Why the NFL Draft is a nightmare for oddsmakers: 'The market hasn’t grown up’

The NFL Draft starts Thursday, and in case you didn’t know this yet: Yes, you can actually bet on a myriad of options around the big event.When it comes to wagering on the draft, there is one thing that novice bettors and casual fans struggle to grasp sometimes, so I’ll just say it plainly: The house does not always win. This is heightened in outlier events like the NFL Draft. Oddsmakers are not scouring Rotowire at midnight, cross-referencing Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board with Dane Brugler’s The Beast, or downloading every beat reporter’s appearance on local radio. It just doesn’t work that way.Five years ago this week, I won $297,800 over the course of a few hours.Advertisement