Lots of discussion on media coverage of BIG BETS this week. They’re click-bait-y. Novel. Maybe there’s some envy or schadenfreude at play. But that’s not the real issue. The problem is how operators control media coverage.
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I don’t find big bets nearly as problematic as, say, coverage of someone hitting a 12-leg parlay, but the reason we are inundated with this type of coverage is the same: the operators are deciding what is newsworthy and what isn’t.
The issue is pretty fundamental. Most sports betting media entities exist only because of operators. They are literally paid by operators. That’s how the affiliate model works. Would we be ok if a newspaper covering the Trump White House were funded by the administration?
We’d expect some bias, wouldn’t we? As a result, the sports betting media is mainly a marketing arm for operators right now. Journalists have relationships with operators, who feed them information they want published. Operators understand the accessibility bias & exploit it.
Back to that 12-leg parlay. Operators *love* the 12-leg parlay because their theoretical hold multiplies as the number of legs on the parlay increases. Do operators want to see parlay success stories covered? YES!
How often do you see stories in the newspaper about people winning the lottery? Not often. And when you do, it’s more likely than not about the calamities that have befallen said lottery winner since their big score.
State lotteries would love to see media coverage of someone winning $20,000 from a $5 scratch-off ticket at their local 7-Eleven. But media outlets don’t get a referral fee when Joe Reader plays the lottery.
I don’t think every sports betting writer is a lapdog for operators. This is a bigger issue. It’s systemic. It’s structural. It’s a problem of incentives & power. And I don’t know the solution. But I would encourage sports betting media to try a different angle & see what sticks
There is an appetite for something different. The popularity of @capjack2000's parlay math tweet thread is strong evidence of that. Give us, the consumers, the chance to read something that doesn’t make us feel used.

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Watching this play sent me down a memory hole that gave me goosebumps as well as a pang of guilt. Let me explain. A THREAD!


In 2011, I was hosting the ESPYs. Marshawn’s run was nominated for Best Play, an award that was voted on by fans online. It was considered a front runner if not a lock.

Two days before the show, we're all watching the US/Brazil game in the Women’s World Cup. In the 122 minute Abby Wambach scored a header from a brilliant cross via Megan Rapinoe. I asked ESPN’s estimable producer, the late, great Maura Mandt if we could add it to the nominees.

The best thing about the ESPYs is, unlike other award shows that take themselves too seriously, there is a “fuck it, why not” attitude so Maura just made it happen. Maura was great at making things happen. Want another example?

One of the highlights of the ESPYs is the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. When my son Ashe was born Maura gifted him this fake ESPY for BEST CHILD NAMED ASHE. I am confident this is the only ESPY anyone related to me will ever win.

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IMPORTANCE, ADVANTAGES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BHAGWAT PURAN

It was Ved Vyas who edited the eighteen thousand shlokas of Bhagwat. This book destroys all your sins. It has twelve parts which are like kalpvraksh.

In the first skandh, the importance of Vedvyas


and characters of Pandavas are described by the dialogues between Suutji and Shaunakji. Then there is the story of Parikshit.
Next there is a Brahm Narad dialogue describing the avtaar of Bhagwan. Then the characteristics of Puraan are mentioned.

It also discusses the evolution of universe.(
https://t.co/2aK1AZSC79 )

Next is the portrayal of Vidur and his dialogue with Maitreyji. Then there is a mention of Creation of universe by Brahma and the preachings of Sankhya by Kapil Muni.


In the next section we find the portrayal of Sati, Dhruv, Pruthu, and the story of ancient King, Bahirshi.
In the next section we find the character of King Priyavrat and his sons, different types of loks in this universe, and description of Narak. ( https://t.co/gmDTkLktKS )


In the sixth part we find the portrayal of Ajaamil ( https://t.co/LdVSSNspa2 ), Daksh and the birth of Marudgans( https://t.co/tecNidVckj )

In the seventh section we find the story of Prahlad and the description of Varnashram dharma. This section is based on karma vaasna.