Saturday 20 October 2018

Ladbrokes No Loss, NBA Totals, MLB Game 7


Not many tears will have been shed over the above announcement, although on some level for those of us of a certain age, it's a little sad to see one of the formerly big names in English bookmaking reach such a nadir. 

Ladbrokes were one of the big high street bookmakers when I was coming of age, and their PR man Ron Pollard was frequently in the media as betting became more than only about horses and dogs. 

Earlier this year, I questioned David Sumpter's description of Ladbrokes as a 'leading bookmaker' pointing out that they were the top (or joint top) price on English Premier League Draws just 18 times from 2,210 matches, or 0.8% of the time. 

They won't be missed by many. As I've mentioned before, Ladbrokes closed my account in the 1980s, and my attitude since then has been that if they don't want me to take their money, then it's not their loss! That'll teach them. 

Joseph adds that: 
Joseph's right - we don't care.

My prediction that the number of points scored this season in NBA games would continue to climb got off to a poor start on Tuesday with the two games averaging exactly 200 points. Wednesday's average of 219 was more like it though, and Thursday's three games averaged an incredible 235.67 points per game. And not a single overtime game so far.

Betting the Overs on higher totals is already in profit. The books seem to be setting high totals in New Orleans Pelicans games so far, 232 in both of them, but readers of this blog will not have been intimidated by the high number. 243 points and a season high 278 last night have helped the cause! Be aware that the books are already raising the totals this season. So far the average total is 216.1, up from last season's average 210.4 and 2015's 204.7.  I expect this to go higher.  

In baseball, the Boston Red Sox have won six consecutive games as 'dogs and have reached the World Series where they will play the winners of today's Game 7 between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers. In MLB game 7 matches, 'dogs have a 7-5 record.  

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