. They need absolutely massive volume to make the same money, which is why they're fighting so hard to stay legal everywhere.

The established sportsbook companies aren't just sitting around watching this happen. FanDuel's parent company already runs betting exchanges overseas, and they're probably preparing to launch something similar here if the legal dust settles in favor of prediction markets.

What really gets me is how this affects the average bettor. In states like California and Texas where sports betting is still illegal, people can now basically sports bet anyway through these prediction markets. They're getting access without any of the consumer protections that state regulations provide.

The casino industry and tribal gaming operations are losing their minds over this. They spent decades building relationships with state regulators and paying massive fees for licenses, and now these tech companies are waltzing in through a federal loophole.

We're talking about a potential $35 billion market by 2028. If prediction markets grab even 25% of that, it completely changes the game. Traditional sportsbooks might have to completely rethink their business models.

The sports leagues are in a weird spot too. They've got all these partnerships with licensed sportsbooks, sharing data and monitoring for integrity issues. These prediction market companies might not be playing by the same rules for that stuff.

For regular bettors, this is mostly good news in the short term. More options, better prices, access in restricted states. But nobody knows what happens when the legal challenges get resolved. You could wake up one day and find your favorite platform got shut down overnight.

My prediction? This whole thing is going to force a complete overhaul of how we regulate sports betting in America. Either the prediction market companies win and we get a Wild West situation where anyone can run sports betting through creative legal arguments, or states crack down and we're back to the slow, state-by-state licensing process.

What's clear is that the line between financial trading and sports betting is basically gone now. Whether you call it investing or gambling, you're putting money on sports outcomes and hoping to profit. The lawyers can argue about semantics all they want, but users know exactly what they're doing.

The next few months are going to be crazy interesting. We've got federal appeals, state enforcement actions, and probably some emergency legislation coming down the pipeline. The only thing I know for sure is that however this shakes out, it's going to look completely different from where we started.

For decades, the sports betting world has revolved around the same handful of giants: the NFL, NBA, MLB, and college football. But the ground is shifting. The fastest-growing, most undervalued, and potentially most profitable frontier in sports betting isn't a new league or a niche sport. It's a category that's been in front of us the entire time: women's sports.

The explosion in popularity of leagues like the WNBA and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is undeniable. Viewership is shattering records, stars are becoming household names, and investment is pouring in. For savvy bettors, this surge in attention creates a golden opportunity. While the public is just catching on, the betting markets are still playing catch-up, creating inefficiencies that sharp minds can exploit.

Finding Value in a "Softer" Market

Sportsbooks build their odds on mountains of data, sophisticated algorithms, and years of betting patterns. For major men's leagues, the lines are incredibly sharp and efficient. But for women's sports, that data mountain is much smaller. There's less historical data, less public betting volume to shape the lines, and frankly, fewer eyeballs from the oddsmakers themselves.

This creates what bettors call a "softer market." Lines on player props, totals, and even point spreads can be less accurate than in the NFL or NBA. A bettor who genuinely follows the WNBA and understands team dynamics, coaching tendencies, and specific player matchups often has an informational advantage over the sportsbook. That's a rare edge in today's data-driven world.

Your Knowledge is the Ultimate Edge

Remember the "Moneyball" article? The principle is the same here. The edge isn't found in a complex algorithm; it's found in knowledge that the market undervalues. Do you know which NWSL team's defense struggles against speedy wingers? Do you know which WNBA player's stats skyrocket when a teammate is out with an injury? This is the kind of specialized information that leads to profit.

Because media coverage is still growing, you don't have to compete with thousands of analysts breaking down every play. By simply watching the games, following dedicated beat writers on social media, and immersing yourself in the sport, you can develop an expertise that directly translates into finding value in the betting lines.

The Window is Now

This opportunity won't last forever. As viewership grows, so will the betting volume. Sportsbooks will invest more resources into sharpening their lines for women's sports, and the market will become more efficient. The "gold rush" phase is happening right now.

