In an exclusive interview, former Premier League and U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Brad Friedel shared his views on the evolution of Major League Soccer, the direction of Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. project, and the current state of Liverpool and Aston Villa, two of his former clubs.

Friedel discussed the commercial and sporting risks of big-name signings like Neymar, the impact of Lionel Messi in MLS, and the league’s challenges with TV revenue. He also provided valuable insight into the U.S. national team’s development under Pochettino, the ongoing battle for the No.1 goalkeeper spot, and what would define a successful 2026 World Cup.

Finally, Friedel reflected on Liverpool’s struggles without Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili’s potential, Emiliano Martínez’s mindset, and why Aston Villa holds a special place in his heart.

Neymar to Inter Miami: A Commercial Dream, a Sporting Risk

Friedel views Neymar’s potential move to Inter Miami as a significant commercial boost, but a risky sporting decision due to his age and injury history. However, with a carefully structured contract, the risks could be mitigated, and his presence could further elevate MLS, following Messi’s example. Still, MLS needs improved TV deals to truly capitalize on these high-profile signings.

Would Neymar be a smart signing for Inter Miami or a risky one, given his recent injury record?

“I think it would be a risk on anyone’s behalf. I think it just depends on how you would structure the contract. You also have to weigh the pros and cons, when you sign legends of the game like Neymar, you also have to take into account the commercial opportunities that go with it, and it coincides nearly every time with the salary and wage packet that you are going to give.

You are going to make a substantial amount of money off the field when you bring someone like that in. I think there is probably more of a sporting risk than a commercial risk, or equally so if he does get injured. But if he doesn’t get injured, the risk becomes his age and the injuries he has had, and whether he can be that player [they need].

The plus side is, it is a league that is a step down from where he is playing. Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time, but he can play many more years in MLS. It is a league that will allow players to do that, so I think Inter Miami need to weigh the pros and cons of what they can earn off the field and try to get it correct.

If they can structure the contract correctly, then it limits the risk. Having Neymar alongside Messi again, I am not sure. We will wait and see, but the league needs to do something commercially.

The TV contract needs to be bigger within the MLS to make sure the league can be profitable, because the way it is set up, it is not. Bringing in the likes of Thomas Müller at Vancouver, look at what it has done for them. Again, I don’t know if it has impacted them commercially in a positive way, but the MLS has to do something, and Neymar would be another step in the right direction.”

Will Luis Suárez agree to play for another year if ‘MSN’ can be reformed?

“I am not in or around his group to know, but I have played against him many times, and when you watch him run, I don’t know if it is his ankles or his knees, but it is getting to the end for him, so I don’t know if he can do another year even if he wants to. I would not be surprised when he does say that he will be retiring.”

Messi’s Legacy and MLS’s Next Steps

Friedel connects Neymar’s potential move to the broader challenge MLS faces in leveraging star power for long-term success. While Messi has brought increased visibility to the league and soccer in the United States, he emphasizes that MLS must improve its TV contracts to stay competitive with other U.S. sports. Like Messi, Neymar could raise the league’s profile, but MLS needs stronger revenue streams to make it sustainable.

You talked about Messi and his influence, now that more than two years have passed, what should be the next steps to maximize his presence in MLS?

“The big thing is the TV contract. It has been well noted that there are some struggles with the subscription base and the viewership within the Apple TV contract. There are so many competitors when it comes to watching football in the US. People around the world only think of the other major sports, but you also have sports like NASCAR, which has huge viewing figures.

It’s not as cut and dried as just signing the name, but when Messi was signed, I was in the Miami area a lot, and before he signed, you would not have known there was a club there. Now you do, you see his name and the shirts all over the place. That’s only a small pocket of the United States. I know Messi is global, but I am talking about the other communities, cities and teams. What makes the Premier League better and better is the television revenue.

The MLS simply doesn’t have the TV revenue to cover the costs. I don’t have the answer, but what Messi needs to do is the same as what he always does, and that is to play the games he is picked for. You can tell he has a good relationship with his teammates; he tries to make the players around him better. If Inter Miami were to lose him, then I think that would be devastating for the league and for Inter Miami. If he stays, then he just needs to keep doing the same.”

