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Gambling on Sports In a Pandemic World

“When you see the advertising dollars that are coming in to radio stations, it’ll call for hosts to further their education on the subject matter.”

Tyler McComas

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New Jersey took in $315.1 million dollars during the month of July in sports betting. That number was up from June, when the state brought in $165 million. A change in revenue that drastic can only mean one thing: sports came back and Americans were ready to fire off on the action. 

With Americans craving sports more than ever, and states continuing to legalize sports gambling, the industry has an unstoppable force of momentum that only a worldwide pandemic can slow down. Once it side steps that hurdle, the future of sports gambling will exponentially grow across the country. 

For three sports radio hosts who share a deep interest in the future of sports gambling, the pandemic’s impact on the world of sports in 2020 has been unique, and at times, challenging. But in some instances it’s caused bettors to research and learn to bet on new sports, which, in turn, has expanded their level of expertise.

These three gambling aficionados and BSM members took a few minutes to offer their thoughts on a few sports betting related questions.

2-minute warning' debates: Are sports venues safe? | MSNBC

Tyler McComas: If the pandemic continues and sports continues to get cancelled, what kind of long and short-term effects will it have on sports gambling?

Scott Seidenberg – ScottsOnAir.com: How much, if any, will the crowd affect games? Travel will be much different, so you’ll be continuing with these contingencies and there will have to be an adjustment and how these games are handicapped. Home and away doesn’t mean as much, when you don’t have 80,000 fans in the stadium. Especially in football season, that’s something that you’re going to have to adjust. But then you also have, is baseball going to go into a bubble? How does that affect things come playoff time? How do you guys hit and pitch in certain ball parks, that changes a lot. There are so many X factors now while trying to handicap games.

TM:  What was your gambling strategy during the Pandemic? Were you betting on KBO baseball and other obscure sports?

SS: I was not gambling on KBO baseball (laughs). I try to stay with my strengths, which are college football and baseball. I was not venturing out. But there were people out there that were itching to get some action. What I thought was interesting, was that the NFL Draft was during the pandemic and it was the most bet on draft that we’ve ever had. People were just dying for action. People weren’t able to bet on anything else, so the books were taking a massive amount of action on the NFL Draft.

TM: Is it going to be tougher to handicap college football since not every conference is playing?

SS: I don’t necessarily think so. You’re going to miss out on a couple of non conference games, sure, but it might be easier to handicap, because each of these teams are going to have more common opponents. Whereas, the two games that you lose, that you normally see, are like Alabama playing The Citadel. You can use Alabama’s schedule to compare with Georgia’s schedule and have a better feel for how the two teams are, as opposed to having only four common opponents. Now everyone has more common opponents.

TM: What about the NFL? 

SS: I think you have to be smart enough to lay off the first couple of weeks. I think we’re going to see that some teams are not as prepared this season as they normally would be. Every year the lack of hitting is a concern and a lot of these guys aren’t in football shape. You need to hit. You need to have contact. You’re not getting that in practice or against another opponent in live looks, which is what the preseason is so important for. It’s harder to evaluate your roster when you don’t see guys in the live game situations. There will definitely be an adjustment.  A lot of people think that we’ll see a lot of under’s to start the season, and I think it’s best to just lay off the first few weeks. Think about the rookies, we haven’t even seen them play. So you also have to factor that in.

TM: What were your betting habits during the pandemic when none of the major sports were on?

Nick Kayal – Fill-In Host, 92.9 The Game and Cover 2 Podcast Host, Athlon Sports: As much as I love sports betting, nothing changed, other than the fact that there wasn’t much to bet on. As much as I like it, I don’t need to do it, so there are weeks when there’s a full slate of sports and I won’t bet on a single thing. When games started to come back, like the PGA Tour, I would do a little bit with that and mix in fantasy golf to satisfy that itch. I typically bet more during football season than I do in the spring, even though I like betting on NBA and March Madness, but it was already a slower point in the year for me personally.

TM: When you consume gambling content, what are you looking for?

