*By Michael Teich*
Sports gamblers are betting that rookie quarterback Sam Darnold is the real deal.
The public seems to be getting behind the Jets during the second week of the NFL season after the New York team trampled the Detroit Lions 48-17 as a 7-point underdog in week one, said The Action Network's senior editor Chris Raybon.
The surprising performance is causing sportsbooks to swing the line to Jets -3 against the Miami Dolphins after initially predicting the game would be a toss-up, adjusting for the betting market's shifting sentiment towards the Jets.
“That’s a situation you sometimes want to be wary of. But I actually think this is legit," Raybon said. "I would expect the Jets to take care of business at home.”
While Raybon is high on the Jets, he sees the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles as the safest pick of the week.
“I love the Eagles. They’re actually my favorite pick this week," Raybon said. "They’re a three-point favorite against Tampa Bay, but Tampa Bay’s defense was really bad as well last week ー 32nd, dead last, in success rate versus both the run and the pass. Eagles with 10 days to prepare will be all over that."
The NFL season is well-underway and is already causing a spike in betting.
During Sunday’s season-opening games, DraftKings' sportsbook accepted more than 100,000 bets.
DraftKings, known for its daily fantasy sports games, launched its online sportsbook in New Jersey on August 1, and has already processed over [1 million wagers](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-gambling-nfl/nfl-season-kicks-off-sports-betting-surge-for-draftkings-idUSKCN1LS33F?feedType=RSS&feedName=newsOne).
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/best-bets-for-nfl-week-2).
Six Super Bowl rings may get you special treatment in a lot of places but former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady learned Monday that it won't get you anything when you're caught working out in a park that is closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ed Desser, president of Desser Media and a former league executive, said holding games without fans is still "the most likely thing to happen" but noted that the people shouldn't underestimate how much coordination that would require.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has made a move that allows teams to lay off or cut the pay of major and minor league managers, coaches, trainers and full-time scouts.
The cancellation of live sports events during the coronavirus pandemic could be costing media companies more than $1 billion in ad revenue and even more in invaluable opportunities for self-promotion for the media companies that broadcast the events.
The NFL will hold a practice remote draft on Monday, three days before the real thing is done in the same way.
The timing for the coronavirus outbreak, however, could not have been worse for the wide-eyed casinos and online sportsbooks operators expecting to capitalize on legal sports wagering expanding across the U.S. William Hill US CEO weighs in.
Just like most of the sports and entertainment world, esports leagues have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. While competitive teams are adapting to games without their teammates sitting beside them, more people are joining in from home, meaning they can play with even more spectators.
Retired NASCAR driver Danica Patrick had to race back to the U.S. as the coronavirus pandemic began to spread. As the brand ambassador for, and investor in, Beam CBD, Patrick suggested cannabidiol products may be able help during this stressful time.
The IOC announced a first-of-its-kind postponement of the Summer Olympics on Tuesday, bowing to the realities of a coronavirus pandemic that is shutting down daily life around the globe and making planning for a massive worldwide gathering in July a virtual impossibility.
NASCAR and IndyCar have postponed their weekend schedules at Atlanta Motor Speedway and St. Petersburg, Florida, due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
