NFL Draft Gains Popularity at the Sportsbook. Sportsbook fans follow the NFL Draft every year and it continues to gain popularity. This year the NFL Draft will be held in prime time on both ESPN and the NFL Network. The NFL is the most popular sport at the offshore sportsbook and even the Draft gets attention.
Sportsbook handicappers also like to follow the draft as teams can improve their chances of having success based upon what they do in the Draft. The 2010 Draft will take place over three days at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The first round begins on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm Eastern time. The second and third rounds will take place on Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24th.
The St. Louis Rams have the first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Speculation is that they will select Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with that top pick. The odds at the offshore sportsbook list Bradford as the probable number one pick. This week the Cleveland Browns were said to be interested in trading for that pick to take Bradford but, regardless, he would still be the first overall pick in the draft.
This year the NFL Draft will get wall to wall coverage by ESPN and the NFL Network. “It’s up to the NFL, NFLN and ESPN to make it more of an awards show, a huge entertainment atmosphere.” said NFL Network producer Eric Weinberger. ESPN is planning to have cameras at the homes of at least 25 players who are expected to be drafted. The NFL Network is expected to have cameras in at least six NFL teams “war rooms.” ESPN and the NFL Network have even worked together in preparation for the draft. “We’ve worked closely for months,” said Weinberger. “But when the draft starts, I don’t think either pays much attention to the other.”
One of the most popular ESPN announcers among sportsbook fans is Chris Berman and he is set to sign a new multi-year contract with the network. “This is my home. I’d love to finish here, and I’m going to. I’ll be here as long as they’ll have me.” Berman said. Berman joined ESPN in its first year, 1979. His current contract would have expired next month. Berman has been a fixture at the NFL Draft for many seasons. He is one of the voices that identifies ESPN with the NFL.