NK: The one thing I don’t want to hear, is someone rattling off number after number and trend after trend. I think there’s a place for it, stats, trends and data certainly matter, but for me, I look at three different things: What’s the Vegas line telling me, what’s the public doing, and then it’s the combination of eye test and your gut. There’s a mainstream media, full deep dive today on sports betting and you can tell there are a lot of people doing sports betting content for different outlets that don’t know what they’re talking about. I think they rely on trends to get by, but that’s a small percentage of what goes into it. I like to be entertained when I’m watching or listening. I already have an idea of what I think about a certain game, and maybe the host will change my opinion, but make me think and laugh during the show, and keep me tuned in for more than hearing about the teams last 10 results and what their record is against the spread. That’s all entry-level stuff.

TM: Do you think sports gambling is going to get so big in five years that hosts are going to need to have knowledge as more of a repertoire?  

NK: I’d love to see it, as someone who loves sports betting, but the most recent thing I saw is about 20% of people in America bet on sports. I don’t think it’s gonna get to the point where more than 50% of the country is betting on sports. I don’t think it’s going to be something that you necessarily need to know beyond a novice level from a sports radio standpoint. If you see a -7 you need to know which team is laying or giving the points. You just need to learn the basic terminology to where you don’t sound completely lost.

TM: Are we going to see casinos release a record number of income this fall?

NK: I think it’ll be even bigger the following year when you have a full slate of college and NFL, post Covid, if all the sports go back to the full schedules. I don’t know if we’re going to see the numbers explode, just because it’s legalized. The one advantage to betting with a bookie is you don’t have to post the money upfront. You’re on the honor system. At a casino you have to walk up and give them your money upfront before you place the bet. That’s one of the setbacks for people who are operating with limited funds.

TM: How did your gambling habits change during the pandemic? Did you start betting on new sports? 

Corey Parson – Senior editor of Fantasy and Gambling at Sports Illustrated: I didn’t get into KBO baseball because I just didn’t research it enough. So I did two things, once MMA started back, and I had never really been into the sport before or ever even watched it, but when it came back I got into it and reached out to friends who are experts for insight. I really got into it and it ‘s now something that I enjoy and see opportunity in.

TM: Do you see sports gambling reaching a point where it’s almost mandatory for sports radio hosts to be fluent in the terminology and know how to present content?

CP: Yes I believe that 100%. If you look at the talent, particularly on radio, more people will have to not necessarily break down a game, as far as where the sharp action is, but I think they’ll need to be able to make picks against the spread. When you see the advertising dollars that are coming in to those radio stations, it’ll call for increased conversation and knowledge, and more hosts will have to further their education on the subject matter.

TM: Are we going to see casinos post record numbers of sports gambling take in this year?

CP: Once people see the product and say, OK, this is football the way we remember it, and they get the hang of it, then I think we will see record numbers. But that has to happen first for people to feel confident.

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How to Help Your Clients with Low Website Conversions

Don’t assume there isn’t enough traffic; focus on optimizing user engagement once visitors arrive on the site.

Jeff Caves

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Graphic for how to increase website conversions
Credit: WPDesigner.Biz

Are your clients dealing with low website conversions? Whenever a marketing campaign is run, and the goal is to convert website visitors into leads, the temptation is to blame low traffic, amongst other issues, for low form fills or appointments being generated.  Just spend more money, you may think! Sometimes, you must look at at least four other potential issues to tackle poor conversion rates. Here are some actionable steps using the IT services industry to increase website conversions.

IT Solutions specializes in providing products, services, or solutions related to technology, particularly in areas such as software development, hardware sales, IT consulting, cybersecurity, cloud computing, networking, and digital transformations. They faced challenges with their website conversions. Despite driving substantial traffic through Google Ads and other SEO tactics, they struggled to convert website visitors into form fills for appointment requests. A 2% to 5% conversion rate could be considered reasonable. Of course, conversion rates can vary based on various factors, such as the competitiveness of the local market, the quality of the website (and radio stations help most to fix that) and its user experience, the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, and the reputation and offerings of the IT solutions business. Focusing on improving the quality of leads and providing exceptional customer service can be just as crucial as achieving high conversion rates. Don’t blame EVERYTHING on the marketing tactics! 

