Aren’t you the guy that said Isaiah Pead would wind up starting for the Rams? Why would I listen to you about fantasy or betting advice?
I am! That was a bad call, although not as bad as projecting a Blues Stanley Cup run last season (they missed the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons), or predicting the Patriots would beat the Eagles by double-digits in the Super Bowl (they lost outright as a favorite), or suggesting the Cardinals made a great move by signing Greg Holland (who didn’t even finish the year with the club).
Now that that’s out of the way, welcome to “From the Betting Window,” a new column dedicated to both sports betting and fantasy sports! Here’s a quick rundown of the what, why and how…
Again, why should I follow you?
Hey, good news, you don’t have to. We’re not touting anything in this column. We’re not selling picks. Like everything at 101Sports.com, the content is free. The subject matter won’t apply to everyone, but I hope those that do read get something out of every piece, whether it’s entertainment or sound advice if you are playing fantasy and/or wagering responsibly.
On that note, do me a favor while reading “From the Betting Window”…
…separate the advice and predictions in this column from what I say on, “The Turn.” It’s two different worlds. We’re supposed to have opinions on our radio shows Monday through Friday so just because I make a guess on what the Cards and Blues might do, doesn’t mean I’d lay money on those predictions.
Understand that saying Greg Holland was a good signing for the Cardinals (yikes) doesn’t have anything to do with my predictions in this column. Also, in fairness, I’ve had wins on-air, too. They just get lost in the abyss because it’s more fun to poke fun when I lose.
Can I rag you when you’re wrong?
Absolutely. Regular listeners of “The Turn” know that I’m self-deprecating. I can laugh at myself when I make a bad prediction and contribute to running jokes at my expense. If you’re going to make predictions, you have to roll with the criticism if they are proven horribly wrong, which I am.
One guy on Twitter last year took multiple shots at me because I said the Steelers would route the Jaguars in Pittsburgh during the regular season. The Jags wound up putting it on the Steelers as Big Ben threw a handful of interceptions in a blowout win for Jacksonville. I couldn’t have been more off.
If you want to be that guy, be my guest. I can take it. Just understand that this is about the long game and I’ll never get bent out of shape over individual losses. Believe it or not, I will lose games. In fact, I’ll have losing streaks. They happen. The goal is always to have success over the course of an entire season.
Finally: we’re all adults here. If I project Patrick Mahomes to be a sleeper and he sinks your fantasy team because you followed my advice, realize you made that choice. I’ll do my homework before making predictions but ultimately, you make the final call on whether or not to take the advice.
Why a sports betting column?
Last year during the football season, Bernie was gracious enough to have me on his show for one hour every Friday. At the end of the hour, Bernie would ask me for some “investment opportunities” for that weekend’s set of college and NFL games. Without fail, I’d receive text messages and tweets every week asking me for more information on public betting trends, odds, etc.
I’ve been enthralled with the sports betting world since before I was even in high school and last year it hit me that some in St. Louis were interested in the activity too, even if they didn’t actually wager on games. After some deliberation, I finally decided to do a column for 101sports.com and I hope to grow this piece over the next month heading into the football season.
What can I expect from the column?
Predictions on all sports (yes, even baseball, which can be difficult to predict with so many games), fantasy projections, public betting vs. money data (which always seem to interest people), etc.
But above all, I hope “From the Betting World” is entertaining and interactive.
Speaking of interactive, how can I participate?
I love interacting with St. Louis sports fans, especially those that enjoy fantasy sports and betting.
Leave a comment or reach me on Twitter (@AnthonyStalter). The more participation the better. If you have angles you see on games, share them.
Disagree with one of my predictions? Do you have a fantasy sleeper? Tell us.
All right, that should about cover the basics. At the end of the day (Mo voice), we’re talking sports. Let’s have fun.
Welcome to, “From the Betting Window!”
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