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It is time for the Week 17 installment of BTSC Bookie! This is a chance for the BTSC community to collectively choose games in which to place an imaginary wager of “BTSC Bucks.” Each week I will remind everyone of the rules before voting on specific bets and the type of wagers we want to do next week.
Before I get into the procedure of things, I want to remind everyone that gambling addiction is a serous problem numerous people face. Like many things in life, gambling can be a fun and safe exercise if done in moderation, while obsessive gambling can have destructive and life-altering consequences. If you or anyone you know is suffering from a gambling addiction, help is available HERE.
The Process
- We will start with $500 in BTSC Bucks for the season. If we bust, we may borrow from the BTSC Bookie, but will have to pay 20% interest each week it isn’t paid. It’s a steep price, but there are consequences to failure.
- Games this week will be betting against the spread with commission.
- There will be 10 betting lines for users to place a vote on games against the spread. The values are as of Tuesday evening and they are locked in throughout the voting. The polls will run until Saturday night at 12:59 PM. The top three results for NFL games will have a $100, a $50, and a $25 wager placed respectively. The five games used will be the games impacting the AFC playoff picture.
- A write-in campaign can be staged for voting. If any comment in the weekly article brings up a different game in the comments to make the wager and can receive enough recommendations to place it in the top three vote-wise, it will be calculated accordingly. I know it’s highly unlikely for a comment to receive that many recommendations, but if it does it will count.
- Some games may have the two opposing lines as an option. If so, only the higher vote-getter will be eligible for the wager.
- Betting both for and against the Steelers is always an option.
Last Week’s Wager
For Week 16, to my surprise we placed a $150 wagers on The New Orleans Saints to beat the Tennessee Titans by 3 points for a payout of +100. This was the game I picked with my vote, but I expected the vote to go in the typical fashion on the Steelers. The Saints were a wise choice because of the +100 payout which gave even money for a win. With their 10-point victory, we earned $150.
Week 15 Balance: $981.04
Week 15 Net Gain/Loss: +$150.00
Week 16 Total: $1,131.04
Week 17 Options
Here are the options chosen for the Week 17 betting exercise. Based on your vote, all games will be against the spread. There will be no poll for next week as we will do something special when it comes to Wildcard Weekend. If you want to play your own game, leave your choices in the comments below and keep track of your total throughout the season.
For this week, payouts are listed in parenthesis. We will place a $150 on one game. We will place a $100 on the top vote-getter, $50 bet on the second choice, and a $25 bet on the third. If you wish to vote more than once, clear your “cookies” on your browser and vote again.
Poll
On which game do you want to place your BTSC bucks?
This poll is closed
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20%
Steelers (-2) at Ravens (-110, 37%)
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27%
Ravens (+2) vs Steelers (-110, 63%)
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3%
Titans (-3.5) at Texans (+100, 48%)
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9%
Texans (+3.5) vs Titans (-120, 52%)
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3%
Raiders (+3.5) at Broncos (-120, 62%)
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7%
Broncos (-3.5) vs Raiders (+100, 38%)
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10%
Colts (-3.5) at Jaguars (-110 71%)
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0%
Jaguars (+3.5) vs Colts (-110, 29%)
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12%
Chiefs (-8.5) vs Chargers (-110, 68%)
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5%
Chargers (+8.5) at Chiefs (-110, 32%)