Episode 112

Shane Mercer [00:00:00]:

You know, the DraftKings, the Fan Duels, the whatever other, books are are, regulated in there. You know, probably saw this and kinda came and said, hey. What the hell are you doing?

Welcome [00:00:11]:

You're listening to Behind the Lines, a podcast presented by inplayLIVE and powered by Pinnacle, the number one sports book where winners play and never get limited. Go to pinnacle.com/inplaylive to sign up and get in the game.

Shane Mercer [00:00:38]:

Welcome in. It's behind the lines powered by Pinnacle, purifying the sports betting industry. I'm Shane. He's pace on today's show possible. It's possible the NCAA is easing up on betting rules, cracking down on sweepstakes and all things playoffs. Pace, you're not at home right now. I can tell by your bland white background there. You're back on the road at your place, in Kelowna.

Shane Mercer [00:01:06]:

How's that coming along? The setup all coming together for you? You?

Andrew Pace [00:01:10]:

Yeah. It's really nice having a place that you can you can come bet. And, you know, whenever you travel as a sports bettor, it's obviously never gonna be the same as at home. So I've gone through airport security where people are like, holy shit, because it's like what do they say to you before you go through the machine? They're like, any any laptops or Yeah. Tablets.

Shane Mercer [00:01:33]:

And Yeah. You gotta put all of that in the bin.

Andrew Pace [00:01:35]:

You know, you see three people in front of you say no, and then you see one person pull out a laptop. And then I show up, and it's like, laptop, tablet, tablet, four phones, tablet, laptop. You know? They're like, what the hell is going on here? So, it's always a challenge, when you're on the move. And and I think, that's actually, Shane, like, separately of your question. That's an amazing topic for us to talk about, on this podcast is, like, the challenges of moving from state to state with regulated books and then obviously the the gray market areas and the the offshore sportsbooks. And then, of course, in Canada, you know, you have a whole different, sort of ballgame going to The United States and then trying to play on your books at home. And, I actually just recently helped out a buddy of mine who, he's living in LA right now, and I met up with him when I was in Vegas. And he was he's a he's a pro bettor.

Andrew Pace [00:02:31]:

And he's like, oh, yeah. You know, he's taught me a lot of tricks of the trade. And, and and he he was confused on how to use some of the books while he was down there. And I was like, oh, yeah. You can use them all. And I got him rocking and rolling. He's calling me every day, and he's betting lines from books that I don't even have because, he's got some good access again now that I I helped them out. But, it it is really a challenge, Shane.

Andrew Pace [00:02:53]:

You were just in Alberta, right, for the, election there. And, you know, you don't have your DraftKings and your FanDuel and, you know, all the regulated books there.

Andrew Pace [00:03:03]:

So did you did you bet while you were there?

Shane Mercer [00:03:05]:

Yeah. I did. I loaded up a, a BowDog, and, I just had the one book. So, you know, I had a I had one travel book, and, and that was it. And, I was complaining to a couple of people going like, I've only got this one book, and the line sucks in this you know, whatever situation it was. I don't know. We're probably betting on a hockey game or something, and I I had just had shitty numbers. And I was you know, the guys are telling me, oh, FanDuel's got this.

Shane Mercer [00:03:31]:

DraftKings got that. And I'm like, yeah. I've I've got shit.

Andrew Pace [00:03:35]:

Right. So a really good example there. Right? Like, you did you didn't put the time in to be ready for that trip.

Shane Mercer [00:03:40]:

No. No. I I didn't I didn't load up a bunch of different books or anything. I just said, you know what? I'm just gonna take one travel book. That's it. And and I'll just work with that.

Andrew Pace [00:03:48]:

Totally. And and, yeah, great example. So, you know, whenever I'm on the move, I oftentimes separately of just betting. I have to stream as well. So, you know, microphones and Right. And cameras and all that kind of stuff. So, you know, getting this place set up, was to to answer your question, it's so nice to have a place where I show up and I just exhale because it's like, I've got a full bedding set up here, number one. Number two, it's a different location, which has all of the same access.

Andrew Pace [00:04:18]:

So I like being in a different location because, you know, that can potentially create greater longevity on some of the books had I been in my place in Vancouver. So, yeah, it's really great to be here and, and be and be totally set up. You said how's it coming along? We we've been set up for months. So, you know, we just basically whether it's a flight or driving in, we just show up and we both exhale because it just feels so good because it feels like a home, you know, with that level of comfort and, yeah, just betting. I actually think I prefer betting here than at home without the TV wall. Now could I do an NFL Sunday here or a a college Saturday would be the real test?

Andrew Pace [00:05:00]:

The answer is no. Sorry. Could I? Yes. Would it be as strong as the TV wall with all the games on and everything that I typically do on a Saturday? No. But it is it is rock solid. It is rock solid. So, like, last night, we're filming on a Tuesday, guys, not a Monday. So you guys have a little bit more up to date information because, like, you know, last week, I know we're not in the playoffs yet, but we're trying to put the warriors to win the west.

Andrew Pace [00:05:29]:

And, of course, Curry had gone down by the time our episode

Shane Mercer [00:05:32]:

Yeah. Yeah. That was it.

