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Shame.
I’m old enough to remember when gambling on baseball was not only frowned upon but actually illegal. Not sure why that changed. Or why this site has chosen to take a stand in favor of gambling on baseball. There is such a thing as dirty money, ya know.
It’s also difficult to believe that anyone has forgiven the lowlives at the now-merged DraftKings/FanDuel for their loud, obnoxious, non-stop ads a couple of years ago. Play for free? I wouldn’t do business with either of those two bottom feeders for any amount of money.
I totally agree.
Draftkings and Fanduel called off the merger . Yes the ads they ran were loud and obnoxious – and evidently since you remember them – effective. Don’t want to do business with them? Then don’t. I think you will find that this site is not taking a stand in favor of gambling but instead understands the broad appeal this site will have to a good portion of its users. As stats get more advanced and more easily accessible and fans become “statheads” fantasy sites like this will become more and more popular. I use it for all sports because it makes it more interesting for me.
“DraftKings and Fanduel called off the merger.”
Sorry, the book I recently read (Dueling With Kings) ended with their merger presented as a foregone conclusion. I just assumed it had happened. My bad, and thanks for the correction.
“ . . . evidently since you remember them—effective.”
Do you, by any chance, have a subscription to the mlb internet package? I do. There are a very few ads which are shown in rotation during each ad “buy”. As a result I was subjected to loud, obnoxious DK ads more than one hundred times per day for a period—that’s not an exaggeration. If the purpose of their ads was to get me to wish bad things to happen to the DK principals, then—yes, those ads were effective. If the purpose was to attract my patronage then they failed miserably, although to be fair, my “business” was never a possibility.
“ . . . this site is not taking a stand in favor of gambling but instead understands the broad appeal . . . “
This site merely understands that DraftKing’s money is green. Not the first folks to make that determination.
“As stats get more advanced and more easily accessible . . . fantasy sites like this . . .”
Not sure what you are referring to with that last part. This site, MLBTR, is not in any way a fantasy site. Not as I understand the word. Are the gambling sites—DK and FD— what you mean?
“I use it for all sports because it makes it more interesting for me.”
Again, not sure who/what you are saying here. Are you saying you use the other Trade Rumors sites to keep up with other sports or are you saying that you gamble at the gambling sites on “all” sports because having some “action” on the game makes it more interesting for you?
I do not subscribe to the internet package but I feel your pain as I have to listen to online stream of WFAN which has similar issues ( same 3 commercials every break). But I don’t hate the advertisers.. not their fault. I was referring to DK and fanduels with the phrase ” fantasy sites like these” – I probably could have phrased it better ( I sometimes have difficulties getting my point across with written word – I am a numbers geek ( possibly another reason why sites like DK appeal to me). As far as my stating the fact I am a frequent user of draftkings was simply to be up front so that my post could be taken with a grain of salt as I am most likely a bit biased – but I do like action on most things lol.
“I don’t hate the advertisers… not their fault.”
Gotta punish them somehow, although the primary fault belongs to MLB. There is no excuse for constantly spamming people who subscribe to an allegedly premium service.
MLB would sell sponsorships to every blade of grass on the field if they could. Actually the word “sponsor” doesn’t apply here as these spammers aren’t sponsoring anything other than their ads. The only sponsor of the baseball I watch is me. OK, rant over.
“I am a numbers geek (possibly another reason why sites like DK appeal to me).”
Of course. As the aforementioned book makes quite clear, the people who do well at DK and FD are folks who are comfortable using algorithms and spreadsheets. There is a name for guys who sit around and make their lineups out based only on their knowledge of baseball: they are called “fish”, as opposed to the “sharks” who inevitably eat them. See, I learned that lesson without losing $1.
“ . . . my post could be taken with a grain of salt as I am most likely biased . . .”
No reason to take your post as anything other than an honest statement. You aren’t pretending to be neutral hence no need to parse your words.
This type of gambling is legal now and there’s so much money involved that even leagues and owners have partnered up. You are obviously not alone.
“I do like action on most things lol.”
Far as I’m concerned those who enjoy gambling are welcome to do so. Wouldn’t have concerned me at all but for the obnoxious intrusion into my baseball time. Lot more important things for me to worry about. Until these sphincters invaded my space more’n a hundred times a day. As Groucho might have said, “Of course you know this means war.”
Having said that I’ve always found the use of the word “action” odd when referring to gambling. For me the action is on the field, kinda doubt that having money on the line would add anything to the experience. But people are wired differently and, as long as you aren’t losing money you can’t afford to lose, it would appear harmless enough. None of my bidness in any event.
I disagree more with the image a ‘gambling company’ partnering with a sports league and the potential danger behind it than I am the morality of gambling.
For one, I don’t think it’s necessarily immoral for fans to gamble on baseball. They do it in so many other fashions, this just adds a unique, more skilled approach, as opposed to just picking a team to win. Also, I’ve played free DFS leagues. It can be pretty fun. I could see why some people wouldn’t mind making some cash off the game. (I don’t have much discretionary income to gamble away, so I don’t).
The issue I have is that it looks bad when the MLB has a “sponsor” who allows gambling on baseball. What would prevent the MLB and DraftKings from working to fix games in favor of making money?
Also, it comes across as blatantly hypocritical when you tell a guy he’s banned from baseball for gambling, all the while get in bed with a website that makes billions of dollars from gambling.
It just looks bad and has the potential to be bad.
