Sports betting, thanks to the National Basketball Association, has been too much in the news these days. But here’s an item that won’t take many pro sports’ fans aback.
Another sign that a new football season is imminent is that point spreads are now posted for upcoming National Football League games. Pre-season games. Exhibitions where a team’s regulars put in cameos and outcomes are determined by non-starters — often by players not good enough to ultimately make it at the NFL level.
For what it’s worth, the Buccaneers opened as 2-point favorites for their home game against New England on Friday night (Aug. 10). A couple of days later, the spread was down to one. Go figure. Maybe Simeon Rice stalking the sidelines was worth a point.
Do people actually lay money on pre-season games?
Would that this weren’t a rhetorical question.