U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop presents $313K in congressional funding to Columbus State

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — U.S. Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-02) presented a check for $313,000 in federal funding to officials at Columbus State University on Friday. The funds, which were a part of the funding bill that was signed into law on Jan. 23, will help CSU improve public safety efforts. University officials say [...]

KIA Autosport Athletes of the Week: Chattahoochee County Boys Basketball

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The Chattahoochee County Panthers have had a terrific season so far, and after taking down Troup Co., the Panthers have a perfect 14-0 record in the region. The Panthers have two more region games against opponents they've already beaten this season, and after the regular season, the goal becomes even simpler: [...]

NBA finalizes competitors for Slam Dunk, Shooting Stars competitions

Orlando Magic rookie guard Jase Richardson will attempt to follow in his father’s footsteps when he competes in the NBA’s All-Star Slam Dunk competition next Saturday.

The son of two-time Slam Dunk champion Jason Richardson, who won the event in 2002 and 2003, will be one of four competitors officially named for the event that will take place Feb. 14.

The younger Richardson will compete against San Antonio Spurs rookie forward Carter Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers 7-foot center Jaxson Hayes and Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. All four players will be making their All-Star Slam Dunk debut.

The NBA also announced the teams for the Shooting Stars competition next Saturday. The teams are comprised of two NBA players and one league legend.

Team All-Star will consist of Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren and three-time All-Star Richard Hamilton.

Team Cameron will be comprised of the following Duke alums: Atlanta Hawks star Jalen Johnson, Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel and Corey Maggette.

Team Harper will consist of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr. and sons Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs) and Ron Harper Jr. (Boston Celtics).

Team Knicks is comprised of All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns along with Allan Houston.

(Reuters)

The post NBA finalizes competitors for Slam Dunk, Shooting Stars competitions first appeared on Fastbreak.

Fairly Seasonable Weekend, Warmer Days Ahead!

WEEKEND:We woke up pretty seasonable this morning, with some mid 30s to the north to mid 40s to the south. It's going to be a beautiful day with afternoon highs a little below average in the mid to upper 50s. We will have a slight 10 mph breeze today with gusts to 15. Tonight, those [...]

As federal scrutiny on Georgia elections increases, two Muscogee County Elections officials speak out

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) -- This is an election year, and there is increased scrutiny on voting in Georgia. The FBI has seized 2020 ballots in Fulton County, and President Trump has talked about nationalizing elections. WRBL News 3 talked to two members of the Muscogee County Board of Elections and Registration about their thoughts. U.D. Roberts [...]

From Hardaway to Georgia Tech: Aileen Morales’ Hall of Fame Softball Journey

Atlanta, Ga. (WRBL) – Aileen Morales' softball résumé speaks for itself, marked by championships at every level of the game. Her winning journey began with a state championship at Hardaway High School in 2003, followed by an ACC title at Georgia Tech and a professional championship with the Chicago Bandits in 2008. After her playing [...]

NFL-Las Vegas sportsbooks rooting for Patriots upset in Super Bowl

Las Vegas sportsbooks would like the New England Patriots to upset the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday’s Super Bowl, or at least keep it close, not because they love a classic underdog story but because it would keep the cash registers ringing.

The Seahawks, who enter the NFL’s Championship game in Santa Clara, California riding a nine-game winning streak, are a 4-1/2 point favourite to beat a Patriots team seeking a record seventh Super Bowl title.

While the bulk of wagers will not be made until the weekend, online sportsbook BetMGM said 60% of the Super Bowl bets it has received are on the Seahawks.

“We are rooting for the Patriots,” John Ewing, BetMGM’s PR Manager of Media Insights, told Reuters. “If the Patriots cover (the spread), that’s great. If they win outright, that’s even better.”

BETTING BONANZA

The Super Bowl creates an annual betting bonanza and Sunday’s edition is no exception with the American Gaming Association expecting a record $1.76 billion to be legally wagered in the United States on the game.

But unlike last year’s Super Bowl when the Kansas City Chiefs — who had Taylor Swift in their corner cheering on tight end Travis Kelce — were denied a third straight title by the Philadelphia Eagles, this year’s match-up lacks the same buzz.

“This year we didn’t have two teams with well-known superstar quarterbacks that were running away from the rest of the field in their conferences,” said Chris Bennett, sportsbook director for Circa Sports.

“That feeling that the teams aren’t special relative to the other teams in their conference, and Sam Darnold and Drake Maye just not being the big-name quarterbacks that we sometimes have in the Super Bowl, is responsible for some of that lack of excitement.”

Bennett said going into the weekend there is a higher ticket count at Circa Sports on Seattle to cover the spread but that since it took a large bet on the Patriots moneyline – picking the outright winner – its net position is for Seattle to win but not cover.

BAD BUNNY BETS

Aside from more traditional bets, gamblers can take a chance at proposition bets, like deciding which team will win the pre-game coin toss, whether the Seahawks or Patriots will score first and what color liquid will be poured on the winning coach.

BetOnline.ag, which has a plethora of prop bets, even has some involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including whether a player will wear anti-ICE signage or if there will be an ICE protest outside or inside Levi’s Stadium.

There are also several prop bets involving Super Bowl halftime performer Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican rapper and 2026 Grammy winner who steered clear of the continental U.S. on his recent concert tour, saying he feared federal agents would show up to arrest his fans.

At +2000, anyone who bets $100 that Bad Bunny gets arrested on stage would win a $2,000 profit.
(Reuters)

The post NFL-Las Vegas sportsbooks rooting for Patriots upset in Super Bowl first appeared on Fastbreak.