DraftKings is my go-to sportsbook. FanDuel is second. It's a pretty big mish-mash after that, including the new kid on the block, ESPN BET.
As to the “why?” It's pretty simple: DraftKings, and to a much lesser extent FanDuel, routinely — and by routinely, I mean daily, at least in DraftKings' case — offer boosted markets.'
A 33% boost on any college basketball bet. A 25% boost on any SGP. An additional +300 on any golfer to win a tournament.
For a recreational gambler like myself – maybe I bet five, 10 times a week – going to DraftKings is, to me, the obvious choice. I know there's going to be a boost, and if I like Devin Booker's three-point prop at -110, I'm going to like it even more at +115.'
Yes, I know other betting apps will sometimes have offers like these, but none with the daily regularity of DraftKings.
Most other sites (including DraftKings) offer specific boosts, tied to pre-made bets. I don't like those. Mostly because I don't trust them, and oftentimes, when I price them out at other sportsbooks, they don't add up.
For instance, at the time of this writing on Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. ET, DraftKings is offering a 50% SGP boost on the Devils and Rangers game.
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I'm probably going to pass on this, but bettors get to create their own wager, and then get a 50% price bump. Who could complain?
Over at ESPN BET, the featured bet is a +400 wager on whether Stephen Curry and LeBron James will combine for over 64.5 points in the Warriors-Lakers game.
One, I don't know if this is an +EV bet, but I'm guessing it's not. And two, James was ruled out – 12 hours ago.
Are you even trying, ESPN BET?
Tough Q4
It has been a weird and cruel February for PENN Entertainment. The stock was trading at $17.27 Wednesday morning, the lowest it's been since the COVID shutdowns, and down off its high of over $130 back in March of 2021 (and off the $70 or it was trading at when they announced the ESPN deal).
So what happened? A listen to last week's earnings call sheds some … interesting light.