A few years back, placing a sports bet was rather taboo. You didn’t talk about it, you placed it with shame, and you mostly kept it to yourself or a small circle. Certainly was not water cooler or lunch break talk. You didn’t have sportsbook windows, apps, or all the means we have to place a bet today at your fingertip. The evolution of sports betting has landed everywhere you look. From ads, commercials, emails, and even the actual sporting events promote it. It has even found its way inside our virtual world of Premier Madden League- of course using the virtual currency we call content points. KMFO brought in the sportsbook idea for a cycle or so, and it was eventually phased out when he departed until I decided to take over the duties.
Now in real life we always mention or hear about the “fix”. Whether the teams, officials, or oddsmakers have some tricks up their sleeves, it’s a black cloud the sportsbook can’t shake. It is no different here in the Premier Madden League. Our old friend, and resident head case, King Keraun, has made it his duty to exploit the ‘shady and fixed sportsbook of PML’. But under what circumstances? Is there any truth behind the allegations? Or is the Ravens GM just talking without any data, factual evidence, or real claims?
Lets look a bit deeper into the data and maybe validate King Kerauns claim- or debunk it.
| Public | ||||
| Wins | Loses | Overall | Arod | |
| Week 1 | 23 | -20 | 3 | -10 |
| Week 2 | 10 | -20 | -10 | -10 |
| Week 3 | 5 | -20 | -15 | -10 |
| Week 4 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 8 |
| Week 5 | HD Sportsbook | Arod Vacation | ||
| Week 6 | HD Sportsbook | Arod Vacation | ||
| Week 7 | 15 | -38 | -23 | -10 |
| Week 8 | No Sportsbook | |||
| Week 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Week 10 | No Sportsbook | |||
| Week 11 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 10 |
| Week 12 | 10 | -30 | -20 | -10 |
| Week 13 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Week 14 | 102 | 3 | 105 | 59 |
| Week 15 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Week 16 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Week 17 | No Sportsbook | |||
| Week 18 | No Sportsbook | |||
| Wildcard | 0 | -80 | -80 | -30 |
| Divsional | 71 | -66 | 5 | -29 |
| Conference | 23 | -40 | -17 | -30 |
| Super Bowl | 9 | -10 | -1 | 0 |
| 350 | -321 | 29 | -52 |
Using a sample size consisting of the Season 1 sportsbook, only utilizing Arod created lines, the compiled data illustrates that the public cashed in 29 overall content points on the sportsbook. Very close to break even for the sportsbook. Normally we want the sportsbook to be in the positive, and normally that is the case from year-to-year, but this particular season the public went ahead 29 points.
Now onto the more important stuff. King Keraun has not hid his displeasure of the sportsbook, or is it rather the continuous one sided beef he has with the oddsmaker. Arod once upset the AFC Champ by saying “ay ay ay”, and their relationship hasn’t been the same since. Wait, or maybe it was the time he offered a trade and got cursed out for trying to ‘fleece him’? I cant pinpoint the start of the turmoil, but it has to be one of those. Actually no, it could go all the way back to last cycle when Arod was cursed out for putting Ravens the GOTW and the public figure was very upset about the publicity he was getting in the Sportsbook. Who exactly knows… but lets get back to the data because it is much better than empty accusations right?
Let the data show, the Arod has a net of -52 content points this season playing in the very sportsbook he ‘fixes, cheats, and taxes’. How could this be? Isn’t he making a killing off cheating the system? Maybe next time do a little research before you send some bullets someones way. I’ve played the same crazy parlays all season, I hit one week 59 points on week 14. Did you expect me to lose the same 10 content point risk I’ve consistently played all season every single week? Somethings gotta give at some point right?
Lets take a deeper look into that week where I was ‘taxing’ the system. The Bills played the Jets in a divisional game that had standings implications. The spread was set at Jets -6 vs Buffalo. You complained the spread was too big, but did we forget the Bills were playing without Allen, Diggs, and Singletary? We’re saying the way Tbandit was playing at the time, he was supposed to be favored without his best players vs a solid and very comparable Fallen user? Lets move onto the Que (3-8) vs HD (4-8). The game was only selected because of the beef they were having at the same and it was suggested to me I highlight this game. At the time, Que was playing awful, so awful the week prior he went down 3 or 4 scores at one point to myself, the lousy Steelers. How do I justify making him a favorite vs HD who even if they’re comparable, has a far lesser roster?
Losing 52 content points in a season is a pretty big deal. That’s more content points some even see in an entire cycle quite possibly. I think you need to do a little fact checking, data analyzing, and due diligence before you go firing at others my friend. Just because you think you have a platform and a voice doesn’t make what you say golden lets remember that. Take that energy somewhere else Keruan, this rumor is DEBUNKED.
