Even though there are chances that the NFL regular season will begin as expected, the sports fraternity is moving cautiously because of the coronavirus pandemic. The absence of sporting events has also affected sportsbook operators. Now, they are moving their focus on other activities- like the NFL Draft.

Betting action may intensity on the Draft

The NFL Draft is no small event in the football world which means that operators can try to leverage betting opportunities. The event is going to start in just one week and sportsbooks are preparing themselves for impact. While the exact figures are still unknown, it is likely that the bets will be placed until the event goes to its final moments.

Jared Smith, the sports investment analyst of Sportsgrid said that there is a sharp uptick in NFL Draft betting in recent times. He added,

“This is only the second year that it’s been legal here on the East Coast in the New Jersey books, but I’ve seen a massive uptick in the amount of bets in terms of the amount of prop bets that are offered and also just the movement in the NFL Draft marketplace. It’s been very volatile.”

Smith also noted that there is a lot more action to be expected in this area and people are thrilled about the event. He predicts that it could not only become the most-watched but also the most bet upon the event of the year, to date. This could be fueled further by the fact that there are virtually no other sports to bet on.

A unique Draft

The draft will be held between April 23 and 25 and will be the first-ever draft in the history of NFL that will be held via remote connections. There will be no larger gathers, no teams, no fanfare, and no celebrations. The league is following the government’s advisory to maintain social distancing and avoiding large gatherings. This is the reason why the three-day event, which was originally scheduled for a grand gathering in Las Vegas, will now be held online.

This is will also be the largest conference call in the history of the NFL. The league is still busy working around the details of this call as many personnel will need to be trained appropriately to pull off the event. The league has also partnered with Microsoft to ensure that its systems remain secure.