Andrew Pace [00:05:33]:

You know? I actually think it would be three one warriors right now if Curry was healthy based on what I've watched, but that's that's a discussion for later. I I I don't have my really good cable feeds here. So, you know, I'm using the you know what? It's a good lesson. Right? We just did a reel on TikTok and Instagram that actually went bananas, and it was me at the sports book in Vancouver, looking at the latency of the feed, versus what was actually happening on the court. As long as you know and you're well equipped with this stuff like, some of the comments are actually really funny, Shane. It would be it would be funny to go through a couple of them.

Shane Mercer [00:06:14]:

I actually saw that, and I I did look at some of the comments and and people kinda, you know, yeah, chiming in, and they're kinda like, you know, oh, well, you know, it's always like that or or, you know, you can't get faster than the books. And then people you know, it's funny when you see people chiming in and and maybe, you know, they don't have the same level of knowledge or experience.

Andrew Pace [00:06:33]:

Well, just just just because I'm actually gonna read a couple of these comments.

Shane Mercer [00:06:36]:

Yeah. Yeah. Go for it. Yeah.

Andrew Pace [00:06:38]:

For those of you that haven't seen, you can always head over to Instagram. It's @inplaylive

Shane Mercer [00:06:41]:

Let's let's set it up first. The the latency was, I think, somewhere in the area of thirty to forty seconds, something like that.

Andrew Pace [00:06:47]:

About thirty five seconds.

Shane Mercer [00:06:49]:

Yeah.

Andrew Pace [00:06:49]:

Okay. And and this is my favorite comment out of all of them. It's kinda hidden in it all. Hold on a second. I gotta dig this one up. The guy goes well, one guy goes, k. It's they delay this in case something catastrophic happens.

Andrew Pace [00:07:07]:

So it's like, well, that doesn't like, there's better feeds. So what are you talking about? Someone says that's why you should wait for a commercial, if if if it's a live bet. And then my my absolute favorite one, he goes, bro said it's thirty five seconds delayed and says it's multiple possessions. What an idiot. The NBA possessions are 24 long.

Shane Mercer [00:07:32]:

That's somebody who does not watch this.

Andrew Pace [00:07:40]:

It's like the play clock's twenty four seconds long. The play clock's twenty four seconds long. As we know in the NBA, intwenty four seconds, there might be nine points scored.

Shane Mercer [00:07:43]:

Right? Yeah. Yeah. Just because there's twenty four seconds doesn't mean they need to use it all.

Andrew Pace [00:07:49]:

Yeah. So, I mean, people ask, like, what's the fastest feed available? He bets in play anyways. Just wait till a break or a time out. Sure. Like, we've got the over in the warriors game last night. I called 222 and I know for a fact it was available for about five seconds. And then I was like, okay. 223 flat is here as an alternative.

Andrew Pace [00:08:09]:

It came back later. You could have ended up getting as low as $2.19 and a half. But when I called it, because we didn't call it on a time out, it was moving fast. It went up to $2.26 real freaking quick, like, real quick. You know, so and and some of the comments are are really great, but at the same time, you know, people are like, oh, well, that's why I watch at home. It's like, dude, this is the same feed you have.

Shane Mercer [00:08:34]:

This is this is what you're getting at home.

Andrew Pace [00:08:35]:

That's the point. And it's like, if you someone said, if you if you don't know that you're delayed and this affects your betting, you're doing it all wrong. And I'm like, yeah. That's that's, like, a perfect comment. So, anyways, the reason why I bring this up is because maybe I don't have the same access to, you know, this beautiful TV wall. I've got I've got a nice TV. I've got good screens. My setup here is sick, like, absolutely sick.

Andrew Pace [00:09:01]:

But what does that mean when I when I don't have maybe the best feed? How am I piecing that together? Well, time of year is huge. So, Shane, we got one game coming in at a time. It's like NBA hockey, two hour break, NBA hockey. Right? Like, it's super chill. So I want the game on still. So last night, I was watching about forty seconds delayed, and it was really worthwhile because as soon as I saw a stoppage on the Score app so I I I have the it's a it's a triple combo for me. It's bet three six five to see when the clock's running because the score app doesn't show when the clock's running. The score for what happens first, that's the least latency of a basket or a foul or a or some sort of turnover, something like that.

Andrew Pace [00:09:50]:

That's the the absolute quickest information for that. And then the third is the game itself. Once the clock stops, I stop watching the score in three six five, and I watch the full possessions to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Shane Mercer [00:10:03]:

If it was just great to just sort of see how it actually unfolded. Right?

Andrew Pace [00:10:07]:

Oh, it's extremely important.

Shane Mercer [00:10:09]:

Yeah.

Andrew Pace [00:10:09]:

It's extremely important. And there was a possession last night actually where it's funny because the intuitiveness of, say, the score or bet three six five can't pick up on certain things that even the forty seconds of latency is worth watching. And the perfect example was we had an over, and it was, I don't know, one fourteen or one zero four to 87, for the the wolves against the warriors. And, Brandon Podsminski put up a a layup, and it got blocked super clean. They ruled it a goal 10. They showed the two points. The books kept the two points up. They knew the play was under review, but the line stayed open throughout the commercial break when it was as obvious of a clean block from as it gets.