Bettors who get in on the ground floor—learning the leagues, the teams, and the players today—are positioning themselves for sustained success. It's a chance to not only support the incredible growth of women's athletics but to be rewarded for being ahead of the curve. The games are thrilling, the athletes are phenomenal, and for those willing to do the homework, the betting opportunities are wide open.

Sports betting in America keeps expanding. What once felt like a niche trip to a sportsbook is now a phone tap away. With that growth comes a simple question that matters more than any line or price. Where do we draw limits. This week the answer feels obvious. Do not bet on kids.

Little League Baseball spoke up and said that wagering on its World Series games is not acceptable. The players are children who play for fun, pride, and the thrill of representing a town or a country. Families tune in every summer to watch a tradition that feels pure. Seeing betting markets pop up around those games hits differently. It changes how people talk about the event. It invites pressure that does not belong anywhere near a youth tournament.

So why are odds appearing in the first place. Offshore sportsbooks look for action wherever attention exists. Late summer baseball attracts viewers, and the Little League World Series fills daytime windows before football takes over. For an unregulated book, listing a moneyline or a run total is a quick way to drive traffic. For parents and coaches it is a gut punch. The moment you post a price on a child, you turn a childhood memory into a ticket.

Think about the experience from a twelve year old’s point of view. A kid from California steps on the mound and hears the crowd buzz. Somewhere else an adult has a parlay riding on strikeouts or a total. The child just wants to throw strikes and enjoy the moment. The gambler wants a number to hit. Those aims do not belong in the same space.

The integrity risks are not imaginary. Any competition can be warped once money changes hands. Youth coaches juggle lineups for development and sportsmanship, not for pricing efficiency. A pitcher might be on a pitch count. A coach might make a mercy decision to pull a player. Those choices are healthy in a youth setting, yet they collide with the idea of a market that expects optimal strategy.

There is also the issue of consent and exposure. Kids did not agree to be props in a betting menu. Families did not sign up for strangers to sweat a live total while their child learns how to handle nerves on television. Turning youth sports into a speculative market blurs lines that should stay bright and clear.

Legal books in the United States generally avoid youth events. Most state rules draw a firm line at professional and college sports. The internet complicates the picture because unregulated operators can post lines from abroad and promote them across social feeds. That does not make it right. It only makes it visible. The answer from the community should remain steady. Celebrate the kids, keep the gambling out.

Fans can help by choosing how they engage. Enjoy the games. Share highlights. Cheer for great defense and sportsmanship. Leave the betting for leagues where adults choose to be part of a market and where oversight exists to protect fair play. If there is a gray area in modern wagering, this is not it. Betting on minors is not entertainment. It is a mistake.

For sportsbooks that care about long term trust, the path is simple. Do not list the markets. There is plenty of inventory. Major League Baseball offers action every day. Soccer, tennis, golf, and combat sports fill the calendar. Responsible operators do not need youth sports to meet business goals. In fact, staying away earns respect from fans who want the industry to grow without losing its moral compass.

Parents and volunteers keep the Little League tradition alive. Umpires donate time. Communities raise money for travel. Coaches teach life lessons that outlast a box score. Adding a betting angle does nothing to enrich that experience. It only invites distraction and conflict. The healthiest outcome is obvious. Protect the kids, protect the moment, and keep the World Series what it has always been, a celebration of joy and effort.

The boom in sports betting is real and it is not going away. With growth comes responsibility. Drawing a hard line at youth events is an easy call. Let the children play without a shadow of tickets and totals. Let families make memories that will still feel clean ten years from now. That is the sort of win the entire sports world should get behind.

There's a special kind of magic brewing in Milwaukee this summer, and it smells like sizzling ground beef and victory. The city is buzzing, not just because the Milwaukee Brewers are on a historic tear, but because their incredible run has unlocked a beloved local tradition: free hamburgers for everyone.

