While there is still no firm date for the first online sportsbook to launch in New York, that doesn’t mean you can’t look ahead.
NY hopes to have online sports betting fully up and running by the Super Bowl on Feb. 13, and January bets are still a realistic possibility.
So what events might you be able to bet on? PlayNY takes a look at some intriguing possibilities.
1. NFL Wild Card Weekend, Jan. 15-17
This will be the first time the league has a Monday night matchup in addition to two Saturday games and three Sunday games. Even with a soft launch, it could be a betting bonanza for NY, the perfect way to usher in a new era for the state.
2. College football national title game, Jan. 10
The playoff field is still being decided. Usual suspects like Georgia and Alabama are in the mix, while Michigan is now in the hunt are its upset of Ohio State. But it would be a lot of fun to see a Cinderella Story like Cincinnati reach the Final Four.
3. Brooklyn Nets at Golden State Warriors, Jan. 29
There were a couple of other contenders here, including Nets vs. Bucks Jan. 7 (a playoff rematch) and Nets vs. Lakers Jan. 25 (Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James). But given Brooklyn just got blown out by Golden State at home, with Stephen Curry draining plenty of 35-footers, there’s plenty of intrigue heading into the rematch. Will Kyrie Irving be vaxxed or eligible to play by then? Will he be a Net? Does he even like basketball anymore? These are questions that may or may not be answered by then.
4. New York Knicks vs Dallas Mavericks, Jan. 12
The other contender was Knicks at Hawks on Jan. 15 (a playoff rematch) but it’s not at the Garden so the usual venom won’t be spewed in nemesis Trae Young’s direction. Instead, the pick is Public Enemy No. 1B, Kristaps Porzingis, and the not-so-pleasant reaction he’s likely to get from an electric MSG, which includes the usual batch of boos, expletives and other assorted insults.
5. New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning/Edmonton Oilers, Jan. 2-3
It’s probably a longshot that any type of online sports betting is ready in time for this thrilling back-to-back set at MSG. But you really can’t get better than the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions followed by Connor McDavid, who is still skating circles around the Rangers’ entire defense as of this writing.
