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  4. title => "The NHL\u2019s new sports betting partnership with MGM Resorts, explained"
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  6. article_body => "<p>The NHL is diving head-first into the world of sports betting and has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/capitals\/nhl-and-mgm-resorts-team-landmark-sports-betting-partnership\" target=\"_blank\">entered into a multi-year partnership with MGM Resorts<\/a>, commissioner Gary Bettman announced Monday. The new deal reflects the rapidly changing landscape of gambling in America after the Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law in May that banned commercial betting in most states.<\/p>\n<p>MGM is now the official sport betting partner of the NHL and will get access to the league\u2019s intellectual property and real-time advanced game data, which the NHL is still developing and anticipates being ready for next season. The league\u2019s partnership with MGM is not exclusive.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why this partnership is a good thing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sports betting, thanks to that ruling, is here to stay. With this partnership, the NHL is doing what it can to maximize its position in a new and changing market.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re for or against sports betting, the fact is that toothpaste is not going back in the tube anytime soon. It would be foolish for the NHL to put its head in the sand and not try to maximize the potential revenue and interest it can gain through sports betting.<\/p>\n<p>This partnership could spark more interest in the NHL that makes it a\u2026 ahem\u2026 gamble worth taking.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What the potential negatives could be<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The major argument against sports betting has been whether it will affect the integrity of the game. No one wants players or referees to start throwing games or another Pete Rose incident to hit their leagues.<\/p>\n<p>The NHL already monitors betting lines for games, even prior to this new partnership, so it is not as if the league is jumping into the world of betting ill-prepared.<\/p>\n<p>As mentioned above, however, sports betting is not going away. So long as the league educates its players, staff and officials on what is and is not acceptable when it comes to betting and continues to monitor for any curious changes to betting lines, there was no excuse not to seek some sort of betting related revenue.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-1808121\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/usatsi10875763jpg\">usatsi_10875763.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img style=\"height: 400px; width: 600px;\" class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"1\" src=\"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/washington\/2018\/10\/29\/usatsi_10875763.jpg\" width=\"3888\" height=\"2592\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/p>\n<p><strong>What this could mean<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In-game betting could become a part of the NHL experience in the near future. You may have scratched your head when you read that MGM is paying for data, but we are not talking goals and assists here which everyone has access to. The NHL is developing player and puck-tracking technology, and the real-time data that comes from that is going to lead to more accurate betting lines and, in theory, in-game sports betting.<\/p>\n<p>Hockey betting is here to stay, but we don\u2019t know exactly what this is going to look like yet and we aren\u2019t going to -- not for a while. That was highlighted by Bettman rather cryptically saying, \u201cWe have the ability to have input on what\u2019s being bet on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So yeah, there\u2019s still a lot to unpack here, and we\u2019re going to have more questions than answers for quite some time.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of revenue, the NHL and NHLPA will share 50-percent of the revenue from this partnership. The salary cap will almost certainly see a significant bump over the next few years as a result, especially if more casinos jump on board. This partnership is \u201cnot exclusive,\u201d and others could line up for a chance to pay for the NHL\u2019s data. &nbsp;More money is good for everyone, but the revenue sharing always opens the door for potential trouble. In a league that tends to have pretty intense labor negotiations, the revenue sharing from sports betting could potentially be another arguing point in talks over the next CBA.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What this won\u2019t mean (for now)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When sports betting became legal, the dream of sports journalists and fans alike was that it would lead to the end of the NHL's cryptic injury reports. For most teams, a player either has an upper-body injury or a lower-body injury with no in-between.<\/p>\n<p>Whether a player hurt his pinky toe or had a leg amputated, those would both be called \"lower-body injuries.\"<\/p>\n<p>But alas, teams are not going to be required to provide more detailed injury updates just yet -- even though the league\u2019s gambling partner will have lots of money depending on it.<\/p>\n<p>Bettman said at the press conference that he does not expect the NHL to adopt NFL-style injury reports or enforce more detailed injury disclosures. Concerns over player safety are holding the league back from such disclosures as it does not want to see players begin targeting others and their injuries.<\/p>\n<p>As sports betting takes off, you have to think that at some point someone is going to be able to show conclusively that the NHL should be providing that information.&nbsp;Until that point, however, we are left with the headache of not knowing what type of injuries players are dealing with.<\/p>\n<p>Oh, sorry, we are left with the \u201cupper-body injuries\u201d of not knowing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MORE NHL NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Power Rankings:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/capitals\/nhl-power-rankings-power-play-making-caps-look-better-they-are\" target=\"_blank\">What's making Caps look this good?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>NHL and MGM:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/capitals\/nhl-and-mgm-resorts-team-landmark-sports-betting-partnership\" target=\"_blank\">What Bettman had to say<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Still suspended:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/capitals\/capitals-express-displeasure-appeals-process-after-tom-wilson-suspension-upheld\" target=\"_blank\">Caps express frustration with Wilson's upheld suspension<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Power move:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/capitals\/alex-ovechkin-gives-lucky-young-fan-his-stick\" target=\"_top\">Ovi give his stick to a young fan<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Capitals