After clinching their 12th consecutive victory, the Brewers triggered a decades-old promotion from local restaurant chain George Webb. It’s a promise that dates back to the 1940s, a civic pact that says if the hometown baseball team wins 12 straight, the burgers are on the house.

But while the free burgers are a delicious reward, they're merely a symptom of a much bigger story. The 2025 Milwaukee Brewers are not just a feel-good summer fling; they are, without a doubt, a legitimate World Series contender.

Anatomy of a Historically Hot Team

To understand what's happening at American Family Field, you have to look beyond the 12-game winning streak. The Brewers have won an astonishing 27 of their last 31 games. In a feat of remarkable consistency, this is the team's second winning streak of 11 or more games in the last two months.

The Stars and the Skipper Behind the Surge

This historic run is a total team effort, guided by manager Pat Murphy, the reigning NL Manager of the Year. On the field, veterans like Christian Yelich and MVP-candidate William Contreras are leading a team that boasts the best record in all of baseball and a run differential of +159.

From Longshot to Legitimate Threat

The betting markets have been forced to take notice. After starting as 150/1 longshots, the Brewers' World Series odds have plummeted to as low as +850, placing them firmly among the top contenders in the National League. For the fans lining up for their well-earned burgers, the excitement is palpable. This feels like more than just a memorable summer run—it feels like the prelude to a championship.

Remember Moneyball? The story of how the Oakland A's used advanced statistics to outsmart the big-market teams became a legend. It changed baseball forever, proving that data could beat dollars. Well, get ready for Moneyball 2.0. The game has changed again, but this time the revolution isn't happening in the front office—it's happening on your phone, and it's powered by Artificial Intelligence.

The new frontier isn't about picking which team will win. It's about predicting if a quarterback will throw for over 250.5 yards or if a point guard will get more than 7.5 assists. Welcome to the world of player prop betting, a market that has exploded in popularity and created a new kind of data-driven gambler: the AI-assisted sharp.

From Sabermetrics to Machine Learning

The original Moneyball was about finding undervalued assets (players) by looking at stats no one else valued, like on-base percentage. Today's sharps are doing the exact same thing, but with an arsenal of tools Billy Beane could only dream of. They aren't just looking at box scores; they're feeding massive datasets into machine learning algorithms.

These AI models can analyze thousands of variables in seconds: individual player matchups, defensive schemes, weather conditions, umpire tendencies, and even how a player performs on the second night of a back-to-back on the road. The goal is to find tiny inefficiencies in the odds set by sportsbooks—a line that might be off by just a yard or a single point, but represents a consistent, profitable edge over time.

Why Player Props are the Perfect Target

Traditional betting on game outcomes is hard. There are simply too many random variables that can affect a final score. A dropped pass, a bad bounce, or a questionable penalty can swing a game. Player props, however, offer a more controlled environment.

"Sportsbooks have to set hundreds, sometimes thousands, of individual prop lines for every slate of games," explains a data scientist who runs a private betting syndicate. "It's impossible for them to get every single one perfect. Our AI is designed to hunt for the handful of lines where their model and our model disagree the most. That's where the value is."

This is a game of scale and precision. While a human bettor might analyze a few key stats for a player, an AI model can cross-reference that player's entire performance history against every type of defense he's ever faced. It turns sports betting from a game of gut feelings into a high-tech war of algorithms.

The Rise of the Everyday Sharp

What's most fascinating is that this technology is no longer exclusive to secretive betting syndicates. A growing ecosystem of startups and analytics platforms now offers AI-powered betting tools to the public. For a subscription fee, everyday fans can access sophisticated models that identify the day's most valuable prop bets.

This is creating a new generation of sharps—bettors who rely purely on data, not team loyalty or emotion. They don't care who wins the game; they care if their mathematical edge plays out. It’s the ultimate evolution of Moneyball: a completely detached, analytical approach to finding value in sports.

