It has been a rough 2018 for NBA betting on VPGAME and other sportsbooks, with many fans seeking safe and secure ways to wager on their favorite teams. The good news is there are options and we have compiled a list of trustworthy bookmakers where anyone can continue placing bets.
Here’s a quick recap of what happened in 2018 and how fans can continue making NBA picks with confidence.
NBA And NHL Pools Are Closed
Starting in 2018, the NBA and the NHL closed their sportsbooks to new accounts and opened them back up to existing customers only. The motivation behind this is quite simple – the leagues wanted to avoid a repeat of the type of scandal that hit the NFL in late 2017 when their books were hacked and millions of dollars were lost when betting lines were tampered with. The NBA and NHL didn’t want to be in a situation where their books are once again breached, so they took the extra step of closing the doors to everyone.
Fortunately for sports bettors, the leagues provided the necessary security so that their players, teams, and fans can sleep more easily at night. While it is sad that the pools will no longer be open to the general public, at least sportsbooks can now ensure that no malicious software has infiltrated their systems.
The 2017-18 NBA Season Was Full Of Scandal
The 2017-18 NBA season was one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory, as the league saw more upsets than usual and saw legendary coaches such as Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs and Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors leave their posts as head coaches. The latter being the most surprising of all, as he led the Warriors to their first championship in decades and was named the 2017-18 NBA MVP. The Warriors have since named their winnings from the previous season as the ‘Kerr Cup’.
Along with the 2017-18 NBA season, its associated betting markets also saw a boom in interest and volume in the lead-up to and during the season, as evidenced by records being set across the board. For instance, the total amount of bets placed on the Warriors during the 2017-18 season was 3.2 million, the highest figure ever recorded for a team in the history of NBA Betting on VPGAME. The total amount of money wagered on the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017-18 was also an all-time high and this was also the case for the Portland Trail Blazers and many others.
Wagering On The 2018 MLB And NCAHA World Series Was A Nightmare
The 2018 MLB and NCAHA World Series were some of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, with many fans looking forward to the chance to wager on their favorite teams. Unfortunately, the world series was also one of the most disappointing sporting events in recent memory, as the betting lines were completely skewed in the favor of the home teams, the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. Those looking to wager on the visiting team had to search high and low for favorable betting options, while those looking to bet on the home team had it relatively easy. This is certainly the case for the Yankees, who won the series in four games and erased a 3-1 deficit to take the ALCS in five games. The final score was Yankees 12, Red Sox 7. Those looking for a safe and convenient way to wager on their favorite team were out of luck, as the fix was in place and there was no way for them to win money.
It’s important to note here that while the MLB and NCAHA World Series were fixed, it doesn’t mean that all of the postseason games were played in an unlevel manner. In fact, as disappointing as the 2018 MLB and NCAHA World Series were, it would be a severe understatement to say that they didn’t provide a lot of exciting games. Some of the best games this year featured some of the classic characters in baseball history going at it, with several matchups seeing tremendous amounts of action.
The 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs Was An Opportunity To Bet On Underdog Teams
The year 2018 was one of the most exciting years in recent memory for sports fans, as they were able to witness some of the greatest series ever played in overtime, including Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, which went into a second extra period and saw the Predators finally dethrone the Blue Jackets in one of the greatest upsets in Stanley Cup history. The Predators were considered a 12th selection by some oddsmakers and those who placed bets on them were able to win big.
The 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs offered sportsbooks a chance to back some underdogs, as many teams were not favored to win the Stanley Cup and fans of those teams had nowhere to place their bets, as most bookies refused to take the bets. The Nashville Predators are the perfect example of an underdog team that experienced a great turnaround in 2018. They started the year at 12/1 to win the Stanley Cup, rebounded from a 1-4 record at the beginning of the season and went on to reach the Stanley Cup Final. Those who bet on the Predators and won saw their winnings triple.
Even the 2018 World Cup was an opportunity for betting fans, as bookmakers made a killing off international wagering, as many foreign teams were not expected to make it to the top four, with the majority of bets being placed on the four favored teams in each pool (Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and France).
The 2018 MLB And NCAHA Division Series Were Uneventful
The 2018 MLB and NCAHA Division Series were some of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, as the matchup between the Red Sox and the Yankees promised to be one of the most exciting sporting events in recent memory. However, betting fans were let down when the series didn’t live up to the hype, as many patrons couldn’t find any odds or sportsbooks willing to take their bets. Those who did find something were likely asked to meet strict guidelines set by the MLB and NCAHA and were expected to keep quiet about the series being rigged. Despite this, several rumors about the fix started to circulate and the betting public was ultimately left in the dark.
Suspicious Activity
In the 2018 offseason, the NBA opened up a formal investigation into the activities of several esports organizations, with several executives from these organizations arrested and charged with running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of millions of dollars. The case was reopened in September, as the NBA attempts to claw back money that was lost by fans who placed bets on these suspicious organizations. The executives are accused of encouraging investors to purchase shares in esports organizations in return for a guaranteed profit, only to be informed by the executives that these investments were not profitable and the money would be used to pay back early investors. At least 30 people have been indicted as a result of this scandal.
What’s Next For NBA And Other Sportsbooks
The 2019 NBA season is upon us and while most fans are looking forward to the start of the new season, bookmakers aren’t. Several sportsbooks closed down after the 2018 season, as they were unable to recoup their losses. However, there are still a few that remain and continue to offer services to sports bettors. It remains to be seen whether or not the NBA and other sports leagues will be able to recover from the scandals of the last year, which undoubtedly cost them a great deal of goodwill and customer trust, but they will definitely need to start over from scratch.
For those seeking a safe and trusted place to bet on sports, it’s important to keep in mind that the leagues will always have control over their games and the people that operate their books, so while there is no fix currently in place, one cannot assume that this will remain the case. For the time being, at least we can rest assured that our beloved NBA and other leagues will use the offseason to clean house and bring in new personnel to guarantee a more transparent and trustworthy betting environment.