The Diagnosis

Upon thorough analysis, several critical issues were identified with IT Solutions’ website:

1. High Bounce Rate: Nobody was checking out the business. If 70% or more of website visitors only visit the landing page, that is an issue.  It could be slow loading times, irrelevant content, poor user experience, or unclear calls-to-action that prevent them from wanting to know more about IT Solutions. You can check the bounce rate on the Google Analytics page for the website in the left-hand sidebar, click on “Behavior” to expand the menu, then click on “Site Content,” and finally, click on “Landing Pages.” You’ll see a list of landing pages and their respective bounce rates.

2. Complex Navigation: It was hard to move around the website to find relevant information about IT services, and it was unclear who they were initiating contact with and for what purpose.

3. Unclear Calls-to-Action (CTAs): The website lacked clear and compelling CTAs guiding visitors toward requesting an appointment. Simply stating “click here for an appointment” is like asking for a meeting whenever or without establishing value. Here are 28 CTAs for free.

4. Lengthy Forms: The appointment forms were long, without qualifying information, and requested excessive information upfront, deterring potential leads from completing them.

Action Plan

1. Optimize Landing Pages:

   – Redo high-traffic landing pages with clear messaging and compelling CTAs.

   – Showcase IT Solutions’ services as benefits, making it easier for users to request appointments, thereby increasing user engagement and conversions.

2. Simplify Navigation:

   – Reorganize the menu and add more action-oriented links.

   – Provide additional options for users to access relevant information, such as “Get a free IT Solutions 15-point checkup NOW” and “Take this 5-question survey to diagnose your IT issues,” motivating them to book appointments.

3. Enhance CTAs:

   – Utilize concise and persuasive messaging throughout the website.

   – Encourage visitors to take action, whether requesting a free download about “5 things you can do to solve your IT issues on your own” or “get a free pizza for booking an appointment.”

4. Improve the Form Fill:

   – Add a further line about the number of employees who qualify for incoming leads.

   – Highlight the value of leads based on company size, prioritizing forms with higher potential impact.

Review landing pages, navigation, CTAs, and form experience to address website conversion issues. Don’t assume there isn’t enough traffic; focus on optimizing user engagement once visitors arrive on the site.

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‘NHL on TNT’ Gives Hockey Fans the ‘NBA on TNT’ Treatment

Watching Albert and Olczyk call a hockey game is like watching Picasso paint and da Vinci sculpt. They are masters of their respective crafts.

John Molori

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NHL on TNT studio

Let’s play a little word association, sports media style. If I say TNT, what is your response? Chances are it will be a three-letter abbreviation of your own, namely, NBA. Over the years, TNT has built a reputation as arguably the premiere network to telecast the National Basketball Association.

The NBA on TNT pregame and halftime shows have become the gold standard with stars like Ernie Johnson, Jr., Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal. Still, it’s not just this quartet of roundball royalty that has fortified TNT’s hoops coverage.

The rep was also built on tremendous play-by-play announcers like Bob Neal and Kevin Harlan, color analysts like Doug Collins and Reggie Miller, and courtside reporters like the late Craig Sager and current sideline star Allie LaForce.

Indeed, TNT and the NBA have become synonymous, but I have some news for you. This network is not just about professional basketball. This past week I went off the grid with TNT looking at their in-game and studio coverage of the NHL.

On March 24, the NHL on TNT provided coverage of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche matchup. Kenny Albert did play-by-play with Eddie Olczyk on color. Albert is not as noted as his legendary broadcasting father Marv Albert, but he has certainly staked his claim as one of the best in the business – able to cross over to multiple sports with equal aplomb.