Andrew Pace [00:10:57]:

So I got to see that. I told everyone on the stream. I'm like, guys, this basket will not count. It will be 87. Three six five went from two twenty two and a half to two nineteen and a half. So two points came off the board, but the total dropped by three points. So the information here is key, and that's where I think your eyeballs as an expert watching the game is gonna be more important than, you know, an AI type thing trying to read the game. And maybe that will of course, it will improve.

Andrew Pace [00:11:28]:

That will improve. But I also know that in 02/2018 when I was watching three six five, the feeds were better, the information was more accurate, the they provided you with more data, and now they've taken a lot not they, everyone, all the sportsbooks. They've either intentionally put some glitches and mistakes in to fuck up bettors. They've removed tons of data that used to be available on the sportsbook itself, and they make way more mistakes, it seems now, than they used to. So the information of just using one source or just using your sportsbook, you know, you're wrong all the time. I was at my parents' house in Maple Ridge. It was at the start of the playoffs, and I know I pissed John off a lot. John Gosu, who we have on the podcast all the time.

Shane Mercer [00:12:12]:

I remember this.

Andrew Pace [00:12:13]:

I was like, I was like, such and such is on the line for three free throws. And he just paused, and it was dead silent for, like, forty seconds on the stream because he obviously then watched the possession. And he just goes, what? And I'm like, yeah. It's three free throws. He's like, where are you watching? I'm like, shit. He got me. I'm like, I it says such it says, like I I don't even know who it was. It it was it says Jalen Brunson's on the line for three.

Andrew Pace [00:12:45]:

And he's like, it's the other team, and they're shooting two, and it's not Brunson. Right? So, like, doesn't matter even the faster information that I'm referencing.

Shane Mercer [00:12:57]:

And sometimes it's wrong.

Andrew Pace [00:12:59]:

It it's wrong a lot. Yeah.

Andrew Pace [00:13:01]:

So you really have to you you have to take that, I think, that multi pronged approach. And the other thing too is, like, make sure if you do like, that third source. So one is gonna be the game. The second is probably gonna be a sports book, and the third is probably gonna be the score. It it just probably is because nothing's quicker than it. Yeah. We we've talked about Apple Sports. It is, I think, most of the time, it's slightly more accurate, but it's also more delayed.

Shane Mercer [00:13:29]:

Yeah. I use Apple. So my three pronged is is exactly like yours. I got the game on. I've got three six five, but I use Apple, instead of the score. And I just find that, it's it's I find it to be the most accurate.

Andrew Pace [00:13:43]:

Right. So I would just if I were you, I would put up the score and Apple, which maybe you should say the same to me.

Shane Mercer [00:13:50]:

Yeah. Use Yeah. I think I get a We we need a four pronged approach here.

Andrew Pace [00:13:54]:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But, anyways, what I was gonna say is make sure the sources that are not the game are not running the same information. Well, some sort of hiccup like the one I just described, like a goal 10 being called back, may affect both sources the same. Make sure the sources are not the same. And the way to tell that is, if they're giving you different information, different verbiage, different scores at times, different timing, that's that's the easiest way to tell. So a lot of these sportsbooks, they'll all be running on the same system that three six five is using.

Andrew Pace [00:14:32]:

Just find one that isn't in, guys. You don't need to play at that book. So if you're thinking like, oh, I'd I'm I'm in New or sorry. New Jersey is a bad example. I'm in Massachusetts. I'm in Boston. I only have nine providers. You can still go to the websites.

Andrew Pace [00:14:46]:

Right? You can still go to, a ton of these books. On a lot of these books too, like, we're talking about getting a feed from a sportsbook, You can sign up for an account, not deposit, and not verify, and some of these accounts actually will give you betting feeds that are pretty shitty latency, but it's at least better than not having not seeing the stuff come through.

Shane Mercer [00:15:10]:

Yep. Yeah. Exactly. And and, you know, Apple isn't even a sportsbook. You know? They're just they're just providing it. So, you know, you don't have to worry about that with with something like that. You met you mentioned something else there that I that I think is kind of interesting that I had never thought about. But, for someone like you who bets at the volume you do on on sort of, you know, the this consistency that you do, changing IPs and being in a different location really does have a big benefit.

Shane Mercer [00:15:32]:

It's not something I had thought much about, but, after traveling myself and thinking, oh, yeah. I'm gonna be using this, you know, in a different area completely off a different IP. That must be a huge benefit for you in terms of longevity.

Andrew Pace [00:15:45]:

Yeah. And, I mean, you can also, like there there are blockers to this type of thing for a lot of sites, but at the same time, it does work on a lot of sites as well. You can I can remote desk into this computer, obviously, which you could do you could do that anywhere if you have a friend that wants to put a you know? But I can remote into this this spot when I'm at home now, which is nice. And, again, like, I could set that up at my parents and a few different other places if if I so chose to choose to, and maybe I will one day. Sometimes it's laziness. Sometimes it's, you know, whatever. But, it it it is nice. Now I'll tell you a story, Shane, about, moving in here.