As the technology gets better and more accessible, the question is how sportsbooks will adapt. Will they have to invest even more in their own AI to stay ahead of the curve? One thing is certain: the cat-and-mouse game between bettors and bookmakers has gone digital, and the smartest algorithm often wins.

You spend hours every week agonizing over your fantasy football lineup. You know which cornerback gives up the most yards, which running back gets the goal-line carries, and which wide receiver is due for a touchdown. You’re not just a fan; you’re an analyst. So why are you leaving money on the table?

The skills you've perfected as a fantasy manager are the exact same skills that make a successful sports bettor. The line between fantasy sports and sports betting has become incredibly blurry, and that’s great news for you. Your deep knowledge of individual players and matchups is a superpower in the world of modern sports gambling.

Player Props: The Fantasy Player's Gateway to Betting

Forget about confusing point spreads for a minute. The easiest and most natural entry point for any fantasy player is the world of player props. Think your WR1 is going to crush his matchup? Bet the over on his receiving yards. Know the opposing defense is a pass-funnel that shuts down the run? Bet the under on the running back's rushing attempts.

These aren't just guesses; they are calculated predictions based on the same research you're already doing. Platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings, once known primarily for Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), have heavily integrated these types of bets into their main sportsbooks because they know fantasy players are their most informed customers.

You're Already a Pro at Risk Assessment

Every decision in fantasy football is about risk vs. reward. Do you start the boom-or-bust receiver or the guy with a reliable, but lower, floor? Do you burn your top waiver claim on a one-week wonder? That’s the same logic as bankroll management in sports betting.

Instead of fantasy points, you're wagering units. Instead of a waiver wire, you're looking for value in the betting lines. The core principle is identical: using information to make smart, calculated decisions that give you an edge over the long haul. You've already built the discipline without even realizing it.

As the 2025 NFL season approaches, don't just set your fantasy lineup—leverage that hard-earned knowledge. Start small with a few player props on games you know inside and out. You might be surprised to find that your greatest fantasy season yet isn't the one that wins you league bragging rights, but the one that pads your wallet.

The baseball world is in mourning today with the news that Chicago Cubs legend and Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg has passed away at the age of 65. The cause of death was complications from a courageous battle with prostate cancer, his family announced in a statement.

Sandberg, affectionately known as "Ryno," was the face of the Cubs for over a decade and was widely regarded as one of the greatest all-around second basemen in the history of the sport. His combination of power, speed, and defense redefined the position in the modern era.

Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, Sandberg's career was highlighted by his 1984 National League MVP season, in which he led the Cubs to their first postseason appearance in nearly four decades. He was a 10-time All-Star, a 9-time Gold Glove winner, and a 7-time Silver Slugger recipient. He finished his career with 282 home runs, a remarkable number for a second baseman of his era.

"Ryne Sandberg was a true icon of the game and a beloved figure in the city of Chicago," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "He played the game with a quiet intensity and a standard of excellence that fans and players alike admired. His impact on the Cubs franchise is immeasurable. He will be deeply missed."

Sandberg's No. 23 was retired by the Cubs, and his statue stands outside Wrigley Field, a testament to the enduring legacy he leaves behind. Tributes from former teammates, opponents, and fans have poured in across social media, remembering a player who defined an era of Chicago baseball.

After years of political wrangling and industry lobbying, Brazil has officially launched its fully regulated sports betting market. The Ministry of Finance finalized its licensing process this week, greenlighting operations for a select group of companies including Betano, Bet365, and PixBet.

The rollout is expected to transform the gambling landscape in Latin America's largest economy, with analysts projecting over $3 billion in annual market volume. Local operators and global sportsbooks alike have prepared extensive digital infrastructure to serve Brazilian customers across both mobile and desktop platforms.

