😲 Election Betting Scandal

Today’s edition is brought to you by Bovada.com - a premier online sports book and casino.

Bovada has everything from online slots, to same game-parlay builders and live dealers…Click here to get a $250 sports betting welcome bonus!

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:

• UK election betting scandal: all you need to know about the world of political wagers.

• Dave and Buster’s: is getting into the betting business.

• Watchlist: Edmonton Oilers on the brink of greatness.

Let's gamble...

UK ELECTION BETTING

The controversy over bets placed on the UK election date has thrown a light on a little known sector of the gambling industry.

A wager by Craig Williams, and three others close to the UK prime minister are under investigation by the Gambling Commission.

Political betting, while small compared to sports betting ($25bn wagered on sports last year), becomes more prominent during big events.

Significant events, such as the 2020 US presidential election, can attract vast sums, with that election worth $1.7bn on Betfair alone.

Bookmakers offer bets on all 650 general election constituencies and global political events. Cheating is a concern, as betting profits often come from superior information.

Using insider info to bet on the election date could be considered cheating under the Gambling Act 2005.

D&B GOES GAMBLING

Dave and Buster’s, the popular restaurant and entertainment chain, is getting into the betting business.

Dave and Buster’s (PLAY) is entering the betting business, targeting the $6 billion social betting sector rather than traditional sports betting. In partnership with Lucra, they plan to allow their five million loyalty members to place small bets ($5-$10) on arcade games through the company's app.

Dave and Buster’s operates 222 venues across North America with nearly 50 million annual visitors.

The company’s stock has risen over 50% in the past year. The new gambling initiative will involve technology for low-stakes social game wagers.

Lucra CEO Dylan Robbins said, "Friendly competition is a big fuel for our economy...gamifying that and digitizing all this offline stuff...is a massive opportunity.”

Lucra classifies its product as skills-based games, avoiding gambling regulations, allowing quick program implementation.

Some Dave and Buster’s fans are skeptical. One user on the company’s subreddit commented, “I don’t get it. ‘Hey man, bet you $5 I can beat you at shooting hoops.’ ‘Ok, but put it in the app so that D&B can take a cut.’”

LOYAL TO THE OIL

A 5-1 victory over the Panthers on Friday has turned this season’s finale into an unlikely tale with everything now on the line for both teams.

Oilers one win away from joining the 1942 Maple Leafs as the only teams in NHL history to successfully rally from a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final.

Edmonton were bottom of the NHL overall standings at one point after a 2-9-1 start to the season. They were down and almost out in the Final. Their improbable season almost has the unlikeliest of endings.

Hyman, who with 16 goals has scored the most in a single postseason since Joe Sakic had 18 in the 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs, summed up the Oilers’ position nicely.

“We have belief,” he said afterwards, per the NHL. “I think that’s the word I want to use.”