Betting MVP Futures & Bill’s NFL Playoffs Favorites

It’s episode 121 of Wise Kracks, and like last week, this one is guest-free! We talk tons of NFL football, including but not limited to, the worst teams in the league, betting MVP futures, and who’s on track to make the playoffs. We also talk UFC 281, Yasiel Puig in hot water, an unsettling story involving a can of tuna, and more. Let’s go!

Your hosts Bill Krackomberger and Jon Orlando take a look at how sportsbooks cleaned up after the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles both lost this past weekend. Is this a trend that will continue? 

The Las Vegas Raiders are having a prolifically bad season. What is going wrong?

MVP discourse is heating up as the end of the NFL season inches closer and closer. Do the guys think betting on these MVP futures is worth it?

UFC 281 took place this weekend in front of a record-breaking crowd at Madison Square Garden. Did Jon’s parlay stay intact? Did the bet between Jon and producer Rob on the Weili Zhang and Carla Esparza bout go Jon’s way?

Yasiel Puig, one of Jon’s favorite former Los Angeles Dodgers, has pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents investigating an illegal gambling operation. Funnily enough, Jon used to live in the same building as Puig! What do the guys make of this case?

While at a sportsbook in Atlantic City, Bill had an unfortunate experience with an Eagles fan, and it was all because of what they were eating. What unconventional public snack made Bill pinch his nose? You’re going to want to hear this and more on this week’s Wise Kracks!

The Bills AND the Eagles Losing = Happy Sportsbooks

“Double-digit favorites, it’s dangerous to play them.”

Bill reflects on a crazy NFL Week 10 that handed Super Bowl favorites the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles a loss each, “People will throw a double-digit favorite moneyline into their parlay and ruin everything.” With sportsbooks cleaning up once again, Bill doesn’t want to hear any complaints from them, “They don’t know what to do with their money, their sucker money.”

Jon wants to know if there’s a way to work around the moneyline-parlay dilemma, “Does it make sense to leave the game off your parlays? Sort of like hedging before you need to hedge if there’s a game that can go either way?” Bill shakes his head, “That’s not a good thing to do, betting both ways… I personally hate making a bet that I know I will lose.” However, Bill acknowledges that people still do this regardless of the outcome, “Adding a bad team with a good team, people love to do it!”

On the other side, Bill highlights the work that the league’s underdogs are putting in this season, “The double-digit underdogs are amazing this year! Keep your eyes peeled for those.”

A team that likely doesn’t fit into this description is the Las Vegas Raiders, who are 2-7 on the season. “They are absolutely atrocious,” exclaims Jon. Bill has a few choice words for the team’s office, “They are who they should be… they carelessly fired the general manager and brought in their own staff… I root against them every game!” 

It was a rough week to be a Dallas Cowboys fan after they blew a 14-point lead against the Green Bay Packers and ultimately lost in overtime. Jon wished it went a different way, “They should’ve tried to kick for that field goal!” 

After 5 straight losses, Bill saw this game as a must-win game for the Packers, “If they lost that game they would be one of the worst teams in football.” To Jon’s discontent, this optimism doesn’t translate to the Cowboys. Bill elaborates, “I still see their season wins as under 11.5… I think that might even be a shade too high.” Jon hangs his head, “That makes me sad to hear, Krack.”

Will Betting NFL MVP Futures be a Winning Scenario?

With the NFL season passing the halfway point, MVP discourse is beginning to make the rounds. One sportsbook is taking a $20k bet on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady at 100-1 to win the MVP. Bill thinks that’s money wasted, “We know Tom’s the GOAT, but after the season he’s been having, he’s just not pulling it together.” Jon agrees, “He’s just not playing like he used to!”

The same sportsbook is taking a $5k bet on Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill at 100-1 to take the MVP title. Bill still isn’t feeling it, “That Tyreek bet sounds a little high to me, and it’s hard for wide receivers to win that award.”

The futures talk doesn’t stop there, as Jon has a lineup of potential MVP candidates to fire Bill’s way, “What are you taking, Tyreek, or Patrick Mahomes at even money?” Bill doesn’t see value in betting even money on the Chiefs' star quarterback, “Absolutely not! You know me, I wouldn’t bet even money.”

Jon laughs, “Miami Dolphin’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at 3.5-1?” Bill doesn’t hesitate, “No.” Jon is sure this next pick is a winner for Bill, “Josh Allen at 6-1?” Bill thinks about the Buffalo Bill’s quarterback and the season the team is having, “I’m going to have to say no to that too… it’s a different year for these megastar quarterbacks.” 

Although Jon is left a little puzzled that Bill doesn’t think any of these futures are worth a decent bet, he agrees that none of them have necessarily been, “killing it” this season. Jon concludes, “They’re all doing really good, but not that great!”

Jon’s Old Neighbor Yasiel Puig in Legal Trouble

“Believe it or not, I used to live in the same building as that guy!”

Former LA Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig has landed himself in hot water after pleading guilty to the FBI surrounding illegal bets he made with a third-party operation. Jon brings up an interesting anecdote, one in which he used to live in the same building as Puig. Bill jokes, “I wanted to know if it was you who started corrupting him or not.”

At the time, Jon was aware that there was something sketchy happening in the building, “It was as legit as an operation like that could be!” Although Jon never saw him around those parts, he would run into him from time to time in the elevator, “He was the nicest guy.”

Bill recalls the days when Puig was the next big Dodgers star, “You would see his name in lights and everything, I always wondered what happened to him.” Jon thinks a lot of his shift away from the spotlight was that he was simply misunderstood, “I think it was because of the way he was, maybe his swagger, but he was always warm whenever I ran into him… I could never say a bad thing about him.”

Bill smiles, “That’s great to hear, I hope he straightens out his life.” To tie this story together, Bill mentions how professional athletes can slip up in cases such as this, “All these players know the odds, it’s in these young kids' faces day to day when you’re the center of them, and sometimes these things can happen. It’s all about being responsible and getting the help you need.”

Catch Wise Kracks Thursday on YouTube

Welcome to Wise Kracks, the show to know for all things betting, pop culture, tips & more! Your hosts Jon Orlando and Bill Krackomberger discuss the NHL, NBA, MLB, & the NFL, all the while cracking each other up. 

Every week a new guest joins the show to share their unique perspective from the world of sports and entertainment. Wise Kracks wants your bankroll to grow, and who other than Bill will help you grow it faster? Catch a new episode of Wise Kracks when you tune into the WSN YouTube channel every Thursday!