With games at a standstill in the sports world, gamblers are expected to shift their attention toward the NFL Draft on Thursday night, which sports gambling experts expect to become the most bet on draft ever.
An expected, $5 million will be wagered on this year's draft in the United States, eclipsing last year's $1 million dollar handle, according to Bet-NJ.com. Across all states, expected revenue is around $500,000, a much-needed boost for a struggling industry -- especially considering the draft is the only "live" notable sporting event scheduled for months.
FOX Bet estimated the market could be as much as $20 million.
“This year’s draft will be by far the biggest handle we’ve seen,” Nick Bogdanovich, the U.S. director of trading at William Hill, told Forbes. “As an isolated event, there is more interest. Had the NFL Draft been held in Las Vegas as originally scheduled, there’s no telling how much would have been bet but we would have written an insane amount of money.”
There are a variety of odds courtesy of Bet-NJ.com for the NFL Draft. You could bet on what wide receiver will be taken first in the draft, or you can successfully predict the over/under of quarterbacks taken in the first round. Interesting prop bets suggest if a draftee will be shown drinking a beer, and whether the last prospect taken in the draft will be an offensive or defensive player.
“There’s no doubt this will be the biggest-bet draft ever,” Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill U.S., told The Associated Press. “The draft is a time of renewal, and I think people are looking forward to a bit of fun after all of the tough news we’ve had recently. Betting on the draft is small in context, so this is no silver bullet, but it’s something positive for sure."
Last month, nearly 95 percent of the United States’ commercial casinos closed their doors, in addition to 82 percent of tribal casinos, hitting 98 percent of the casino workforce, which consists of more than 600,000 employees. According to the American Gaming Association, $74 billion in total annual wages and up to $43.5 billion in damage to the country’s economy could happen if the casinos remain closed for two months.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/virtual-nfl-draft-most-bet-on-ever