Gambling in the USA

Legal Sportsbooks Set To Spend Another Night At The Movies With Odds On 92nd Academy Awards

Published

6 years ago

January 22, 2020

Sportsbooks in New Jersey are the first offering movie buffs the opportunity to join their favorite actors, actresses, and directors as big winners from the 92nd Academy Awards. A year after New Jersey’s retail and online sportsbooks broke new ground in the United States by offering legal betting on the Academy Awards for the first time, the Garden State is once again offering odds on the Oscars, which is set for Sunday, Feb. 9.

To prepare for the movie industry’s star-studded night, PlayUSA has created a complete rundown of the Oscars at www.playusa.com/sports-betting/oscars, including odds on every major category, a pick sheet, what sites are accepting bets, and analysis on the races.

“Oscars betting was a hit in its first year in New Jersey, and we suspect that interest will only grow,” said Jessica Welman, betting analyst for PlayUSA.com and a movie historian who earned a degree in Cinema-TV Critical Studies from the University of Southern California, and a master’s in Film and Media Studies from Indiana University Bloomington. “We saw last year that bettors were less motivated by the favorites and more interested in backing their favorite films and movie stars. This year’s field of nominees has star power in front of and behind the camera, so that should help drive interest.”

New Jersey sportsbooks accepted an estimated $1 million in bets in the first year that it was offered, according to PlayUSA. And the Garden State is the only legal jurisdiction so far offering odds in 2020.

DraftKings became the first sportsbook to post the Oscars, followed by FOX Bet, and more are expected soon. DraftKings is offering odds on all 24 categories at the Academy Awards. In 2019, most books limited action to the six major Oscars categories, including best picture, director, actor, actress, supporting actor, and supporting actress.

“The top categories will undoubtedly draw the most interest,” Welman said. “This year, in particular, is shaping up to be a controversial one. Again, critics can point to a lack of diversity in nominations and some films, such as Joker, have received polarized audience reactions. But instead of fighting with friends about a movie’s merits, New Jersey movie buffs can quietly put their money where their mouth is.”

The four major acting categories all feature prohibitive favorites. Joaquin Phoenix (-1,667), for Joker, and Renee Zellweger (-1,000), for Judy, are the clear frontrunners for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively. Brad Pitt (-1,000), for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Laura Dern (-1,000), for Marriage Story, are the favorites for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. Sam Mendes (-134), for 1917, and Bong Joon Hoo (+225), for Parasite, are leading a tight race for Best Director.

The closest major race appears to be for Best Picture, led by Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (+160) and 1917 (+200).

“Best Picture seems like a two-horse race between the two Golden Globe picture winners, 1917 and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Welman said. “While no one is arguing that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s best film, the Academy is typically concerned with ensuring deserving nominees get rewarded. This could be the Academy’s last chance to give Tarantino the top prize, and that often carries a lot of weight.”

For more information and analysis on regulated online gaming in New Jersey, visit PlayUSA.com/news. For more Oscars information, visit www.playusa.com/sports-betting/oscars.

Gambling in the USA

SkillOnNet rolls out Ready Play Gaming slots in Ontario, Canada and Mexico

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

skillonnet-rolls-out-ready-play-gaming-slots-in-ontario,-canada-and-mexico

SkillOnNet has launched Ready Play Gaming’s slot portfolio across Ontario, Canada and Mexico, with additional international markets planned to follow later this year.

The content is now available across SkillOnNet’s iGaming brands including PlayOJO, PlayUZU, Slingo, Mega Casino and LuckyNiki.

Titles going live include Ready Play Gaming’s Reel Jackpots series, including Reel Bingo and Reel Triple, which the studio describes as “soft slot” experiences aimed at the bingo generation.

Jani Kontturi at SkillOnNet said: “We are proud to welcome Ready Play Gaming as we continue to strengthen our global content offering with innovative and high-performing studio partners. In a crowded market, they’ve focused on building games with personality and strong entertainment value, and we believe that’s exactly the kind of content today’s players respond to.

Christoph Härtel, COO at Ready Play Gaming said: “Partnering with SkillOnNet is a major milestone for Ready Play Gaming as we continue to expand our international footprint. SkillOnNet’s strong presence in regulated markets and extensive operator network make them an ideal partner to help bring our games to even more players globally.”

The post SkillOnNet rolls out Ready Play Gaming slots in Ontario, Canada and Mexico appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Aviator

Aviator crash game launches in US via Ruby Seven’s Lucky North Casino

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

aviator-crash-game-launches-in-us-via-ruby-seven’s-lucky-north-casino

Aviator has launched in the United States for the first time through Lucky North Casino, a free-to-play social casino from Ruby Seven Studios serving Delaware North casino customers across the country.

The crash game is now live on Lucky North Casino, the official app of the Lucky North Rewards program. According to the announcement, Aviator is available on Android and Apple devices, as well as on the web via LuckyNorthCasino.com.

The company said the launch is the first step in a broader US expansion plan. Aviator is currently available across all eligible US states excluding Washington, and is expected to roll out to “more than a dozen” additional retail-branded social casinos in the coming months via the Ruby Seven Studios network.

Ruby Seven Studios’ network supports nearly 50 retail casino properties across 25 US states, which the company said will extend Aviator’s reach. The release added that a demo version of Aviator had previously been accessible to US audiences through the company’s website.

The launch follows Aviator’s expansion across several markets throughout 2026, with the company pointing to increasing demand for crash-style gaming experiences globally as it broadens distribution in North America.

The post Aviator crash game launches in US via Ruby Seven’s Lucky North Casino appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

1X2 Network

1X2 Network launches iCasino content in West Virginia with Rush Street, Caesars and Fanatics

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

1x2-network-launches-icasino-content-in-west-virginia-with-rush-street,-caesars-and-fanatics

1X2 Network has launched in West Virginia, marking its second regulated US market. The supplier said a first set of games went live on 3 June 2026 with Rush Street, Caesars Entertainment and Fanatics Casino.

The company entered North America in Michigan two years ago and said it is expanding US distribution off the back of performance there. 1X2 Network did not disclose commercial terms or rollout timelines by operator.

Among the initial titles going live in West Virginia are 3 Hot Chilli Peppers and 3 Porky Banks Hold and Win. The company said both games have been “ranked as top performers in North America” and are aimed at West Virginia’s “core 30-39 year old iGaming demographic.”

Kevin Reid, CEO at 1X2 Network, said: “Buoyed by the performance of our top tier titles in Michigan, we felt the time was right to step up our US expansion plans, and in Rush Street, Caesars Entertainment and Fanatics Casino, we couldn’t think of three better operators to debut our launch into West Virginia.

“Having already worked with these brands in the Great Lakes State, we’re confident that games like 3 Hot Chilli Peppers and 3 Porky Banks Hold and Win will deliver the same great results for them in West Virginia. We also have deals in the pipeline to go live with a number of other big-name operators which will further cement our presence in North America.”

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