Andrew Pace [00:16:21]:

And I I gotta make sure the viewers know here. Technologically speaking, some people might think like, oh, the way he spoke about that topic, he really knows what he's doing. I don't think many people say that when they listen to me talk, but I am not super technically proficient. You know? I'm I'm very good at, like, using the stuff that is easily usable to say it perfectly, and that's, you know, that's exactly where I'm at. So Alright. Guy shows up for the Internet provider here. Internet stuff. Now I got I used my corporation, not in PlayLive.

Andrew Pace [00:16:58]:

Like, I have a holding company for other things, betting, some real estate, some stocks, things like that. I use my holding company to set up, my Internet here, and that gave me actually really great benefits because, it was much cheaper than what families pay at their homes to set it up as a company. I don't know why. But, anyways, so I'm technically a corporation Internet here. And the guy comes in, he gets the whole place set up, and he goes, do would you like a static IP? And I didn't even know what that was, and that's kinda kinda my point. And I I said just, like, walk like, the Michael Scott thing to, explain this to me like I'm five. So, you know, he he explains the situation of basically having the same IP, and I'm like, wait a minute. If I don't do a static IP, what does that mean? He says he's like, well, your IP address is gonna change every time that your Wi Fi your router resets or it's turned off.

Andrew Pace [00:17:55]:

And I know that that has existed because I know other members have talked to me about that, and they do that. But my understanding of that of of doing that was it was really, really shitty quality Internet. And, yeah, you can do it, but I need really high quality fast Internet, especially when it comes to, like, the streaming and recording and things like that that we do. So I didn't think it was an option for me. Maybe it only is because it's a corporate account, whatever. So he says, yeah. You're gonna be rotating through about, you know, like, 30 or so IPs every time you do that. And he's like, every six months, they'll they'll they'll rotate again.

Andrew Pace [00:18:30]:

So you're just basically always gonna have new IPs here. And I was like, oh my god. What an unbelievable advantage, that is. Now, if you don't know why that's an advantage and you're listening, it's because, let's just say that, you know, there's an IP address associated with with my style of play, with my betting behavior, and they they flag that IP. Whether it's a buddy that comes in here, a friend that comes in here, and they start, you know, use using the account on on that Wi Fi, they might go, hey. That IP popped up. Let's clip that account. Or, hey.

Andrew Pace [00:19:06]:

That IP popped up. Let's keep an eye on that account. And, if the betting pattern is similar to mine, you might get limited before you you otherwise would have. Like, it may have happened quicker. So, yeah, it it it it I thought I thought that was a a nice little advantage to to my setup here that I don't have at home, and definitely one worth switching to, at home. But, again, I haven't done that probably just just out of laziness and and based on some of the other things that I'm doing in that department that that do work for me.

Shane Mercer [00:19:36]:

That that's that's a huge advantage. That's awesome. And and the Internet quality is still what you want.

Andrew Pace [00:19:40]:

It's insane. It's better than my Internet at home.

Shane Mercer [00:19:42]:

That's that's amazing. Then there's no reason really to to not want to do that. Yeah. It's it's fantastic. That's awesome, dude.

Andrew Pace [00:19:48]:

Well, I think what it is is the the corporate Wi Fi is they know that potentially hundreds, if not thousands of people can be on them at the same time. So they have I didn't I didn't need that, but, you know, I basically said, like, how fast can we go here? And the numbers are way higher than, what you would get at your home in the residential services. Yeah.

Shane Mercer [00:20:09]:

That's that's really cool. Jeez. I should look into that for for myself just to make it just to make my life a little bit easier.

Andrew Pace [00:20:14]:

I'm sure people listening are like, shit. I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna switch over. So

Shane Mercer [00:20:18]:

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Let let's move on here and get to get to one of the sort of big topics here that I think is, you know, gonna be interesting for for our our audience out there. This report out from Sports Illustrated, coming out just, just the other day, a couple days ago, revealing that the NCAA is looking at removing its ban on wagering on professional sports. This means anybody who works for the NCAA for an NCAA team, anybody who plays for an NCAA team, if they're of age, would be allowed to bet on professional sports. Right now there's a ban. They're not allowed to bet on pro sports.

Shane Mercer [00:20:58]:

Even, any pro sport that is also a college sport. So basketball, football, baseball, etcetera, they're not allowed to bet on the professional sport either. This was a a division one board of directors, that proposed, the rule change. They had a meeting, last month, and the board of directors voted 21 to one in favor of adopting bylaws to lift the ban. So, there'll be a a a division one council meeting, where they'll discuss the ban, removing the ban further. That's supposed to take place next week, but this rule change could come as soon as June. Like, we're talking the June this this year. There would still be a ban on, betting on college sports.

Shane Mercer [00:21:46]:

So so that would still be there. They wouldn't be allowed to bet on on college sports. But, a a pretty big move here by the NCAA, and I guess one that I would say was probably inevitable. I I just think it's already happening. We know it's already happening. And what are you gonna do? You're gonna start, you know, penalizing and punishing everybody that gets caught betting on pro sports. I mean, it's it's just the culture has moved. The culture has changed, and I think the NCAA has to change with it.

