The 2018 NBA season has started, which means it’s time for people who love sports betting to head to the casinos and bookies to place their bets! But before we get into how last night’s NBA action unfolded, let’s take a look at the sporting events that made it a memorable night for sports fans around the world.
UFC Fight Night 101: Rousey vs Nunes
Last night’s UFC Fight Night 101 event was a special chapter in the storied history of the UFC. Not only did it mark the 10th anniversary of the premiere of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, but it was also the long-awaited rematch between former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and champion Michelle Nunes.
The two faced off in the first fight of the evening, with Rousey getting the win via a technical knockout in the third round. Although many fans were frustrated that this fight was not made at a catchweight, the fact that it was a rematch made it a special chapter. It was also the end of an era, as Nunes, the first Brazilian-born woman to ever hold the title, became the last straw in the camel’s pack of opponents that included American-born champions Alexis Davis and Holly Holm. The 33-year-old also became the UFC’s first titleholder from Central America when she defeated Bec Rawlings in the semi-finals of TUF: The Championship.
Golden Globes
The Golden Globes, which are handed out at the end of the year to recognize excellence in film and television, were also special last night. In fact, the whole ceremony was special, featuring an emotional speech by Charlize Theron, who won her second Golden Globes as she accepted her award for best actress in a motion picture – comedy or musical for her performance in the film, Monster.
The ceremony, which was attended by President Trump, also featured an incredible performance by Lady Gaga, who won her second Golden Globes as she accepted her award for best supporting actress in a motion picture for her performance in the film, A Star Is Born.
Whether you love or hate Lady Gaga, you have to give her credit for pulling off something truly special. She not only won an award, but she also managed to entertain the audience by performing a medley of her favorite songs from her album, Joanne, and including a few other songs that had not yet been released.
Wrestlemania
Wrestlemania, which is short for Wrestle-mania, is the annual four-day flagship event of the professional wrestling industry, often referred to as the Super Bowl of sports entertainment. This year’s Wrestlemania was the 100th edition of the wrestling extravaganza, and it was held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It was the first time that the event had been held in the state of New Jersey, and it was also the last show that New Jersey governor Chris Christie would attend before he dropped out of office.
Unfortunately, the governor’s departure had a major impact on the event, which was significantly downsized compared to previous editions. Although there were some incredible matches, including the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, which saw eight wrestlers enter and fight it out until only one was left standing, the overall entertainment value was greatly diminished. As a result of the poor turnout, the New Jersey wrestling commission fined the state’s biggest casino, the Garden State Resort & Casino, $10,000 for improperly profiting from sports gambling. The commission also levied a $10,000 fine against the race track, Hoosier Park, for failing to monitor its sportsbook.
It was an extremely disappointing end to a special night, with only 77,000 people showing up to watch a show that was supposed to showcase the very best in WWE talent. Hopefully, the industry will do something to prevent something like this from happening again.
The Masters
Another major event that happened last night was the 147th edition of the Masters Tournament, which is the annual golf championship that is held at the end of April each year. The Masters is one of the most prestigious events on the golf calendar, with the likes of Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer among those who have won the tournament. This year’s edition was won by Jack Nicklaus, who clinched the tournament with a playoff victory over Steve Stricker.
It was an incredible evening of golf, with both men playing excellent golf that eventually led to them meeting in the playoff. Unfortunately, this was a night overshadowed by controversy as the entire field of players refused to shake hands with US President Trump, leading to the Commander-in-Chief being forced to play through the duration of the championship.
Tiger Woods’ Return
Finally, let’s not forget about Tiger Woods, who returned to the world of professional golf at the end of last year, winning his first major tournament in almost a decade at the Masters Tournament and subsequently claiming his 13th green jacket. This year, the golf icon won the Wells Fargo Championship, the PGA Championship, and then defended his title at the Masters, becoming the first player in history to win the amateur, professional, and junior grand slams in the same year. Although the 30-year-old has said that playing with the mental game of becoming a professional again is tiring, he clearly hasn’t lost his touch, as he is now considered by many to be the best player in the world. If anyone deserves a break this year, it’s arguably Tiger Woods.
Now that you’re up to date on last night’s events, it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of how the sports betting went. We’ll begin in the United States, where the majority of wagering happens, and then we’ll touch on some international variations.
The United States Of America
In the United States, last night’s primary event was the Florida Super Bowl, which came down to a battle of the unbeatens when the New York Jets took on the Miami Dolphins. The game was also a rematch of last year’s contest, with the Jets prevailing 24-10. This marked the fourth consecutive year that the two rivals faced off in the Super Bowl.
There were also a number of college football games, featuring some incredible outcomes. The night’s marquee game was the Oklahoma-Texas Bowl, with the Longhorns prevailing 31-27 in what was billed as the biggest upset of the year. Oklahoma, which had not lost a football game since September 2017, went into the game as heavy favorites against the Longhorns, who were coming off back-to-back national championship seasons.
One of the most anticipated games of the night was the Alabama-Auburn football game, with the Tide taking on the Tigers for the 120th time in a series that dates back to 1892. In what has become an annual rivalry game, Auburn defeated Alabama 19-14 in one of the most shocking games of the year. In fact, the game was so unexpected that many betting fans likely didn’t see it coming. As a result of the surprising nature of the game, there were a lot of bets made prior to the start of the contest. For example, the over/under for Auburn’s win was set at 7.5 and the over/under for Alabama’s loss saw action as soon as the Tide took the field. Needless to say, those who wagered on Alabama winning were extremely pleased with the results, while those who bet on Auburn having an easy day were in for a nasty surprise. That’s how successful these types of gambles can be when done right!
Canada, Australia, And England
Elsewhere in North America, there were a number of sporting events that took place last night. In Canada, the biggest game was the Toronto Raptors taking on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals of the NBA playoffs. Although the Raptors lost the game, they were able to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy as the championship of the NBA’s eastern division. The game was also notable for the fact that the Celtics’ Kyrie Irving and the Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan became friends off the court, which led to the two of them sharing an emotional embrace after the game, as illustrated in the video above.
The Los Angeles Clippers also had a chance to celebrate after their season of overcoming adversities came to an end when they were eliminated from the 2018 NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Although they lost the series, the team was able to bring home some hardware, winning the NBA championship after their champion forward, Blake Griffin, ruptured his achilles tendon in the playoffs. As a result, the Thunder won the championship four games to two.