It would have to be insanely lucrative for the MLB to “fix” a game. that’s not going to happen. DFS has nothing to do with the outcome of the game though. It’s all about the player performance. Is joe Maddon gonna give a tip that Jon Lester looked sharp throwing his BP before the game or better yet pull him after 4.2 innings and let mike Montgomery pick up the win? I don’t think so. That’s a non issue.
As opposed to pulling the slot machine at the casinos? I’m all for something that takes a little bit of skill to go along with your luck. People want to gamble. People will never stop gambling. Gambling is here to stay one way or the other. You can find sites that will offshore their money and take out tax revenue or it can stay in the country with DK.
Hey majorflaw,
Judging from your posts, I don’t think you’ll be looking into why they called off the merger, but I think it’s important for you to know why since you’re very critical of both these companies:
“The Federal Trade Commission reviewed the proposed deal and, in June, along with attorneys general from California and the District of Columbia, filed suit to block the merger over competition concerns. Combined, DraftKings and FanDuel are believed to represent better than 90 percent of the daily fantasy market.”
“A source familiar with the legal fees associated with fighting the FTC estimated costs for the companies could have been as much as $12 million-$15 million.” They elected not to take that gamble. They were facing an expensive legal battle with the FTC.
DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said in his statement announcing the merger termination:
“We believe it is in the best interests of our customers, employees, and investors to terminate our agreement…”
espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/20002903/in-abrupt-fashi…
This article is from July 14, 2017
“ . . . I think it’s important for you to know why . . . “
OK, xabial, now I know why. How should this expressed (see below) reason for calling off the merger change things for me?
“ . . . Estimated costs for the companies could have been as much as $12 million-$15 million. They elected not to take that gamble.”
This is what I was alluding to earlier. $15M is chickenfeed for those two companies. Their statement that they called off the merger in order to avoid a $15M expense is not credible. I’m sure they had their reasons but this wasn’t one of them.
“I’m curious to know why the guy in your book wrote/suggested it was a foregone conclusion.”
While I can’t speak for the author it seemed a reasonable conclusion at the time the book was written.
“You keep citing his book, even though you admitted he was wrong.”
I cite his book as 1) the only tome on the subject written by a legitimate author and 2) the only thing I’ve read on the subject. If you’ve come across something better or more recent, speak up. I do read things, ya know.
As far as his being wrong, that’s not fair either. He presented the facts as they were when he was writing. He didn’t predict that the merger would take place, just reported the fact that a deal had been reached. Don’t recall him opining on the likelihood that the deal would close.
“Sorry, the book I recently read (Dueling With Kings) ended with their merger presented as a forgone conclusion. I just assumed it had happened.”
I am curious to know as to why the guy in your book wrote/suggested it was a forgone conclusion. He seems to have influenced your thinking on this subject. You keep citing his book, even though you admitted he was wrong.
Thanks,
X
Lol. Accept it. Even the NBA has started to accept this “blood money” and a bill might soon pass making it legal. (Still waiting on the Supreme Court Verdict)
It dumbfounds you why people hate Boras? It dumbfounds me more, how people can hate this. If they want to, they’ll still go to AC, and gamble away everything. MLBTR getting advertisements from DraftKings changes nothing. Good for them, making money. It’s not like the ads NFSV inappropr. Then you might have point complaining about specific ads
We’re big boys. Like it or not, this is coming to all the sports, and you just have to accept it. Good news for you is, despite Manfred seemed open-minded to it, in his interview with Michael Kay, baseball will still probably be the last sport to embrace it.
Complaining about this, is like complaining about legalization of recreational marijuana Lol. Let the states make some money, let mlbtr make some money, and let those who want to lose their money— play
washingtonpost.com/sports/awaiting-supreme-court-d…
People who want to gamble, will gamble anyway. This isn’t a slippery slope? And if someone’s an idiot who loses everything gambling, have no pity for them.. but hope they realize, they have a problem. People won’t lose their shirt playing Fanduel, and DraftKing, man. And if you bet $500 to see what Aaron Rodgers can do in your lineup, you’re an idiot, but Like I said, assume if they wanna gamble, they’ll gamble anyway,
And I don’t play Fanduel or Draftkings.
“People won’t lose their shirt playing Fanduel, and DraftKing, man.”
Yet people have done exactly that, xabial. Sometimes I have to wonder whether you think your comment through before posting.
“And I don’t play Fanduel or DraftKings.”
Ditto. Although you probably discerned that already.
“ . . . assume if they wanna gamble, they’ll gamble anyway.”
You could say the same for any vice, drinking, smoking, drugging. And for more unsavory practices as well. People are gonna do it anyway so….
Sometimes I have to question whether you think before you post, xabial. People have done exactly that—lost their shirts—playing DFS.
But it’s their lives to do with as they please! It’s not up to YOU or ME to judge them. That will happen faster than they think . But you can’t be the morality police for everybody. It’s not your job!
“But you can’t be the morality police for everybody. It’s not your job!”
Where am I doing that? Tried to make my issue with DK clear and it has nothing to do with morality.
I sadly live in the state of Alabama where this is illegal. I used to participate in this kind of stuff because it was fun.
My 2 pitchers are mad max n c Anderson. My OF is Harper, Yelich and the rookie from the White Sox EJ. Votto on first
From what I gathered by reading the above referenced tome on the subject, telling other folks what your lineup is is an amateur move. Unless you are posting a false lineup. Is there a link which indicates the depth of your commitment to the lineup you posted?
Upon reflection, never mind. DK would love that free link.
Agree that folks can gamble as they like. Agree this site can make money as it likes. Hate this crap advertising continues to infiltrate every sports related activity I undertake.