The new law enforces strict responsible gaming regulations, advertising standards, and a 12 percent tax on gross gaming revenue. Bettors in Brazil can now legally place bets on national football, international soccer, MMA, and other global sports markets without using gray-market platforms.

Brazil's Ministry of Sports released a statement calling the move "a major victory for consumer protection and economic growth," and confirmed that more licenses will be issued in Q3 and Q4 of 2025. The rollout will be closely watched by other Latin American countries considering similar legalization efforts.

For international operators, the opportunity to reach Brazil's 210 million residents presents a massive potential market. Betano and Bet365 have already signed local sponsorships with football clubs, while PixBet aims to compete through a mobile-first strategy and tailored regional marketing.

The market is now live as of July 25, 2025, with full real-money betting and payout processing operational in all 26 states and the Federal District.

Thailand just made history. The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) has officially declared poker a sport. The move came during a key government meeting led by Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, with support from SAT Governor Kongsak Yodmanee and Tourism and Sports Minister Surawong Thienthong.

The decision could have huge economic upside, as Thailand looks to attract global poker tournaments and position itself as a new hotspot for competitive play. By embracing the strategic and psychological nature of poker, Thai officials are opening the door to new sports tourism opportunities.

Alongside poker, American football was also granted official sport status. Thailand's flag football team already has an impressive résumé, including a #5 world ranking in 2023 and a gold medal back in the 2014 Asian Beach Games. The sport is set to make its Olympic debut at the LA 2028 Summer Games.

Importantly, the SAT was clear about one thing—poker in Thailand must remain strictly a sport. Any association with gambling is off-limits. This stipulation is designed to encourage healthy competition while steering clear of addiction and regulatory issues.

With this move, Thailand is expanding its sports portfolio in a forward-thinking way. Recognizing poker not only offers a new platform for athletes but also enhances the country's reputation in the international sporting world. More players, more fans, more tourism—that's the goal.

As long as the government carefully manages its rollout, poker could become a legitimate economic driver while reshaping the way modern sports are defined in Southeast Asia. Thailand is betting on brains over luck—and that could pay off big.

In one of the strangest MLB stories of the year, the San Diego Padres have accidentally signed a 19-year-old high school janitor thinking he was a top Dominican pitching prospect with the same name. The team realized the mistake only after the young man arrived at spring training carrying a mop and a dustpan.

Despite the confusion, the Padres are considering keeping him on after he threw 87 MPH in flip-flops during an impromptu bullpen session. Manager Bob Melvin reportedly said, "Kid's got a clean motion. And I mean clean."

He is now listed on the 40-man roster as "Utility: Mop/Broom."

There's a quiet shift happening in college sports right now, and it's long overdue. As legal sports betting has exploded across the country, college athletes have found themselves on the front lines of a very real and often toxic gambling culture. Now, the Atlantic Coast Conference is stepping in with a rule change that might finally help draw the line.

Starting this fall, ACC teams will be required to report player availability both the day before and two hours before every game. That means fans, bettors, and media will get clarity on who is playing and who isn't. It's an attempt to reduce speculation, and more importantly, to stop the harassment of student-athletes who are often bombarded with questions and even threats related to betting lines.

It might sound like a small change, but this is a big deal. Until now, most college programs have been extremely secretive about injuries and roster changes. Unlike the NFL or NBA, there's been no standardized protocol, which creates a gray area where rumors spread and betting markets get distorted. It also puts athletes in the awkward position of being pressured for insider information by people with money on the line.

Other conferences like the SEC and Big Ten have already moved in this direction, so the ACC's decision follows a growing trend. But the timing is crucial. We've already seen a few ugly stories where players were targeted online after a bad game, and some bettors took things way too far. This policy is at least a start to protect athletes while still embracing the reality that college sports and betting are now deeply intertwined.

