Betr Overcomes Skepticism in Massachusetts

Did you know that early January is annually a time of wild surges in online dating activity? It's true. Your mileage may vary, but apparently January 8 is a perennial marker for enhanced love-match app searching. It makes sense. The holidays are over. In much of the country, the nights are long and cold. So...you know....

This is not a problem for us, happily married men. But if your situation is different, maybe today is the day to get off the bench and tell the coach you think you're hot.

In the email today:

1) Betr clears a significant hurdle in Massachusetts ⚖️

2) Damar Hamlin's charitable fund chooses the vehicle for the distribution of the $8.6 million it never expected to have to handle 💰

3) Apple announces who will spearhead its Major League Soccer streaming coverage 🍎

Get yours.

1) JAKE PAUL SOCIALLY INFLUENCES THE MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION 📱

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission seems to be reveling in the attention it is receiving while it cogitates, ponders and perseverates over which of the eager, vying online sportsbooks it deigns to grant license to. 

FanDuel is the latest to receive the MGC's preliminary blessing. Others in the queue are DraftKings, BetFanatics(!), PointsBet, and smaller players.

Social media influencer and ersatz combat sport dude Jake Paul's Betr is in that same line, but in that way that Paul remarkably always seems to unfailingly anticipate trends even though he objectively looks like a dum-dum, he convinced the MGC to give its blessing to Betr despite some of the salacious rumors that swirl around him.

We recommend the excellent Geoff Zochodne's story from covers.com, which we reduce to the bare bones here:

• Betr touts itself as "the first direct-to-consumer sports betting company to focus primarily on microbetting," i.e., "is the next play in this football game going to be a run or a pass," etc.

• Paul acknowledged the presence of various controversies on his name, some of his creation, some not, but argued that his life lived in the public eye in real time unavoidably leads to controversy

• Betr threw some red meat to the MGC, stating that it would employ a "significant number" of Massachusetts residents and that it would refuse to accept credit card deposits for betting stake

• Additionally, Betr acknowledged that it came to this process "under a microscope," and that not only would it not take action on any of Paul's fights, it would veer far away from any suggestion of impropriety

OUR TAKE

Massachusetts is sort of adorable. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission continues to act like a debutante at a boarding school ball, flirting with its eyes but insisting it's "you can look, but you'd better not touch."

As with teen amorousness, though, this reticence from the MGC is probably going to end as it always does, i.e., with the sportsbooks who can deliver whopping tax revenues getting what they want and with the MGC telling everyone this was a SUPER SERIOUS process.

2) DAMAR HAMLIN ANNOUNCES HOW THE $8.6 MILLION RAISED ORGANICALLY FROM HIS SUFFERING WILL HELP MANY 🙏

Everyone has the lottery dream. If you won Powerball, seriously, what would you do with all of that money?

The number is much smaller, but that was effectively the question Damar Hamlin was asked after he recovered enough to make decisions.

Hamlin had founded the "Chasing M's Foundation Charitable Fund" prior to his injury to raise money to buy toys and gifts for underprivileged children. Without question, Hamlin had his heart fully in this effort, but as a lesser star in the Bills' constellation, the numbers were never going to be THAT BIG.

Prior to the events of nine nights ago, then, Hamlin's charitable fund was a small-but-mighty endeavor.

Now, as Hamlin rises like Lazarus, it is a mighty-and-mighty endeavor.

Unquestionably, Hamlin's local foundation was never built to manage eight figures worth of money. Hamlin and his team have (again) made an unassailable choice in partnering with a national non-profit with impeccable credentials and a history of doing good.

Who threw the talcum powder up in this room? My eyes are watering like a son of a whatever. I'm not crying, you're crying.

3) APPLE DROPPED ITS MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER BROADCAST ROSTER, AND IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN YOU MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT 🍎

Major League Soccer is on the come in the American sporting consciousness. That's Apple's view, anyway, given that it thinks you will spend $99 for its streaming product in the coming season. 

These games won't call themselves, though, and Apple has been hard at work trying to determine its host and broadcasters.

Today was the day of the big reveal.

You want some names? Apple's got some names.

• Liam McHugh, late of NBC's Premier League coverage, is a studio host

• Diego Valeri, who finished his MLS career with 100 goals in all competitions for the Portland Timbers, on studio analysis

• Max Bretos, a former ESPN asset, on play-by-play

• Last but not least, "WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE" with Taylor Twellman, who undoubtedly got a raise to leave ESPN for Apple

If you aren't an MLS fan, these names might not mean much to you. Trust us, though: Apple hit some long home runs by launching its MLS product with niche personnel that the same people who actively want to spend $99 on a season of MLS will want to see and hear from in the coming season.

JOB LEAD OF THE DAY 💰

Synergy! Let the good times roll!

Major League Soccer is looking for a "Manager, Human Resource Applications" in New York. The position expects that you will "lead the strategy, selection and implementations of HR products and services, responsible for implementation, configuration and support of HR applications and systems at Major League Soccer."

Do you like money? Do you think Apple is good at making money? We can't make you go get this job.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON? 😎

• Damar Hamlin's inspirational story is predictably drawing the interest of advertisers and sponsors

• Dana White is in the crosshairs of some women you definitely don't want to be in the crosshairs of 🎯

• Erstwhile ESPN talent (using that term generously) Jemele Hill had harsh words for current ESPN talent Stephen A. Smith on White's current scandal 📺

• Illinois won't be ignored, posting over a billion dollars in sports betting handle in its first full year on the scene 💵

• Only time will tell if the New York Mets dodged a nine-figure bullet when Carlos Correa agreed to terms with the Minnesota Twins ⚾️

• As it happens, 65-7 college football games do not retain viewers 🏈

WHAT TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR BEFORE THE NEXT SEND 👁️

• Apparently Hawaii is considering legalizing sports betting, which perplexes us, since if we lived in Hawaii, we wouldn't be doing any of this 🌴

• Toronto sports betting enthusiasts are watching with interest as a legal challenge to their preferred hobby is underway in Ontario 🇨🇦

• Anyone who doubts the ridiculous branding reach of the NFL is disappointed again as the league posts another new record at $2.7B (with a b) 🏈

This email was compiled today by the Raising Stake staff. Jason and Kyle contributed. Images from Getty.