NBC Sports’ new sports gambling radio show The Daily Line launches today on the NBC Sports Radio mobile app. The show will broadcast out of NBC Washington’s studio in Bethesda, MD.
Michael Jenkins, who currently hosts D.C. Sports Live on NBC Sports Washington, will co-host the new gambling show alongside Tim Murray, a host for SB Nation Radio and the studio host for Navy football. Jenkins and Murray will discuss the biggest daily topics in sports, but with a gambling focus that includes point spreads and line movements as talking points. Oddsmakers and professional sports bettors will be brought on as guests, according to The Washington Post.
“If we hear [Oregon quarterback] Justin Herbert is coming back to play his senior year, what does that do to [Ohio State quarterback] Dwayne Haskins’s chance to be the No. 1 pick or other quarterbacks’ chances to get drafted in the first round?” said Murray, according to The Post. “Wherever we can find a line or odds, that’s a segment.”
NBC Sports will produce The Daily Line in conjunction with Westwood One. The show will air from 3 to 7 p.m. ET every weekday and will broadcast on a group of radio affiliates across the U.S., in addition to the NBC Sports Radio app. The Daily Line is also expected to simulcast on some of NBC’s regional sports networks at some point during 2019, according to The Post.
“I don’t think anyone expects me to give a deep dive into my algorithm or spread sheets,” Jenkins said. “I’ve been to Vegas like 15 times. I love to gamble, but I’m not a degenerate gambler. We want to have conversations with the average sports fans.”
SportTechie Takeaway
Judging by comments from the show’s hosts, The Daily Line will aim to appeal to the casual sports bettor with more of an emphasis on friendly conversation surrounding daily sports topics as opposed to heavily integrated gambling-related analytics. CBS Sports also debuted a sports gambling show this past August, but that show streams as a television format whereas NBC’s new show is designed for radio.
Since the federal ban on sports betting was removed in May 2018, a total of eight states have passed legislation to legalize sports betting. More and more states are expected to implement legalized sports betting in 2019, which likely means plenty of TV networks and digital media outlets will follow NBC and CBS in creating content focused on sports gambling.