Halloween lands on a Friday this year, which is good and bad for sports bettors.
You could miss the start of the college football double dip Friday night while constantly answering the call of Trick-or-Treaters, and you’ll have to follow Friday night’s NBA and NHL scores on your phone if you’re being dragged off to a Halloween party.
However, having the spooky holiday pre-weekend means you can raid your kids’ Halloween stash Saturday while watching NCAAF games and hit up the store for some discount candy on November 2 to stock up for a sugar-filled NFL Sunday.
If you’re trying to balance your wagers with your love of Halloween, here are some costume suggestions for the sports bettor this October 31.
Chalk, Juice, Underdog, Bad Beat
These popular betting terms can pass as viable Halloween costumes. Chalk – another term for favorites – is simple enough. Either get some oversized foam sheets, wrap yourself up and cut some holes or just cover yourself in chalk dust like you’re sitting courtside for LeBron’s pregame routine.
TCU Horned Frog
Not only does Texas Christian have one of the greatest mascots in college sports, and an awesome alternative nickname (The Horny Toads. Hehehehe…), but they’re the best bet in the land right now at a perfect 7-0 ATS, making any sports bettor proud to don the purple and silver “Super Frog” outfit this Halloween.
Better yet, do a couples costume. Get your girlfriend to dress up as one of the TCU cheerleaders. Now that's a horny toad!
State of New Jersey
We’re thinking some foam rubber cut into the shape of New Jersey, like Lisa’s Florida costume in the famed episode of The Simpsons, “$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)”. Yeah, that’s the “Gamblor” one.
Then throw in some red tape, perhaps even pin a temporary restraining order to yourself. And just to make the costume lifelike, track down some bull shit and smear a little of that on there too. Ahhh, perfect.
Geno Smith/Jets bettor
This is an easy costume to put together. Go to your respective “rough part of town”. Venture down some dingy alleyway until you stumble upon the smelliest, urine-soaked, most-incoherent homeless man you can find. Swap clothes with him.
Bingo! You’re either Geno Smith – because he’s a frickin’ bum (to quote pissed off Jets fans) – or you resemble those poor souls who’ve been betting on the Jets this season. A 1-6-1 ATS start to the year is enough to put you out on the street.
Adam Silver
The new NBA commish is a hybrid of a few different Halloween costumes. One part “American Gothic Farmer”. One part “Gollum” from Lord of the Rings. Sprinkle in a little “Slender Man” and POOF! Oh, and a nice touch would be a severed tongue and some fake blood from when Silver stated, “there will be legalized sports betting in more states than Nevada. We will ultimately participate in that,” then bit his tongue when the pro leagues filed suit against New Jersey’s push for sports betting.
Meaningless Three
You want a costume that will strike fear in the hearts of your fellow sports bettors, this is the one. The meaningless 3-pointer is the Michael Myers of basketball betting, killing more paydays than income tax.
With the game out of reach in the final seconds, a player opts to launch one from beyond the arc as time expires instead of just dribbling out the clock. Splash! Honk! There goes your wager.
Perhaps the only other costume more terrifying than the Meaningless Three is the sports bettors being burned by it. Yikes!
What sports betting-inspired costume are you going for this Halloween? Share in the comment section below.
