nba 2K

  • Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Las Vegas - Bettors are getting desperate for a more extensive wagering menu. Darts, ping pong and soccer in Belarus are basically impossible to handicap, so now, it's time to bet on video games. And the NBA is ALL in. They are running the 'NBA 2K Players Tournament' which you can watch on one of the 17 ESPN channels. We're a little late to this party, because what started as a 16 player affair is now down to just eight. In a blurb from the NBA, this is what's what. "Players will compete in a single-elimination, player-only tournament on Xbox One. The winner will be crowned the ultimate NBA 2K20 champion and select a charity beneficiary to receive a $100,000 donation from 2K, the NBA and the NBPA in support of ongoing coronavirus relief efforts." Props to giving away $100,000 for sure, but do you really wanna open your wallet for this Xbox One extravaganza?

Just in case you have not followed, in the BIGGEST upset of round 1, Derrick Jones Jr. the #16 seed, lowest on the board, beat the #1 seed, Kevin Durant. Trae Young, the #2 seed, got past the #15 seed, Harrison Barnes. In another pretty big upset, Patrick Beverley, the #14 seed, sent the #3 seed, Hassan Whiteside, packing. Devin Booker (#5) dropped Michael Porter Jr. (#12). Rui Hachimura (#13) disposed of Donovan Mitchell (#4). Montrezl Harrell (#8) got past Domantas Sabonis (#9). Deandre Ayton (#10) rumbled past Zach Lavine (#7). And Andre Drummond (#6) boogied past DeMarcus Cousins (#11).

The quarterfinals start tonight, and if you have FOUR hours to spare, check it out.

Who's gonna win the $100 large??? Of course, we have the odds. With the same intensity he shows on the actual hardwood, Patrick Beverley is the favorite at 2/1, followed by Devin Booker at 5/2, Derrick Jones Jr. at 5/1, Deandre Ayton and Trae Young both at 6/1, Montrezl Harrell and Rui Hachimura both 15/1 and sitting on the bottom of the odds ladder is Andre Drummond at 20/1. If you're asking me for a pick, might tickle Rui Hachimura at 15/1. Why? His name, Rui, means FORTRESS in Japanese!!!

----------------------------------------------------

That was posted early this morning...

Then this came across the wire...

----------------------------------------------------

Bookmakers suspend betting after NBA 2K20 results leaked online

(Reuters) - Online bookmakers, already hit by the stoppage of live sports due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, suffered a further setback when the results of an NBA 2K20 video game tournament were leaked online.

But despite the first-round games appearing to be played live when they were broadcast on ESPN and ESPN 2, they were actually pre-recorded.

“It became clear that somebody knew something, and that the results had been leaked,” David Strauss, head oddsmaker at MyBookie.ag, told Reuters.

“That’s a nightmare scenario for us. When a result is compromised, we close the lines and look for the info ourselves.

“It’s almost always in the forums or on Twitter.”

When a wave of bets were placed on 16th-seeded Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones to beat top-seeded Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, which he did 78-62 on Friday, it became clear that those placing bets knew something.

“We initially made Durant the favorite to win the tournament but when .... the bets were completely one-sided toward Jones, it became obvious that someone knew the outcome of the game,” said SportsBetting.ag odds manager Robert Cooper, whose company lost a sum in the low five figures on the opening round.

----------------------------------------------------