FanDuel Rejuvenates Spread Promo for Lakers/Clippers Game, Lake Show Now 21-Point Dogs

Posted on: July 30, 2020, 12:47h. 

Last updated on: July 30, 2020, 02:00h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

FanDuel Sportsbook is bringing back its “Spread the Love” promotion for tonight’s Los Angeles Lakers/Los Angeles Clippers matchup, the second of two games marking the return of the NBA.

Anthony Davis (left) and LeBron James lead the Lakers into battle against the Clippers tonight. In one unique betting market, the Lakers are sizable underdogs. (Image: Bleacher Report)

The premise behind the incentive program is simple: for every 2,500 bets that come in on the Lakers, FanDuel will move the line one point in favor of the Western Conference leaders. The sportsbook operator currently lists the Lakers at -4.5 for traditional wagers. Bettors looking to have action on what is rapidly becoming an advantageous line for the Lakers need to wager in a dedicated Spread the Love marketplace on the FanDuel site.

There’s no limit to how good this line can get and the line won’t stop increasing until fans stop betting, or the game tips off,” according to the operator.

Bets are capped at $50, but gamblers will all get the final line, not the spread that was in place at the time the wager was placed. Translation: this is very much a “more the merrier” type of deal for bettors.

Obvious Enthusiasm

The NBA is returning tonight after a four-month hiatus forced by the coronavirus and as recent data from sportsbook operators regarding Major League Baseball (MLB) betting trends suggests, there’s pent up demand among gamblers to get back to traditional sports.

In other words, FanDuel could benefit from some good timing with the Spread the Love promo. Basketball is the second-most wagered on sport in the US after football and the Lakers/Clippers pits two star-studded rosters with championship aspirations against each other in a nationally televised tilt. The game starts at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.

It’s clear gamblers are rushing to take advantage of the FanDuel promo. At this writing, the spread shifted to Lakers +21, meaning that as long as the Clippers win by less than 22, the bettors taking the Lake Show will win. That also means that the promo line shifted 25 points from the original spread of Lakers -4. With each point move in the Lakers favor requiring 2,500 bets, the move to +21 means at least 62,500 wagers have been placed in the Spread the Love market.

In an interview with Casino.org, FanDuel spokesman Kevin Hennessy said data on the operator’s exposure to the game will be available after tip-off and not all bettors are plunking down $50 on the promotion.

The odds of the Clippers beating the Lakers by more than 20 points tonight are long, particularly with the former being without Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams. The teams played three times before the coronavirus shutdown with the Clippers taking two contests by 10 and five points, respectively.

Going National, Sort Of

Hennessy said tonight’s Spread the Love promo is the first time FanDuel is offering it on a national scale. The sportsbook operator currently offers online and mobile sports wagering in five states – Colorado, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia.

In February, the company ran a similar campaign in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania markets for a Milwaukee Bucks/Philadelphia 76ers game in which the spread closed at Sixers +59.5.

Prior to tonight, that was the most recent time FanDuel ran Spread the Love for an NBA game. The company ran the promo in Indiana during the football season, leading to a spread of +51 for the Indianapolis Colts against the New Orleans Saints last December.

Speaking of the Hoosier State, PointsBet is running an “Indiana Crowd Booster” promotion for the Indiana Pacers/76ers game on Saturday. The premise is similar to Spread the Love, but only 100 bets are required to move the line a point in favor of the Pacers. After opening at +4.5, the Pacers are now up +17.