Jimmy Graham, Seahawks: Graham is second on the Seahawks in receiving yards and targets, so do you think he has a big game in his return to New Orleans? Yeah, me too. He’s an easy top-five play.
Kyle Rudolph has supplied a solid floor most weeks this season. Will he continue to produce on Monday Night Football this week? Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
Kyle Rudolph, Vikings: Yes, it was another slow week, but look closer at last week’s box score. He was targeted 11 times and actually leads the Vikes in targets this season. Facing a Bears squad that is 22nd against the pass over the past four weeks, Rudolph has at least 55 yards or a touchdown in five of six games this season, and I expect that to continue Rene Bourque Jersey Monday night. Such is the state of the tight end position that that stat is actually impressive. Rudolph is a top-10 play for me.
In 2014 and 2015, Aussies bet $7.1 billion and lost nearly $815 million on sports, according to the recently released 32nd edition of Australian Gambling Statistics. Both figures are records and sharp spikes from the previous year. The data mirrors the increase of sports bettors seeking help for gambling addiction.
Advertising is at the heart of the debate in Australia. According to gambling researcher Sally Gainsbury, the Australian market became so flooded with gambling advertising in recent years that consumers began complaining.
“It was similar to what you were Ryan Johansen Jersey seeing [in the U.S.] with the [daily] fantasy advertising,” Gainsbury said. “Sports events are just now completely dominated by sports betting advertising. All throughout the sporting events you’re seeing these complete bombardments of advertising for betting. And community members are now saying, ‘Hey, my kids are watching this.’ Gambling was supposed to be put be off to the corner and now it’s front and center.”
“The average problem gambler that seeks treatment has gambling debt twice their average annual income,” Whyte said. “The vast majority of that does not come from formal casino credit. It’s either personal credit card or credit from a bookie, informal credit. [For problem gamblers], the substance abuse is money. If you’re at risk for a gambling problem and you’re betting on unsecured credit, if and when you start to lose, you can rapidly find yourself in severe problems.”
A shift in integrity of the game issues
At a September gaming conference, four respected Las Vegas sportsbook directors were asked how many games in the past three years they had deemed suspicious enough to contact authorities.
“None,” said Bob Scucci, a veteran bookmaker who ran the Stardust during its prime and is now in charge of all the Boyd Gaming sportsbooks in Nevada.
A quick Google search of a very specific “Caillou sucks” returns over 91,000 entries. Have you ever watched this show? He is a whiny, spoiled, bratty kid who is neither interesting nor redeeming in any way shape or form. Caillou always gets what he wants by whining and my kids love this dumb show and I have had to forbid it because they were learning you can get what you want by whining. I don’t care if a show is “bad,” just don’t be dangerous! This show is dangerous. If you take one thing away from my column this entire year it’s don’t let your kids watch “Caillou.” Yes, it’s weird that he’s 4 years old and bald. And he only wears clothes of mismatched primary colors. But that’s not my issue. I mean, I’m on board with toys who talk as soon as humans leave the room. I don’t question a 16-year-old mermaid wanting to run away from her dad to get married to a guy she’s seen once and only spends three days with even though she can’t talk. I am not a tough sell here.