Sports Betting: June 23 - 29, 2025

• Will Sports Betting Ever Go Away?

  • My Take

  • The Bigger Question…

• Community Cappers Lock In Their Weekly Picks

• This Week In Sports Betting

• Slip of the Week

Will Sports Betting Ever Go Away?

Just five years ago, sports betting was a rising trend.

Today, it's inescapable.

You can't watch a game without hearing about spreads, odds, or seeing a segment sponsored by a betting platform.

(No, I’m not complaining - This is a sports betting newsletter after all)

A late-game shot that once meant little more than pride now carries implications:

• "Did that affect the spread?"

• "Was that call influenced by something more?"

Social media lights up with conspiracy theories.

Commentators toss in offhand remarks that subtly feed the speculation.

Fad or Fixture?

Is this all just a passing phase - the result of billions in advertising dollars poured in by corporations trying to wring every last cent from fans?

Or is it the new normal, driven by millions of users chasing the rush or dreaming of a life-changing payout?

My Take

Those who want to bet will. Those who don’t, won’t.

It’s not unlike how we interact with commercials - we ignore the irrelevant, laugh at the clever, and move on.

But here's the thing: the downsides far outweigh the positives.

• Gambling addiction isn’t just a risk — it’s a growing crisis.

• Player harassment tied to lost bets is now a regular headline.

• Fan experience is increasingly filtered through the lens of profit rather than passion.

The corporations, leagues, and regulators steering this ship aren’t likely to pump the brakes.

Not when there's this much money at stake.

Even if they would, it’s clear that regulators don't know enough about the industry to do so effectively.

The Bigger Question…

Could sports betting become so normalized that not betting on a game becomes the exception?

We're not there yet.

But the momentum is strong, and the spirit of sport could quietly shift from love of the game to love of the gamble.

Community Cappers Lock In Their Weekly Picks

Last Week: 2-2 | -0.04u

• Mick Abel Under 4.5 Ks (-110) ✅ / The UNDERground Lab

• Edwards/Rice Hit Parlay (+105) ✅ / The UNDERground Lab

• Myles Turner 2+ Made Threes (-102) ❌ / Nuke Bets

• Oilers to Win the Cup (-120) ❌ / Peak Picks

2025 Record: 40-33 | +7.61u 📈

• Rogers due some K regression given his underlying metrics (7-8 K/9).

He’s also projected to go only 5 IP so when we do the math here and with the Rangers being above average in K% vs lefties on the road, I think we have an edge here.

Also, Rogers K% dips against righties overall which the Rangers are projected to roll out at least 6 (not counting their switch hitters).

• I’ll take the UNDER gladly!

Goldschmidt is hitting an impressive .298 this season, and is 4-8 in his career against Nick Lodolo.

He’s a consistent hitter who excels against lefties, and should have no trouble getting one in play against Lodolo and a weak Reds bullpen.

TJ Friedl (.290 AVG) will go up against Allan Winans, who will be throwing his first game of 2025 tonight.

Friedl is a consistent lefty that should see 4+ plate appearances tonight, and has the benefit of playing at home against a pitcher who struggles to put down lefties.

This Week In Sports Betting

⛳️ Rocket Classic (Detroit, MI)

⚽️ Club World Cup (Round of 16 begins Sat.)

 🎾 Wimbledon next week

❄️ Welcome to Sports Betting Winter ❄️

• 61 days until College Football

• 73 days until NFL

• 100 days until MLB Wild Card Weekend

• 106 days until NHL

• 120 days until NBA

• 133 until College Basketball

Slip of the Week

This week’s slip has been 1+ year in the making…