Hockey is a strong suit for Albert. His rat-tat-tat, drama-building style draws viewers in and keeps us on the edge of our seats. Similarly, Olczyk is one of the top four or five NHL game analysts in the business. His style is understated, providing calm and clear analysis of key plays. They work really well together.

Albert eschews any kind of hackneyed and trite catch phrases for his goal calls. An emphatic, “He shoots and scores!” is plenty enough.

Hockey is a different beast when it comes to play-by-play. Unlike basketball, baseball, football, or even soccer and tennis, there is a minimum of breaks in the action. With hockey, a play-by-play announcer has to know the names of the players like he or she knows her kids’ names.

To me, it is the hardest sport for play-by-play and equally difficult for a color analyst. In basketball, after a team scores, the play-by-play announcer will keep silent and give the color analyst time to talk until the play crosses center court. In baseball and football, there is ample room for commentary.

Hockey does not offer such space, but Olczyk gets the most out of the minimal amount of time. Watching Albert and Olczyk call a hockey game is like watching Picasso paint and da Vinci sculpt. They are masters of their respective crafts.

Coming back from a break in the game, Albert and Olczyk provided on air commentary and then tossed to ice level reporter Brian Boucher who has grown into a tremendous asset to the TNT broadcasts. Boucher provided real talk about Colorado’s objectives of staying on top of their division and vying for the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Penguins, squarely in a rebuilding year having dumped talent at the NHL trade deadline, surprisingly jumped out to a 2–0 lead in this game, and the TNT between periods studio crew was all over it. The excellent Liam McHugh hosted alongside Colby Armstrong, Anson Carter, and Keith Yandle.

Armstrong was especially entertaining. With Pittsburgh outshooting the Avs 16-4, Armstrong noted that it’s the best he’s seen Pittsburgh play in a long time. His reasoning was that teams get geared up for playing Colorado even if it’s out of fear. Great stuff.

Both teams tallied two goals in the second period giving Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame. When Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon set up Jonathan Drouin for a goal to make it 4-3, Albert and Olczyk showed their strengths.

Albert called the pass from MacKinnon and one-timer goal from Drouin, and immediately noted that MacKinnon now had a point in all 34 of Colorado’s home games this season. On the goal replay, Olczyk showed how the play developed pointing out how McKinnon allowed Pittsburgh’s Evgenii Malkin to come in close before making the past to Drouin.

The TNT production team then showed a graphic displaying that McKinnon is now second all-time in longest home points streaks trailing only Wayne Gretzky. This was a sublime sequence of symmetry between talent and technicians like a songwriter, musician, and singer creating beautiful music.

What was supposed to be a blowout win for Colorado had now become a hockey barn burner, and the TNT crew was up to the task. Every goal and key play was followed up with replays from multiple angles showing the genesis of the action.

TNT has certainly taken to the velocity of the hockey broadcast with movement that challenges directors, graphics professionals, and videographers.

When there were breaks in this non-stop action, Olczyk was at his best. No hockey analyst draws on his experience as a player and explains that experience better to viewers. The TNT broadcast also lets Boucher freewheel and join in the flow of discussion without having to be introduced.

TNT does not merely rely on the traditional wide shot of the entire rink. We see close-up shots of each goaltender after a great save and the sweat of players on the bench or in the penalty box.

When McKinnon tied the game at 4-4 with 4:38 left in the third period, we got a series of tremendous crowd shots showing the Colorado fans going absolutely berserk. The sage Albert and Olczyk wisely remained quiet for several seconds, letting the cheers do the talking.

When Drouin scored the game winner at 4:06 of overtime, Albert exercised controlled enthusiasm, raising his voice on the call of the goal, but not becoming the show and overshadowing the play itself. He is definitely in the mold of Dan Kelly, Gary Thorne, and Sean McDonough, announcers who enhance but do not supersede the game.

Putting a cherry on top of this hockey Sunday, TNT showed a graphic that the Avalanche now led the NHL in comeback wins this season with 25 and that they were riding a 9-game winning streak. In analyzing the goal, Olczyk opined that the altitude of playing in Colorado was prevalent as the Penguins seemed to tire as the game progressed – really interesting insight.