It's not a silver bullet, and it doesn't fix everything, but having a clear injury report system helps level the playing field. Fans stay informed, sportsbooks can set fairer lines, and student-athletes don't have to live in fear of DMs every time they tweak an ankle. College sports are evolving, and this is one of those rare changes that seems to make sense for everyone involved.

Fanatics has finally made its big move. The sportswear giant is no longer just selling jerseys and autographed balls. As of this week, its sportsbook is officially live in more than 20 states and expanding fast. This is not just a soft rollout, it is a full-on blitz. DraftKings and FanDuel now have a legitimate third wheel in the relationship.

The app itself is clean, fast, and dangerously slick. They have built it around the idea of rewarding you for losing money, which honestly feels pretty on-brand for sports betting. Bettors earn FanCash for every wager and can trade that in for hats, hoodies, or more betting funds. Is it loyalty or is it Stockholm Syndrome? Who cares, it works.

Fanatics also took a shortcut to national status by absorbing PointsBet's U.S. operations. That gave them the tech and licensing backbone to spread quickly. In a world where speed matters, they went from regional to national before most bettors even noticed.

Whether Fanatics can actually eat into DraftKings and FanDuel's market share is still up in the air. But with NFL season right around the corner and promos heating up, one thing's for sure — they're going to throw money at this. Expect crazy boosts, giant signup offers, and probably a 500-dollar rebate just for betting on the Panthers to go 4-13.

Sports betting in California will officially remain off the table until at least 2028. Despite rumors of renewed efforts, no proposal will appear on the 2026 ballot, and tribal leaders have confirmed there is no movement underway to change that.

This news comes as a disappointment to sportsbooks and bettors alike, who had hoped for a turnaround after the failed 2022 measures. But deep divisions remain between commercial operators and tribal stakeholders, preventing any consensus.

With no compromise in sight, voters in the country's most lucrative sports market will have to wait even longer. Some industry insiders now believe 2028 might be the earliest window for a new measure with unified backing.

For now, California remains on the outside looking in, as other states continue to expand legalized betting and take advantage of the tax revenue opportunities.

There was a time when people watched the NBA because they loved the game. They cared about the rivalries, the drama, the physicality, and the heart. Now it feels like more people are watching to sweat a parlay. It's not about who wins anymore. It's about whether some guy hits two free throws with twelve seconds left so you can cash your over.

The league isn't what it used to be. A lot of people trace the downward spiral back to the Tim Donaghy scandal. It shattered something in the foundation. Fans started to question whether the outcomes were real or if there were invisible hands at work. Since then, the league has never fully regained the trust it lost.

And even beyond the scandals, the game itself has changed. The three-point revolution might've been exciting at first, but it's gone too far. It's turned into a shootout every night. Half the league plays the same system. You see teams jack up forty threes in a game, and if they're hot, great. If not, the game is over by halftime. There's no diversity in play style. No post-ups. No hard-nosed defense. It's sterile. It's numbers. It's spacing. It's not basketball like it used to be.

Now with betting involved in every second of every game, the product has become even more fractured. It's not just about wins and losses anymore. It's about micro events. Who scores first. Who gets the fifth rebound. Whether the backup forward hits a three in garbage time. And for some people, that's more fun than caring about who actually wins. But the tradeoff is that the soul of the sport gets lost in the shuffle.

The NBA feels more like a stock market than a basketball league now. Fans aren't wearing jerseys. They're watching spreadsheets. They're looking at advanced data and live odds and injury alerts and resting schedules. The human side of it is gone.

You can feel it when you talk to longtime fans. A lot of them just don't care anymore. They used to live and die with their teams. Now they turn the game off after they lose their bet in the first half. Loyalty is gone. Tradition is gone. The emotion that used to be in the sport has been replaced by algorithms and boosts and player props.

And maybe that's just where we are now. But it's worth asking if we've gone too far. Because at some point, if no one really cares about the outcome, if no one feels connected to the game or the teams or the players, then what exactly are we betting on?

