Buffalo Snow: BetUS taking bets on snowfall totals

Online gambling company BetUS.com (pronounced Bet U.S.) announced on Friday that it had begun accepting bets on the total accumulated snowfall in Buffalo, New York between Friday and 11:59pm EST on Sunday night.  Buffalo and western New York are under a Lake Effect Snow Warning until 1pm EST on Sunday and various predictions have called for Buffalo to see anywhere from 2 to 6 FEET of snow this weeknd.

 

Barry Barger, senior betting analyst for BetUS Sportsbook, said that the company was “trying to provide a fun entertainment option for people stuck at home because of the storm and make the best of an unfortunate situation.”  

 

So what are the odds?

 

BetUS has set the “over / under” for the number of inches of snow at 48 ½ inches, or a little over 4 feet.  The ‘under’ option is currently priced at +120, meaning a $100 bet that there will be less than 48 ½ inches would payout $220 (a net profit of $120 plus the return of the bettor’s $100 stake). Meanwhile, the “over” 48 ½ inches is currently a heavy favorite (meaning oddsmakers see it as more likely), is priced at -160 – meaning a bettor would have to risk $160 just to win $100.  “That’s because the ‘over’ is seen as the more likely outcome right now, both by oddsmakers and bettors.”

 

“Amazingly, we began receiving action [bets] almost immediately after posting these odds,” Barger says.

 

BetUS also has odds on the highest rate of snowfall per hour: over or under 2 ½ inches per hour, with the ‘over’ 2 ½ inches per hour being a heavy favorite at -175. 

 

“As with sports betting, the odds could change depending on how the betting public places their bets, or as conditions change,” says Barger, noting that oddsmakers may adjust odds accordingly. “However, when you place a bet, your individual wager ticket is locked in at the odds as they were when you placed the bet.”

 

Earlier this week, BetUS made headlines when Forbes reported that the company had begun accepting bets on which airlines would cancel the most flights during the busy Thanksgiving travel week.

About BetUS

BetUS (pronounced “Bet U.S.”) is the original online sportsbook, celebrating its 30th season serving sports fans this year. A global pioneer established in 1994 and licensed internationally, BetUS provides a safe and secure place for sports wagering to more than one million customers around the world.

For journalists in the U.S.: We understand the importance of integrity in journalism and wish to affirm that utilizing our insights, data or quotes in your reporting aligns with and is protected by your First Amendment rights, even in states where sports betting has not explicitly been made legal. The information we provide is intended to enhance your audience's enjoyment of their favorite sports. It is up to each individual to discern if or how local laws apply to them, particularly in terms of their use of international sportsbooks. BetUS.com has thousands of customers from countries around the globe, operates under a recognized jurisdiction's license and adheres to responsible gaming practices as it celebrates its 30th season in business.


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