by Hillary LaClair, Senior Editor
April 2, 2009
Online sports betting enthusiasts may consider a trip to Texas this month, where three local sports venues are reopening and offering a number of discounts on tickets. Texas Motor Speedway will see cheaper seats this weekend, following by family events and free concerts at the Lone Star Park racetrack. The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is also set to open on Monday offering discount seats as well. While these tracks may not offer sports betting wagers, spectators may place wagers in various online sportsbooks before going to see the game.
“It’s all about affordability,” said Andrew Silverman, executive Vice President of sales for the Texas Rangers. “Selling a product in a soft economy is basically the same, whether it’s pizza, fried chicken or a day at the races or the ballpark.
“It’s making it a simple, easy-to-understand offer for the consumer.”
The Rangers drew 1.95 million visitors last season and produced millions of online sports wagers, although down 400,000 customers from the year prior. It was their smallest home attendance in 20 years.
Along with the Rangers, the Houston Astros have made a comeback this year. With all of the problems with the team in the first half of their 2008 MLB betting season, it is a surprise to see they’d ended as the 3rd best in all of baseball. After falling to six games under .500 at the All Star game, the Astros came back in the second half of the Simpsons to win 42 of their 66 overall games.
Not much can be predicted for the team this year, but with a number of players in their “twilight years” this season, online sports bettors can expect to see another exciting season. Roy Oswalt, a star player with a 17-10 record and 3.54 ERA last season is followed by seasoned player Brian Moehler, 11.8, 4.56 ERA, Wandy Rodriguez,9-7, 3.54 ERA, and Brandon Backe, 9-14 6.05 ERA.
Meanwhile, Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway, said that his off-season anxiety has settled this year as NASCAR fans and bettors have returned for the new season. “We’re cutting prices and promoting it,” he said. “We want fans to know we really want them here.
“I’ve watched other sports struggle with strikes and lockouts or whatnot. When the players come back and play resumed, the fans didn’t necessarily return.”
NASCAR will head to the Texas Motor Speedway for the Samsung 500 this weekend, the track where Carl Edwards has a decent chance at picking up his first victory of the season. Carl Edwards’ begins this week with +500 odds to win. Although he is not the favorite to win, Edwards know this track very well, having three victories in Texas. Edwards won both Sprint Cup races on this track and he and his crew have been pushing for this race for some time.
Kyle Busch is oddsmakers’ favorite with +400, followed by Jimme Johnson at +700, Jeff Gordon at +700, Denny Hamlin at +1500, Tony Stewart at +2000, Clint Bowyer at +2000 and Juff Burton at +2500.
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