Bronx Bombers

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Welcome back to the Bandit Betting Newsletter, where we deliver the top stories in sports and gambling directly to your inbox, every Sunday.

In today's email:

• World Series: Yankees await winner of Dodgers-Mets.

• United States Grand Prix: Times, stats, predictions.

• Georgia weathers storm: to beat No. 1 Texas.

Let's go...

BRONX BOMBERS

Aaron Judge and the Yankees have once again been tabbed as World Series favorites.

The New York Yankees ended their 14-year pennant drought in 2024, returning to the top of the American League after years of October disappointment. During this period, the Yankees led the league in many regular-season metrics, including home runs, run differential, and comeback wins.

Despite consistent playoff appearances, the Yankees fell short, losing five times in the ALCS since 2010.

In 2024, Juan Soto’s key at-bat and Aaron Judge’s record-breaking offensive performance anchored the team’s success.

Soto, acquired for the season, created a formidable lineup alongside Judge, boosting the Yankees' offense and allowing Judge to drive in a career-high 144 RBIs.

Giancarlo Stanton also excelled, winning the ALCS MVP with his power hitting, while younger talents like shortstop Anthony Volpe contributed significantly.

Despite prior struggles, Yankees’ General Manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone maintained a stable leadership, guiding the team through a challenging postseason.

A disciplined approach at the plate and an infusion of youthful talent further propelled the Yankees.

With the Houston Astros, their longtime ALCS nemesis, out of the playoffs, the Yankees are poised to win their 28th World Series. However, as Stanton emphasized, the team’s ultimate goal is still unfulfilled: "We need to win it."

US GRAND PRIX

Formula 1 arrives in Austin, Texas this week boasting a tense battle for the title with just six races remaining.

Red Bull now trails in the constructors' standings, while Max Verstappen's lead in the drivers' championship has shrunk to 52 points, with McLaren's Lando Norris closing in.

As the F1 season resumes at Circuit of the Americas, the focus is on whether Red Bull can regain performance or if McLaren will continue their development surge. The weather in Austin is expected to be hot and dry, with partial cloud coverage and highs around 28-29°C.

Off the track, McLaren boss Zak Brown warned of "massive consequences" if Red Bull is found to have violated F1 rules on adjusting car setups during closed 'parc fermé' conditions.

The FIA has issued a statement clarifying the regulations, prompting Red Bull to modify their approach. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz views Austin as a key test of Ferrari’s true pace, while Verstappen has hinted his protest against FIA news conferences may continue, citing a lack of communication from the governing body.

The U.S. Grand Prix, hosted at COTA since 2012, has seen a spike in ticket sales as Verstappen’s dominance slowed.

America’s F1 history dates back to 1950, with races now held in Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas. COTA’s layout, influenced by Silverstone and Hockenheim, features high-speed corners, technical hairpins, and a 56-lap race.

In the previous race, Verstappen secured his 15th win of the season and 50th career victory, fighting back from sixth on the grid. Lewis Hamilton, who initially finished second, was disqualified for a technical breach, promoting Norris to second and Sainz to third.

Looking ahead, McLaren’s consistency over the last 10 races makes Norris a favorite, especially after his Singapore win.

Both Red Bull and McLaren are expected to bring upgrades that could alter the competitive dynamic. The race starts Sunday at 3:00 EST, with coverage available on ESPNEWS, ESPN+, Sky Sports F1, and BBC Radio 5 Live.

Norris trails Verstappen by 52 points, while McLaren leads the constructors’ championship by 41 points over Red Bull.

GO DAWGS

Georgia coach Kirby Smart had been waiting for his team to put together a complete performance.

In a stunning upset, the No. 5 Bulldogs defeated No. 1 Texas 30-15 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. Georgia coach Kirby Smart remarked, "Nobody gave us a chance," adding that the team showed remarkable resilience.

After a 41-34 loss to Alabama three weeks prior, the Bulldogs turned the tables, leading 23-0 at halftime. Georgia's defense dominated, sacking Texas quarterbacks seven times and holding the Longhorns to just 259 yards of offense, including a mere 29 rushing yards.

Texas struggled on third and fourth downs, converting just 2-of-15 and 1-of-5, respectively.

This marked the Bulldogs' first win over Texas in a road game since 1958 and handed the Longhorns their first loss of the season. According to ESPN, it was the first time every SEC team lost before the end of October since 2007.

The victory was also tied for the third-most lopsided road win against an AP No. 1 team in history, the biggest since Notre Dame's 31-16 win over Pittsburgh in 1982.

A bizarre turn of events nearly brought Texas back into the game. With the Longhorns down 23-8 in the third quarter, Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck's pass intended for Arian Smith was intercepted by Texas safety Jahdae Barron, who returned it to the Georgia 9-yard line.

However, officials initially penalized Barron for pass interference, leading to confusion and debris being thrown onto the field by Texas fans. After a lengthy discussion, the officials reversed the call, awarding Texas the ball at the Georgia 9.

Smart protested, claiming, "Now we've set a precedent that if you throw a bunch of stuff on the field... you've got a chance to get your call reversed."

Despite the controversy, Texas capitalized on the opportunity, scoring a touchdown shortly after. But Georgia responded with a lengthy drive, culminating in a fourth-and-goal touchdown run by Trevor Etienne, extending their lead to 30-15.

After falling behind 23-0, Texas finally scored in the second half, recovering an onside kick attempt by Georgia. Quarterback Quinn Ewers, benched at the end of the first half, threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 23-8.

Earlier, Georgia's defense had stifled Texas, limiting them to just 15 yards on 23 plays in the first half. Ewers struggled, completing only 6-of-12 passes for 17 yards and one interception.

Smart's 100th victory as Georgia's head coach came in just 117 games, ranking him among the fastest to reach this milestone alongside coaching legends like Knute Rockne.

Meanwhile, Jalon Walker had a standout performance with seven tackles and three sacks, the first player in 20 years to achieve such a feat against an AP No. 1 team.

MEME

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