Mikaela Shiffrin has battled through her father’s death, a pandemic, a career-threatening injury, and finally— a wind hold this season. But, the 25-year-old American alpine skiing superstar will be back one more time in 2020 for the scheduled slalom in Semmering, Austria on Tuesday. Coming off an emotional GS win […]
Sports Betting
Dubai World Cup Keeps $12 Million Purse, Slices Undercard Purses
The Dubai World Cup announced this weekend it will retain its US$12 million purse for 2021, while, at the same time, cutting $8.5 million from its undercard purses. This keeps the March 27 Dubai World Cup as one of the richest races in the world. The late March event was […]
Horseracing Integrity and Safety Bill Becomes Law
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 officially became law Sunday night when President Donald Trump signed the $2.3 trillion omnibus spending bill. That bill provided $900 billion for COVID-19 relief, along with keeping the US government operating. HISA was part of that bill. Representatives Andy Barr (R-KY) and […]
World Cup Skiing: Storm Postpones Men’s Downhill in Bormio Till Wednesday, Super-G Pushed to Tuesday
Like the women’s giant slalom in Semmering, the men’s World Cup downhill race at Bormio was canceled Monday after a heavy snowstorm nuked the course as action got underway. The super-G on the legendary Stelvio piste is rescheduled for Tuesday, with the men’s downhill pushed to Wednesday for the last […]
World Cup Skiing: Hurricane-Force Winds Cause Cancellation of Monday’s Women’s Giant Slalom
It was an elating-yet-disappointing morning in Semmering for Slovakian speed specialist Petra Vlhová. With a technically sound and fast bottom half of the course, she topped the leaderboard after the first run. But by the start of the second run, hurricane-force winds of up to 62 mph laid waste to […]
Villanova Basketball on Pause After Head Coach Jay Wright Tests Positive for COVID-19
Villanova men’s basketball has stopped team activities after head coach Jay Wright tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Wright said he is experiencing mild symptoms and is in isolation. “Unfortunately, we have had two staff members test positive. I am one of them,†Wright said in a statement Sunday. My […]
NFL Playoff Picture: Who’s In, Who’s Out, Who Needs Help
With one week remaining in the regular season, the NFL playoff picture is coming into focus. The biggest losers were the Las Vegas Raiders, who played themselves out of a postseason spot, and the Indianapolis Colts, who could have secured one of the seven spots in the AFC, but are […]
Caesars Entertainment Acquires Colombian Online Betting Operator Alfabet with Eye on Latin American Expansion
UK sportsbook William Hill, acquired by Caesars Entertainment in September for $2.9 billion, announced Sunday that it picked up a majority stake of Columbia-based Alfabet SAS—an online casino and sports gambling operation run under the BetAlfa name. Alfabet and BetAlfa are relatively new players on the scene, having been in […]
Santa Anita Park’s New Turf Chute Makes an Early and Successful Debut
Highly Distorted became the 11/1 answer to a trivia question when he won the first race run from Santa Anita Park’s new turf chute on Saturday. The 6-½-furlong allowance race was Santa Anita’s sixth of 11 on its Saturday Winter/Spring Meet opening day card. Santa Anita Track Surfaces Consultant Dennis […]
Bettors Take Lessons from Recent History as Browns Face Jets sans Receivers Sunday
Cleveland Browns linebacker B.J. Goodson learned Saturday he tested positive for COVID-19, and the NFL discovered evidence of those who came into his orbit not wearing masks or social distancing. As a result, the NFL put several Browns players, including four of Cleveland’s (10-4) top five receivers, on the reserve/COVID-19 […]
Shiffrin Rides Again in 2020, Becomes Favorite to Win Giant Slalom in Semmering Monday
Mikaela Shiffrin’s on-again-off-again season is back to full-throttle this week as she kicks out the old with a trio of World Cup races starting with a giant slalom on Monday. Shiffrin’s extended offseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic and career-defining injury left some questioning whether she’d be in race shape […]
No Crowds? No Problem as Santa Anita Park Enjoys Record Handle
With Charlatan winning Bob Baffert’s 17th Grade 1 race of 2020 headlining an 11-race, six-stakes card, Santa Anita Park set an all-time opening day handle record of $23,003,159 Saturday. That surpassed the previous record: 2018’s 11-race opening-day handle, by more than $2.51 million. And it did so without the traditional […]
Men’s World Cup Skiing: American Ryan Cochran-Siegle Looks to End 2020 with a Podium in Bormio
Henrik Kristoffersen stormed back under the lights at Madonna di Campiglio to claim an unlikely victory and show that his technical mastery shines best in the spotlight. The crafty Norwegian finished 12th after his first run, almost 1.25 seconds behind his teammate and leader Sebastian Foss-Solevaag. Still, he hit a […]
One Bet, $100: Philadelphia Will Get Season Sweep Against Depleted Dallas
The first meeting between Philadelphia and Dallas nearly two months ago went decisively in favor of the Eagles, 23-9, and there is no reason Sunday’s game shouldn’t be a repeat of that contest. That is why with this week’s One Bet, $100 and I going to take Philadelphia and give […]
Anyone Free to Coach the Lions Saturday?
The Detroit Lions announced Thursday evening that interim head coach Darrell Bevell will sit out the game at home vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday due to a positive Covid-19 test. Bevell is the first NFL head coach to miss a game this season. He joins the teams’ four other […]
Duke Women’s Basketball Calls it a Season
The Duke women’s basketball team ended their season on Christmas Day amidst the program’s pause due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing protocols. The Blue Devils, which haven’t practiced since Dec. 16, were 3-1 and previously had postponed games against Miami, N.C. State and UNC Wilmington. School Supports Decision […]
The Malibu Stakes Puts a Rich, Plot-Filled Bow on 2020’s Grade 1 Races
The Malibu Stakes is the bow on the 2020 racing season. It gives horseplayers and racing fans a deserving end to this year’s wild, unpredictable runaway roller coaster that was Horseracing 2020. There’s Nashville, he of the freakish speed. There’s Charlatan, he of the one-time Kentucky Derby favorite status. There’s […]
It’s Finite vs. Baffert’s Infinite Depth in Wide Open La Brea Stakes
The tempting storyline in Saturday’s Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita Park is to look at the seven-furlong race through the quality vs. quantity prism. Steve Asmussen’s standout filly Finite vs. Bob Baffert’s quartet of Merneith, Golden Principal, Himiko and Provocation. Asmussen sending a multiple Grade 2 and […]
Sharing Plants the Seed of Familiarity as American Oaks Favorite
Let no one accuse Sharing of dodging either travel or terrific competition. And the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita Park provides the 3-year-old filly both elements for her considerable resume. Run on the turf, the 1 ¼-mile American Oaks is the final Grade 1 event of the year […]
Premier League Boxing Day Schedule: Struggling Arsenal Hosts Chelsea in London Derby
After 14 matches, Arsenal finds itself closer to a relegation battle than earning a spot in a European competition next year. But the Gunners can begin their march back up the Premier League table on Saturday if they can get a home win vs. Chelsea in part of the EPL’s […]