Whether you’re a sports bettor or DFS player, you know the letdown of placing a bet or finalizing a starting lineup just to see your favorite player sit out the game.
It happens all the time, especially in the NBA. Coaches these days are big on load management and keeping their guys healthy for the playoffs.
Thankfully, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has resolved this problem ahead of what could be the most popular season ever. On September 20, he announced that all teams must publicly announce their starting lineups 30 minutes before tip-off, as opposed to the previous 10-minute heads-up.
Why This is HUGE for Sports Bettors
Basketball’s a game of 5-player lineups, so each and every person on the floor is vital to the team’s success. That’s why betting lines take such a hit when players miss games. Silver’s new rule effectively takes the guesswork out of betting NBA games.
To give you an idea, let’s take Tuesday’s season-opening matchup between two LA powerhouses, the Lakers and Clippers. DraftKings offered a promotional deal where anyone who took LeBron James or Kawhi Leonard to score first won a free $1 bet for every point that player scored throughout the game. This promo naturally attracted plenty of bets.
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The opening odds for LeBron to score first were +650. Then came news that Clippers star Paul George wouldn’t play, and every other starting player’s odds greatly increased. LeBron’s jumped to +500. In true LeBron fashion, he contorted his way in for a contested layup just 13 seconds into the new season for the first points.
It Matters for DFS Too
Needless to say, injuries being announced 30 minutes prior to tip-off has huge ramifications for daily fantasy basketball, too.
Having one player miss a game in your lineup can sometimes lead directly to a loss. It’s imperative to make sure each of your players is healthy and ready to go every day. When lineups were announced 10 minutes out, anyone driving home from work or making a PB&J could easily miss an important lineup decision. And with all lineups set before the opening whistle, you don’t have much time to be sure you’ve got your best guys going.
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With 20 extra minutes, there’s more flexibility and less pressure when setting those lineups. This also gives you enough time to pick up a free agent and insert him into your lineup, or possibly even manipulate your way into a buzzer-beating trade.
The possibilities have greatly multiplied since this rule change, thanks to Silver’s goal of increasing transparency with fans and the media.The commissioner’s been proactive in his short reign as commissioner when it comes to expanding the business potential of arguably the most globally popular sports league in existence. In our view, Silver is gold.
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