There's been a growing shift in how Major League Baseball is handling its relationship with in-game betting. While fans have embraced it, and sportsbooks have happily leaned in, not everyone inside the league is sold on where things are headed. Some officials are now starting to speak up.

The concern isn't necessarily about the existence of betting. It's about the way odds are injected into the live experience. You're watching a pitcher get set in the bottom of the seventh and suddenly the graphic flashes a new total or shift in the run line. It's not just commentary anymore, it's turning into the main storyline. That makes a lot of people in the league uneasy.

According to several insiders, the fear is that betting prompts are subtly changing the way people talk about the game, and even how players are judged. One front office source said that every late-game decision now gets scrutinized through the lens of who won or lost money. That is not exactly the lens baseball was built for.

There's also talk that the pressure could trickle down to the field. A couple of questionable pitch calls and people online start throwing around serious accusations. That kind of noise may be part of the modern sports world, but the league doesn't want it becoming the foundation.

The league is not calling for a full retreat. They still work with betting partners and know the money is flowing. But behind closed doors, there's a real push to find a better balance. Not every pitch needs a betting line attached to it. Some parts of the game should still be sacred.

The National League just pulled off one of the most entertaining wins in All Star Game history. It wasn't just the 7 to 6 score or the back and forth swings late in the game. It was how it ended that made it unforgettable.

After the American League stormed back to tie things up in the ninth, the game didn't go into extra innings like we're used to. Instead, it went straight into a swing off. Three players from each side, three swings each, home run derby style. First time it's ever happened in an All Star Game. And it was electric.

The American League hit three home runs total. Then came Kyle Schwarber. He didn't just show up, he closed the door. With one swing, he sent a moonshot into the Atlanta night to clinch it for the National League. The place went nuts. His teammates mobbed him like it was October. And that was it. A walk off homer in a swing off to win the Midsummer Classic.

Schwarber was named MVP and honestly there wasn't even a question. He smoked three home runs on three swings. Game over. History made. And everyone watching knew they just saw something totally new and completely awesome.

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh pulled off history at Truist Park, becoming the first catcher ever, and first switch-hitter, to win the MLB Home Run Derby. He defeated Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero 18–15 in the final round after a dominating performance through every stage of the contest.

Raleigh began with a tie at 17 homers in Round 1 against Brent Rooker but advanced on a razor-thin distance tiebreaker, 470.62 ft to 470.54 ft. In the semifinals, he hit 19 home runs to eliminate Oneil Cruz, who launched the longest shot of the night at 513 feet.

Raleigh totaled 54 homers on the night, including a 464-foot blast in the finals, and entered the contest leading MLB with 38 regular-season home runs.

With his father Todd throwing pitches and his 15-year-old brother catching behind the plate, Raleigh's win was a family affair and a franchise milestone, the first Mariner to take the crown since Ken Griffey Jr.

We're halfway through the 2025 MLB season, and if there's one theme that's shaped the first half, it's pitching. The All-Star Game arrives with dominant arms front and center, and for bettors, the consistent trend has been unders delivering solid value.

Garrett Crochet, Paul Skenes, and Tarik Skubal are pacing the league with elite numbers. Crochet enters the break with a 2.23 ERA and 160 strikeouts. Skubal has matched that ERA and sits at 153 Ks. Skenes, meanwhile, has stormed into the spotlight with a 2.01 ERA and the second-lowest WHIP among qualified starters. That kind of dominance has made early unders a strong betting strategy.

This isn’t just a fluke. Run production is down across the league, and unders are hitting at a rate we haven’t seen in years. Whether it’s the new pitch clock rules, better defensive positioning, or just a generational wave of pitching talent, the game has fundamentally tilted in favor of the pitchers.

As we head into the second half, keep a close eye on these trends. Early week unders, especially with top tier pitchers on the mound, could continue to be a profitable angle. For now, enjoy the All Star break. When the games resume, expect the arms to keep dealing.