Andrew Pace [00:22:16]:

Yeah. I I when you read it there, I I thought, jeez. This is a little surprising. But the way you explained it kinda made me go, yeah. You know what? It's it it it's probably just the the simplest solution. Right? You know, if they're having if it's something that isn't affecting their games. Right? Like, obviously, you cannot bet on collegiate sports. That is, like, glaringly obvious.

Shane Mercer [00:22:44]:

Yeah.

Andrew Pace [00:22:45]:

But I also know, like, I I you know, some of these guys that play in the NHL, they can't bet on the NHL, but they're allowed to bet on other sports.

Shane Mercer [00:22:53]:

Mhmm. Right? Yeah. And I think it's the same thing in the NBA and and bet.

Andrew Pace [00:22:57]:

As well. Right? Like, we that that one's close to home. You know? The people can bet on other sports. So, like, I I get it. You have people that are over the age of 21. They're involved with the NCAA, whether playing, working, whatever. And, you know, they're allowed to drink alcohol. Why aren't they allowed to to bet on sports that they're not involved in in some capacity?

Shane Mercer [00:23:18]:

Mhmm. Yeah. No. It it just makes sense. I think it's it's really just sort of, again, just reveals the the sort of larger shift towards, or or shift around sports betting. You know? That that has kind of been taking place over the last so many years. And, you know, this really sort of feels like catch up from from from the NCAA in a lot of ways.

Andrew Pace [00:23:39]:

Totally. And if any of you know anyone who's involved in the NCAA that's looking to win money, tell them to check out inplayLIVE. I tell you. It's a game changer.

Shane Mercer [00:23:49]:

Come check us out. Come back with us. You know? Yeah. Why not? And, you know, we'll you'll learn a few, a few tips and tricks and that kind of thing. Okay. This, this next one here, coming from the state of New Jersey and actually written by a a friend of the show, Robert, Linehan, who we had on a few months ago, covering, a situation in New Jersey with sweepstakes. So, Pace, we talked a little bit about the sweepstakes model, here on the show in the past, and, it's kind of one that's being used, in a lot of ways to maybe either, skirt regulations that are already in place or even get around markets that aren't regulated. So, you know, California, Texas sweepstakes are are really big as, you know, as a as a sort of a workaround to to still be able to bet on sports.

Shane Mercer [00:24:41]:

But, the state of New Jersey, of course, not one of those states, the first to to embrace, the regulated market. But now they're they've got a bit of an issue with with sweepstakes as well. And this, assemblyman in New Jersey, Clinton Calabresi, has introduced a bill to ban the sweepstakes model, of gambling. This guy actually had introduced a bill, previously that was in favor of sweepstakes, and then made a complete sort of reverse course on it, and instead decided no. Pulled the bill that he had introduced and and introduced this one to, ban the sweepstakes, model in the state. You know, Pace, where do you stand on on sweepstakes? Do you ever use sweepstakes? I guess you wouldn't need to. Right?

Andrew Pace [00:25:31]:

Yeah. I mean, I'm not totally qualified to speak on it. I mean, the the sweepstakes stuff, I think when it first came out, people realized that some of the correlated parlors were were not handicapped correctly, and there was an edge there. There may still be to an extent. So, you know and then, obviously, we had, Novig

Shane Mercer [00:25:49]:

Yep.

Andrew Pace [00:25:50]:

And they basically there there is there is a like, they had a bunch of funding, and, you know, there is a little bit of an air of, like, we don't care how sharp you are. We won't limit you, and you won't beat us. Like, that was really the message. And I thought to myself, there's a lot of people that have been doing this for a long time that know what they're doing, and I'm sure there are remember the whole trader discussion, Shane? Where they're they're like, oh, we don't need traders and

Shane Mercer [00:26:17]:

Yeah. They had, like, people working on their team or something. And I was like, wait a minute. Are these people gonna work around the clock twenty four hours a day? Like, how are you going to how are you going to beat all the sharp bettors that are coming in there? Yeah. That was that was a big I remember that really standing out as like, you're gonna run into some trouble here.

Andrew Pace [00:26:38]:

So, of course, in that discussion, we we, you know, we talked about how they're able to operate in, say, California or Texas. Right? And, you know, we were excited. We're talking about if they could operate in Nevada, they couldn't. And, because I was excited to to give them a a crack and and get going with them. But, essentially, what it is is, you know, you have one no big dollar that is the equivalent to 1 US dollar, and that's how they were able to kinda skirt some of the regulations that the other sportsbooks have.

Shane Mercer [00:27:08]:

Right.

Andrew Pace [00:27:09]:

And, you know, there was a little bit as well, like, almost a bit of a puff in the chest, and we're able to dodge these types of taxes and things like that too. And I thought to myself, how long is this gonna last for, dude? Like, do you not think you're gonna create a stir? So, like, this is just glaringly obvious to me. Like, if Tennessee is gonna kick Bodog out of their state, well, sure as hell, they're gonna be coming after the the gray market sweepstakes. Now I'm heavily against it, obviously. But at the same time, you have to understand that these guys are trying to defeat all the other regulated sportsbooks. They're competing for the biggest market share they can possibly acquire. So they love hearing, you know, FoxBet and WinBet, two of the biggest companies that, like, entered the space that have financial backing behind them. They love hearing them exiting.