Capitals

The NHL is diving head-first into the world of sports betting and has entered into a multi-year partnership with MGM Resorts, commissioner Gary Bettman announced Monday. The new deal reflects the rapidly changing landscape of gambling in America after the Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law in May that banned commercial betting in most states.

MGM is now the official sport betting partner of the NHL and will get access to the league’s intellectual property and real-time advanced game data, which the NHL is still developing and anticipates being ready for next season. The league’s partnership with MGM is not exclusive.

Why this partnership is a good thing

Sports betting, thanks to that ruling, is here to stay. With this partnership, the NHL is doing what it can to maximize its position in a new and changing market.

Whether you’re for or against sports betting, the fact is that toothpaste is not going back in the tube anytime soon. It would be foolish for the NHL to put its head in the sand and not try to maximize the potential revenue and interest it can gain through sports betting.

This partnership could spark more interest in the NHL that makes it a… ahem… gamble worth taking.

What the potential negatives could be

The major argument against sports betting has been whether it will affect the integrity of the game. No one wants players or referees to start throwing games or another Pete Rose incident to hit their leagues.

 

The NHL already monitors betting lines for games, even prior to this new partnership, so it is not as if the league is jumping into the world of betting ill-prepared.

As mentioned above, however, sports betting is not going away. So long as the league educates its players, staff and officials on what is and is not acceptable when it comes to betting and continues to monitor for any curious changes to betting lines, there was no excuse not to seek some sort of betting related revenue.

What this could mean

In-game betting could become a part of the NHL experience in the near future. You may have scratched your head when you read that MGM is paying for data, but we are not talking goals and assists here which everyone has access to. The NHL is developing player and puck-tracking technology, and the real-time data that comes from that is going to lead to more accurate betting lines and, in theory, in-game sports betting.

Hockey betting is here to stay, but we don’t know exactly what this is going to look like yet and we aren’t going to -- not for a while. That was highlighted by Bettman rather cryptically saying, “We have the ability to have input on what’s being bet on.”

So yeah, there’s still a lot to unpack here, and we’re going to have more questions than answers for quite some time.

In terms of revenue, the NHL and NHLPA will share 50-percent of the revenue from this partnership. The salary cap will almost certainly see a significant bump over the next few years as a result, especially if more casinos jump on board. This partnership is “not exclusive,” and others could line up for a chance to pay for the NHL’s data.  More money is good for everyone, but the revenue sharing always opens the door for potential trouble. In a league that tends to have pretty intense labor negotiations, the revenue sharing from sports betting could potentially be another arguing point in talks over the next CBA.

What this won’t mean (for now)

When sports betting became legal, the dream of sports journalists and fans alike was that it would lead to the end of the NHL's cryptic injury reports. For most teams, a player either has an upper-body injury or a lower-body injury with no in-between.

Whether a player hurt his pinky toe or had a leg amputated, those would both be called "lower-body injuries."

But alas, teams are not going to be required to provide more detailed injury updates just yet -- even though the league’s gambling partner will have lots of money depending on it.

 

Bettman said at the press conference that he does not expect the NHL to adopt NFL-style injury reports or enforce more detailed injury disclosures. Concerns over player safety are holding the league back from such disclosures as it does not want to see players begin targeting others and their injuries.

As sports betting takes off, you have to think that at some point someone is going to be able to show conclusively that the NHL should be providing that information. Until that point, however, we are left with the headache of not knowing what type of injuries players are dealing with.

Oh, sorry, we are left with the “upper-body injuries” of not knowing.

MORE NHL NEWS