In the postgame show, Anson Carter made a great point that the chemistry between Drouin and MacKinnon stems from the fact that they have been playing together going back to junior hockey. McKinnon joined in from the arena for a postgame interview. The analysts asked solid questions and even did a funny MVP chant together as the interview ended.

The NHL on TNT takes no back seat to its elder NBA sister. The broadcast provides viewers with flash, dash, and serious hockey talk from every angle – in studio, from the broadcast booth, and on the ice.

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Kim Mulkey Now Has Everyone Anticipating Washington Post Story

I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it.

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photo of LSU women's college basketball coach Kim Mulkey
Credit: Dailymail.co.uk

The Washington Post, you might’ve heard, has a story coming out about controversial LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey. The reason you might’ve heard is because Kim Mulkey told you. The Tigers coach read a fiery prepared statement just before her team started the Women’s NCAA Tournament. In the statement, Mulkey threatened to sue The Post for defamation before the first word was even published.

Now, I’ve never run a public relations firm but that did not seem like a good idea. The Washington Post story on Mulkey is one of the bigger stories in sports right now and nobody even knows what’s in it. The reason the story, apparently unflattering to Mulkey, is even on anyone’s radar screen is Mulkey herself.

It all started with an innocuous social media post by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde right in the middle of the most anticipated two days in sports, the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. On his X account, Forde posted: “Hearing some buzz about a big Washington Post story in the works on LSU women’s hoops coach Kim Mulkey, potentially next week. Wagons being circled, etc.”

You know what generally will go unnoticed at 4:00 on the first Friday of the NCAA Tournament? A post on X about a women’s basketball coach. But don’t tell Mulkey, she saw Forde’s post and decided to fight fire with nuclear weaponry. The result: the average person like me now is really interested in what has Mulkey so incensed. By “average person like me” I mean that I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it. Maybe:

“LSU Women’s Coach Discovers Ark of the Covenant”

Or:

“Mulkey Reveals True JFK Assassin(s)”

Perhaps:

“Famed Women’s Basketball Coach Reveals the Mystery Behind Slow Drivers in the Left Lane”

Literally any of those catch my attention more than whatever will likely be the Washington Post headline about Mulkey. But now Mulkey is “Mad as Hell and is not going to take this anymore” so I now have an interest I would never before have had in this story. It has been fascinating to watch the online speculation about the subject of the article and all we really know, as of now, is that it will be written by Kent Babb. This is a dream come true for Babb; he writes an article that is, presumably, not flattering about Kim Mulkey and, before it is even published, she gives the article the greatest commercial anyone could give it. Babb couldn’t have entered into a business agreement with Mulkey and had this turn out better for him.

For those who don’t follow Babb, he is a former NFL reporter who now is an award-winning writer for the Washington Post. In his 14 years with The Post, he has written sports features and authored a couple of books. One of those sports features stories was a deep dive into what he viewed as a large inequity in the level of pay for LSU head football coach Brian Kelly and his LSU players. It is this piece Mulkey described as a “hit piece” and, based on that piece, referred to Babb as a “sleazy reporter.” Babb, and many others, resented the fact his story was labeled as a hit piece. In fact, Babb essentially confirmed he was the author Mulkey was referencing when he shared the original article on X with the comment: “Hit piece?”

Whether a printed piece or a recorded interview, I can’t imagine a better promotion for it than the subject of the interview threatening a libel/slander lawsuit, especially before it is even released. That simply screams “This piece is salacious!!” Also, libel and slander suits get settled all the time, right? Of course they don’t, they seem to never even get filed. That little thing called discovery is a scary thing for most public figures.

The NCAA Tournament has been very entertaining, and I think the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be terrific. For only the fifth time ever, the top two seeds have advanced to the third round which sets up for a remarkable weekend. For me, I guess it will now include a Washington Post article, not a sentence I’d normally say.

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