Andrew Pace [00:28:07]:

Right? Yeah. That that's just greater market share for them. Meanwhile, you know, you got this behind the scenes sweepstakes model, you know, chipping away across The United States. And, yeah, this this is inevitable that there's gonna be pushback on it. I hope it's unsuccessful, but, you know, if I just were to listen to that interview again right now and go, you don't think players can beat you, you don't think there's any issue with being regulated in 48 states. Oh, shoot. I zoomed in doing that. I don't know how to fix that.

Shane Mercer [00:28:48]:

That was a little closer than we need to see a pace.

Andrew Pace [00:28:54]:

That was crazy. Some of this new stuff, this technology, it's like, I don't really care about zooming in on my face with hand gestures. Like, is that an important feature on on this camera? I gotta turn that off. But, you know, it's like, it it was just a little it was a little too much. It was a little too hot out of the gate for me where it's like, dude, you you gotta you gotta take your slice, not try to get it all. And, yeah. Yeah. Push back push back was inevitable. It it will continue to be inevitable.

Andrew Pace [00:29:24]:

Yeah. This is just the beginning for them.

Shane Mercer [00:29:26]:

Well, exactly. Right? And I think, you know, it's funny when I when I, you know, read the story and and and they highlight the fact that this particular lawmaker there had introduced this bill, in favor of sweepstakes only to later pull the bill completely and introduce something totally opposite to ban sweepstakes. Just, you know, always brings me back to the conversations that we've had with with some of the, you know, some of the people who have spent some time in the regulatory space about how much influence the sportsbooks have on the lawmakers, and, you know, in a in a lot of ways are the ones who are drafting the legislation. Because to me, this sounds like, you know, one of the sweepstakes, you know, companies came to this lawmaker and said, hey. You know, lobbied a little bit. And, they were like, oh, okay. You're like a sports book. Alright.

Shane Mercer [00:30:11]:

Great. You know? We'll bring you into the fold. And then, you know, the DraftKings, the FanDuels, the whatever other, books are are, regulated in there. You know, probably saw this and kinda came and said, hey. What the hell are you doing? You know?

Andrew Pace [00:30:26]:

Yeah. But also

Shane Mercer [00:30:27]:

He's like what do you mean?

Andrew Pace [00:30:28]:

Why why don't we switch to this model?

Shane Mercer [00:30:31]:

Yeah. Exactly. Right? Or something like that. Doing this. Yeah. Right? And and, you know, obviously said, no. No. No.

Shane Mercer [00:30:37]:

This is this you're what what you're doing is totally wrong. We need the complete opposite. And he was like, oh, okay. You know? And, you know, here here we now have a ban to on on the sweepstakes model. You know, I I just think the guys who are already established, who have that market share are gonna be able to assert that dominance and, and and really kind of, take control. And and I think that's what we're seeing.

Andrew Pace [00:31:00]:

Yeah. And I I mean, like, this kinda goes hand in hand with the discussion, but, like, a lot of money got seeded into a lot of these companies. A lot of them haven't figured out how to turn a profit, and now they have to deal with this hurdle that that I quite I very much think is ground zero of what's to come for them. So I I hope they can figure out a way to make it work. But, those investors, those companies, I think, is gonna be tough.

Shane Mercer [00:31:27]:

Yeah. It is. It is. There's there's just so much invested now that, you know, it's gonna be a cons it's gonna be an uphill battle for for anybody trying to trying to take them down. Alright. Let's move on to, actual sports here, Pace, the playoffs. And, yes, as you mentioned, we are recording on a Tuesday, so we have a little bit more knowledge than we did the last, go around when we when we talked about the playoffs. Why don't we start with the NBA? Just to give everybody a sense of where we're at in the East, as of this recording, the Pacers are up three one in the series with the Cavs.

Shane Mercer [00:32:00]:

They could the Cavs could be eliminated by the time this episode comes out because they are playing tonight. The Knicks, and I think this is a big shocker, are up three one on the Celtics, and it looks like, Jayson Tatum is potentially done. We don't know for sure.

Andrew Pace [00:32:19]:

He won't be playing until 2026, dude.

Shane Mercer [00:32:21]:

Yeah. He he's getting an MRI, but it looked pretty serious on his right ankle there. I I I I don't wanna say he's definitely done for sure, but I don't think he's making it back for for the rest of this series. That's for sure. And the Celtics being down three one, it it seems unlikely that, that that we'll see any more Jayson Tatum, in in the in this, in this season. Over in the West, the whoops are up three one on the warriors who have been playing without Curry, as as you mentioned earlier, pace. And the Nuggets are giving OKC a run for their money. That series tied at two two.

Shane Mercer [00:32:52]:

It it will be three two for one of those teams by the time this episode comes out. I can tell you that OKC is still a heavy, heavy favorite, not just to win against the Nuggets, but to win the West. It's like paying, like, 1.5 or something like that, on Pinnacle at the moment.

