🗞️ Bandit Betting Newsletter: The Great 8

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:

• Alex Ovechkin: broke the NHL record for most goaltenders scored on (179). Within 21 goals of passing Wayne Gretzky for most all-time.

• America is one big casino now: from elections to meme coins, 2024 was the year we started to bet on everything.

• Cash out or let it ride?: parlay riding on Ohio State NCAAF Championship and Ravens Super Bowl.

Let's gamble...

THE GREAT 8

Alex Ovechkin breaks record for most goalies scored on (179).

Alex Ovechkin scored in overtime to give the Washington Capitals a 1-0 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

The goal, his 874th career tally, brought him within 20 goals of Wayne Gretzky's NHL record and set a new milestone by scoring against his 179th different goaltender, breaking Jaromir Jagr’s record of 178.

Ovechkin scored on a 2-on-1 play set up by Rasmus Sandin, firing the puck past rookie goalie Leevi Merilainen, who made 26 saves in an impressive performance.

The game’s highlight came when Ovechkin celebrated his 27th career overtime goal, further extending his league record.

AMERICA IS “HOOKED”

2024 was the year of gambling in the United States.

In 2024, gambling in America hit a new peak, with sports betting, prediction markets, and speculative investing becoming part of everyday culture.

More than half of U.S. adults engaged in some form of gambling this year, and sports betting alone is projected to surpass $150 billion, up from $120 billion in 2023.

The surge in legalized betting, spurred by the 2018 Supreme Court decision allowing states to regulate sports wagering, has drawn major players like DraftKings, FanDuel, and even Disney into the fray, alongside newer entrants like Robinhood exploring betting markets.

This rapid growth isn’t limited to traditional sports betting. People have wagered millions on the 2024 elections through platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi, while speculative investments in crypto and meme coins have mirrored gambling’s unpredictability.

Bitcoin’s rise past $100,000 and the chaos of pump-and-dump schemes reflect a culture increasingly drawn to quick rewards and high stakes, often with little thought for long-term stability.

Gambling ads are now ubiquitous, from sports arenas to mobile apps, and betting is marketed as fun, exciting, and socially acceptable.

As we run one of the largest gambling media companies and newsletters in the USA, I know this has been a long time coming.

Because people love to gamble - it’s human nature.

Now we get to do it without jumping through hoops, and I think that’s wonderful.

CASH OUT OR LET IT RIDE?

What’s the move here?

A recurring theme on the newsletter lately has been interesting parlays. This week we have another one.

IG user @kit.grote posted his ticket to social media which has gained traction in the sports betting world.

The wager features:

• Celtics 2023-2024 NBA Champions ✅ 

• Florida Panthers 2023-2024 NHL Stanley Cup ✅ 

• LA Dodgers 2023-2024 MLB World Series ✅ 

• Ohio State 2024-2025 NCAAF Champions ⌛️ 

• Baltimore Ravens 2024-2025 Super Bowl Champions ⌛️ 

There is a current cash out offer of $11.5K but if all legs of the parlay hit the $100 bet would pay out $144,162.33.

Reply to us via email - would you cash out the $11.5K or let it ride?

MEME

TELEGRAM CHANNEL

If you haven’t already, be sure to join our free channel on Telegram. It’s jam packed with casino promos, betting tools and hundreds of others just like you!

TODAY’S PICKS

Subscribe to Bandit Premium to read the rest.