Gambling Industry

More people watched Bob Baffert lift his seventh Kentucky Derby trophy than watched Oscar winners lift theirs. NBC reported strong viewership for Medina Spirit's Derby upset. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Better than the Oscars? Kentucky Derby Ratings Jump from 2020

NBC Sports announced strong ratings for Saturday’s telecast of the 147th Kentucky Derby, producing Total Audience Delivery numbers of 14.5 million viewers for the opening leg of the Triple Crown. Putting those numbers into perspective, the Derby drew better numbers than the final round of the Masters. For the first […]

Ohio state Sen. Kirk Schuring said Monday he plans to introduce a sports betting bill on Thursday. (Image: Canton Repository)

Ohio Sports Betting Bill Coming This Week

A state senator said Monday that he plans to introduce a sports betting bill in the Ohio Legislature on Thursday. Ohio Sen. Kirk Schuring said on 1450 WHBC Monday morning that he’s working “very diligently” on the bill in conjunction with Senate Majority Leader Matt Huffman. “It’s right now 250 […]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida recently agreed to a new gaming compact, paving the way for expanded gambling in the state.. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Florida Sports Betting Moves Closer to Reality

The Florida Legislature could move this week to approve a compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe that would introduce online sports betting to the Sunshine State. Gov. Ron DeSantis and the tribe signed a new gaming compact on Friday that includes a provision to allow the Seminoles to […]

After a year's hiatus due to the pandemic, Wesley Ward returned to his native habitat: winning Keeneland training titles. With 20 victories, the conditioner won his seventh Keeneland Spring Meet title. (Image: Coady Photography)

Keeneland’s Spring Meet Hops Into the Books With Strong Handle

Despite selling limited tickets for its 15-day Spring Meet, Keeneland’s just-concluded meet brought a 7.55% handle increase from its 2019 numbers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic scrubbing Keeneland’s 2020 Spring Meet, 2019 represents the last comparable year. Headlined by Essential Quality’s Blue Grass Stakes victory, Wesley Ward’s seventh training title […]

Joe Bravo and King for a Day beat Maximum Security to win the 2019 Pegasus Cup. A Monmouth Park fixture and 12-time riding champion, Bravo may not ride at the New Jersey track this year because of a new restriction on riding crop usage. (Image: Taylor Ejdys/Equi-Photo)

New Jersey Jockeys Whipped Into Mutiny Over New Crop Rule

A jockeys’ mutiny for Monmouth Park’s upcoming racing season is brewing after the Superior Court of New Jersey declined a request to stay the New Jersey Racing Commission’s riding crop ban. Three jockeys, including 13-time Monmouth riding champion Joe Bravo, told Thoroughbred Daily News they will not ride at Monmouth […]

More than a decade ago, Kobe Bryant wore his iconic Kobe 6 Grinch. Restocked on April 13, 2021, the Grinch may be the last shoe to be issued from the Nike/Brayant deal. (Image: Victor Decolongon/Getty)

Nike Fails to Renew Deal with Kobe Bryant’s Estate

In what could mark the end of an era, Nike and Vanessa Bryant acknowledged a failure to renew Kobe’s legacy sponsorship deal. Nike’s limited-edition sales model, which caters to well-heeled collectors, may have been a sticking point in the negotiations. Dating back to 2003, the sponsorship deal between Bryant and […]

The University of North Carolina nearly upset No. 1 Clemson, and as a result AP Top 25 voters dropped the Tigers to No. 2. (Image: AP)

North Carolina Senators File Online Sports Betting Bill

A new North Carolina Senate bill would permit online sports betting in the state, and would also allow wagering at professional sports facilities. Senate Bill 688, sponsored by senators Jim Perry and Paul Lowe, would permit up to 12 online licenses in North Carolina. It would also allow sports facilities […]

The College Football National Championship game on Monday features Alabama and Ohio State, both of whom have potent offenses. (Image: USA Today Sports)

Alabama Considers Far-Reaching Lottery, Casino and Sports Betting Bill

Weeks after it appeared, a plan to allow Alabama residents to vote on legalizing a cornucopia of gaming had died. Now, new legislation is resurrecting the concept. The Alabama Senate passed a package of bills last week that could establish a lottery, casino gaming, and both live and online sports […]

Phil Mickelson tees off at the iconic 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. (Image: AP)

DraftKings Plans Sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale

DraftKings plans to develop the first-of-its-kind retail sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale in conjunction with the PGA Tour, pending the signing of a bill that would legalize sports betting in Arizona. As OG News reported on Tuesday, the legislation is one of the most ambitious bills in the nation, allowing wagers […]

Tiz the Law's 2020 Belmont Stakes victory came in front of empty stands at Belmont Park. NYRA has the go-ahead to sell tickets at 20% capacity to the Belmont Stakes and the rest of its Spring Meet. (Image: AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Cuomo Green-Lights Fans at NYRA Racetracks Starting April 23

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo caught the New York Racing Association by surprise on Wednesday when he announced fans could return to the state’s racetracks as early as April 23. That’s one day after Belmont Park’s Spring Meet opens. According to Cuomo’s edict, attendance at the three NYRA tracks, Belmont […]

The Arizona Senate easily passed a retail and online sports betting bill on Monday evening, leaving only the governor's signature to make wagers legal in the state this year. (Image: KNAU)

Legal Arizona Sports Betting Should Happen by Football Season

Legislation that would permit online and brick-and-mortar sports betting in Arizona passed the Arizona Senate on Monday, paving the way for legal wagers in the state by the fall, pending the governor’s signature. Arizona legislators moved the companion bills Senate Bill 1797 and House Bill 2772 through their chambers, with […]

When I opened Cullman Sportscards & Fun Shop to the public on April 6 I had it stocked with plenty of vintage wax, a mix of new sealed product and singles of plenty of Alabama, Auburn, Braves players' singles. (Image: Johnny Kampis)

Opening a Card Shop Part 4: Opening Day for Cullman Sportscards

It took me several days to even start this column. Why? Because after I opened Cullman Sportscards & Fun Shop last week I became so overwhelmed by customers that I barely had time to breathe, much less write. The response shows the pent-up demand for a collectibles shop in my […]

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders announced a fiscal year 2022 budget on Tuesday that includes a plan for online sports betting. (Image: Vanity Fair)

New York Announces Plan to Legalize Online Sports Betting

New York announced its budget for fiscal year 2022 on Tuesday, and it includes legal online sports betting. The Empire State’s plan will be more restrictive than most, however, as the state will control the action rather than allow private casinos to run the games. State will control online sports […]

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo prevailed over state legislators on a mobile sports wagering bill. Horse racing tracks, arenas, stadiums and other non-casino venues were not included in the agreement, part of a state budget bill. (Image: Al Bello/Getty)

New York Mobile Sports Wagering Coming, Horse Racing Not Going Along

A bid to include horse racing in New York’s mobile sports wagering law didn’t make it into the final draft agreed upon by state legislators and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The mobile sports wagering agreement, which will become part of a state budget plan, allows online wagering on college […]