Andrew Pace [00:33:09]:

And to win it all because of who appears to be coming out of the East.

Shane Mercer [00:33:12]:

Yeah. Yeah. They're also favored to win it all, as well. Heavily favored to win it all. Right now, the Knicks are the favorite to win the East. I think paying it just about just over even money, and the Pacers, I think, are paying something like five to one to win the East.

Andrew Pace [00:33:30]:

Yeah. So I think, there's a few things I wanna touch on here. So, the I always have the big favorites in a round one and round two parlor. So I'm gonna lose my parlor this time around unless some miracle happens where, the Celtics and the the Cavs, somehow go on to to win their series. I gotta toot our horn a little bit here, Shane. So, yeah, we recommended the Nuggets to win the West, and it probably pays about the same right now. That was John. Yeah.

Andrew Pace [00:33:59]:

We recommended the Jets to win the cup. They're still in it, and that those odds are probably behind, what we took them at. Yeah. The Bucks to win the East was a discussion that John brought up as well. But when you have the Pacers to win the East at 31 to one, which John brought up, you don't have to be right often at those types of odds, number one. Number two, you don't even have to be right.

Shane Mercer [00:34:28]:

Yeah. So you're in those places just cash it out. Yeah.

Andrew Pace [00:34:31]:

It will hedge out, buy out, you know, what however you wanna handle it. But you're in a position right now where regardless of the wager winning or losing, you're significantly ahead. And a big part of successful futures bettors strategies, even though, you know, we've had people on here, you know, hedgings for gardeners,

Andrew Pace [00:34:50]:

You know, some of the discussions that that that we've had. And and a lot of people know my stance with live betting and hedging. It's it's extremely uncommon for me to get out of anything. It's a major factor with futures betting. Now, I'm just gonna bring something up in the discussion of futures, and this is all related to John's calls. So Matt Stafford and the Rams were 31 to one or 29 to one or maybe it was even 36 to one when John first recommended them on the podcast. Yeah. They are the only team that gave the Eagles a run for the money in the Super Bowl this year.

Andrew Pace [00:35:23]:

Now there was uncertainty around Stafford's, future after the season had ended. And then once he resigned, the Rams to win it all next season was, like, 12 to one. Meanwhile, we got them when they were winning the division and looked like they would win the division knowing they have a playoff berth at odds three approximately three times better than the preseason odds for the next season with the same but older team. This is pre Davonta Adams. I'm all this I'm saying is pre Davonta Adams. So think about that when it comes to value. Right? There are times and places where you pick your spots. The Pacers one, I don't think John could have timed better, win or lose.

Andrew Pace [00:36:15]:

The Rams one, I don't think John could have tie timed better, win or lose. Now back to tooting our horn. On this episode, I posted this one to my socials as well, we talked about all the big favorites in round one, the rest they get, and how them coming out flat could be a real trap for bettors. Not only did every single underdog win, on the road in round two, a lot of these dogs look like they're if they don't win, they've put up a fight, and it looks like we're gonna go seven in a bunch of them right.

Andrew Pace [00:36:52]:

So, I think we gave some really great advice there. And then, Shane, I'm gonna go back to last week. The conclave, one of the five guys didn't win.

Shane Mercer [00:37:01]:

I know. It's a huge upset. What a dog to come through there..

Andrew Pace [00:37:07]:

So it's exactly what we said

Andrew Pace [00:37:07]:

We're looking at odds, and I'm like, guys, the pope might not even be on this list. It's incredible.

Shane Mercer [00:37:12]:

I think I saw somebody say I saw something online saying he had paid something like, I don't know, 55 to one or 56 to one or something for, pope I'm calling him pope Leo now because that's his name, but pope Leo to to become the pope.

Andrew Pace [00:37:30]:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, anyways, I just thought the way some of these have got broken down, it isn't crystal ball. It isn't you know the future. It's none of that bullshit. It's simply a couple of things. It's, looking at lines, having experience, and then communicating some of the things that you've seen in the past that you're not even necessarily betting on.

Andrew Pace [00:37:51]:

It's that you know the realm of possibilities that that can fuck you on your bets or win you money. Right? Because we we truly do see it all. Like, we had, just as an example to for fuck you on your bets, we had the team total for Las Vegas to be under three and a half goals, when it was three in in regulation. Overtime didn't count. In regulation. They scored on a goal from behind the net. And by the way, it's the fourth or fifth own goal of the playoffs that cost us money, off of Leon Draisaitl's stick from behind the net with point three point four seconds left. Right? Like

Shane Mercer [00:38:34]:

It was like no time left.

Andrew Pace [00:38:35]:

As much as it we'll be like, hey. As much as we say this happened and that's what we said, it it you know, we we take as many bad beats as we do, get get things that happen on on the positive side as any sports bettor does. Right. But, yeah, anyways, I I thought we gave Shane, I guess what I'm saying is I I think we've been given some pretty damn good advice.

Shane Mercer [00:38:55]:

I I do think it's been some excellent advice on the futures, and and kudos to John for for pointing out some of these. And and, you know, like you said, you don't have to, be right all that often to, turn a big profit on some of these. As long as, you know, your unit sizing is stays consistent, on on these, you know, you're you're gonna come through and and and and make some money if you if you take them all. Now, over in the NHL, I just wanna sort of give everybody a quick rundown. The Leafs and Panthers are tied, two games each. The Canes have the Capitals on the ropes, three to one in that series. And over in the West, the Oilers putting it on the Knights. They're up three to one.

Shane Mercer [00:39:31]:

And, the stars, jets game, that series stars up to one playing tonight. So game four will be decided by the time this episode comes out. Is there anyone now on on on, you know, in the NHL that that you're kinda looking at that that, you know, has potential to to to win it all?

Andrew Pace [00:39:51]:

Yeah. For sure. I mean, like, so at the start of the series because I I do look at these playoff parlays. I think it's it's one of the few times of the year that I am actively looking at betting on a parlay of some kind. The the Canes were the only series that I liked in the NHL. Now hindsight's 2020. The Oilers, I wish I liked them as well. So I've kinda thought from the from the get go here that the Canes were, you know, the real deal.

Andrew Pace [00:40:16]:

As far as winning it all goes, I do think the caps are done. I really want the Jets to to make it. I do think they're gonna have a tough time. The Oilers look like the best team on both sides. And I think that whomever wins the Leafs Panthers series is gonna have a real momentum boost because you could make an argument that that is gonna be a harder series than the next one. So I I don't really have anything to say there. I I'm I'm pretty wide open. Having watched the hockey, it kind of feels like Florida's hit their stride.

Andrew Pace [00:41:00]:

Like, Toronto came out, they just looked amazing, but it kinda feels like Florida's hit their stride, and they've they've found what they need to do. The Oilers just the Oilers look like the best team in the NHL.

Shane Mercer [00:41:10]:

They really do. And, you know, I think, I don't know if it was last week or the week before, but we talked about teams that had, you know, made the run, got to the final, and lost, and coming back the following year with that chip on their shoulder and the experience of going there. And I think I think, you know, the the Oilers sort of just fit that bill perfectly, and and I think we're seeing it unfold right now.

Andrew Pace [00:41:31]:

Didn't I also say the Knicks didn't have a chance?

Shane Mercer [00:41:34]:

I think that did. I think you did say the Knicks had no chance against the Celtics. Clearly.

Andrew Pace [00:41:39]:

I I think I said I I think I said I would be stupid to say they don't have a chance, but they don't have a chance.

Shane Mercer [00:41:44]:

But they don't have a chance. Yep. That that's

Andrew Pace [00:41:46]:

And, the Knicks, they've guys, they've got a chance. They've got a really they've got a really good chance.

Andrew Pace [00:41:55]:

And and, again, like, you know, you can cherry pick what anyone says. But the again, the thing about betting, you don't have to be right all the time. Right? So

Shane Mercer [00:42:07]:

if I were to if I were to sort of yeah. If I were to peer into my crystal ball in the in the in the NBA right now, I think it's gonna be, OKC and Indiana. So I think Pacers and Thunder in the in the finals, and I think it's gonna be, the Oilers, and the Canes in the NHL.

Andrew Pace [00:42:23]:

What a series.

Shane Mercer [00:42:24]:

Yep.

Andrew Pace [00:42:25]:

What a series that would be. On it honestly, who whomever comes out of a lot of these series, it's gonna be great. So we've got great great great teams playing playing a good hockey. So, yeah, it should be a lot of fun.

Shane Mercer [00:42:35]:

Yeah. Alright. If you guys wanna place a bet on any of that stuff, do it at Pinnacle. Place at least a $10 wager, and you will be entered into, the contest to win $2,000 USD that will be given out at the end of this calendar quarter. So that would be, at the June. Early July, we will award somebody, 2,000 USD. All you gotta do is place a bet on Pinnacle ten dollars minimum and, send it over, to Rodge through our free, Discord channel. So join the Discord, send it to Rodge, and, you'll be entered into the contest to win 2,000 USD.

Shane Mercer [00:43:15]:

Like I said, minimum $10 bet, but no maximum. But as much as you want over at Pinnacle. Whatever you can afford as long as it's within your bankroll and and your budget and you're managing your money well, you can you can bet as much as you want to to enter, the contest. So so go ahead and, and do that. Pace, anything else?

Andrew Pace [00:43:34]:

No. I'll leave it to you, Shane.

Shane Mercer [00:43:35]:

Alright, guys. Well, with that, till next week, Pace, to you, sports bettors tuning in from around the world. Speaking of, shout out to South Africa. We have a audience member from South Africa who, commented recently. So if you are somewhere around the world, outside North America, drop us a comment. Let us know. I love to hear that sort of stuff. So peace to you and the sports bettors around the world.

Shane Mercer [00:43:56]:

Till next week, keep beating those books. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Behind the Lines. Remember to like, download, and subscribe. We are on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and everywhere you get your podcasts. Have a betting story or wanna be featured on our podcast? Drop a note in the comments below. And if you wanna join inplayLIVE, use promo code BEHINDTHELINES.