Do you think Inter Miami’s project with Messi needs to win the MLS Cup to be considered successful?

“That’s a little bit different from the American mentality. In the other sports, there are many seasons that are write-off seasons, the American fans are used to that. There are legends of the game who don’t win trophies. I think everyone in the United States thinks Lionel Messi is the greatest, or joint greatest, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. I don’t think that matters as much, everyone thinks he is the greatest.

For Lionel, watching him on the field and seeing what occurs when Inter Miami lose, those guys aren’t happy, which is quite nice for me to see. Sometimes, and this isn’t Messi, but some of the players haven’t conducted themselves in the correct manner, though it shows they still want to win, which is great.

You don’t want players coming to the league who don’t care if they win or lose. I’m sure he wants to win and play every minute, but changing people’s minds over whether he is the greatest, I don’t think it matters if he wins or loses.”

Looking ahead to the start of next season, how much does the idea of being on the verge of a final World Cup affect a player’s performance at club level?

“It has been one of the downsides of it, but they are doing things that the league is allowing them to do, and you have to live with it. The fact of the matter is, America is still building; the better players move abroad, so they are not in MLS.

I would imagine that Lionel Messi potentially has a say in what players he wants in the team. Unfortunately, that would probably lead to there not being a lot of American players who are going to be the supporting cast.”

USA: Pochettino’s Project and the Path to 2026

Turning to the U.S. Men’s National Team, Friedel expresses confidence in Mauricio Pochettino’s leadership despite mixed results in friendlies. He parallels the growth of MLS with the growth of the U.S. team, noting that both need time to develop. Just as Messi’s presence has made a visible impact, Friedel believes Pochettino’s influence will shape a competitive squad by 2026, with success defined by advancing past the group stage and improving with each match.

How are you seeing Mauricio Pochettino’s project? Do you share some fans’ frustration with the poor results in friendly matches?

“I don’t share the same frustration because I know how Mauricio works and I know how talented he and his staff are. When results aren’t positive, there will be lots of people who get frustrated and voice their opinions.

I think a few of the pundits over in the US are speaking quite personally about some of the players, which I thought was a bit over the top, especially when there are no qualification games and a new manager who also has to come to terms with the true mentality of the American players.

It is normal for that to take a bit of time when a foreign manager goes into another national team, but in today’s world, especially with social media, people get their opinions out quickly, and that’s just another added element of what coaches and players have to deal with.

My stance has always been the same as the day he was hired: Mauricio is one of the best coaches out there, and he has one of the best sets of staff out there, and he will get a squad together by the time the World Cup is here that is very competitive.

Does that mean getting out of the group stages or making the quarter-finals? Who knows. You have to see what the draw is and whether there are injuries or suspensions. I believe in Mauricio and believe in his staff. If you have seen the last three games, you can start to see that the squad is coming together.

The one thing that is for sure with Mauricio is that, when the World Cup kicks off, there will be 11 players on the pitch who are fighting like hell for each other. That will happen. Mauricio just has to find the right players who will fit into his system on and off the field because, believe me, he has a different set of codes that some of the players may not be accustomed to off the field, and they have to get used to that.

I still back him wholeheartedly, no matter what has happened during the friendly matches.”

How do you see the competition among the goalkeepers?

“I would say it looks like Matt Freese is number one. I brought Matt into the national team for the youth team and gave him his debut, and I signed Chris Brady as an agent back in the day. He is in there as well.

I think long term, Chris Brady is doing incredibly well. Could he take his form after the short MLS break and become the starter? We will have to wait and see. I think Zack Steffen and Matt Turner are both excellent goalkeepers, but because they signed for Man City and Arsenal, they didn’t get a lot of playing time for multiple years. As a goalkeeper, what is important is that you play games.

Matt’s made his move back, and so has Zack, and will that be enough to get themselves back into the frame? I always thought the last camp in October was the start of Mauricio not experimenting anymore, and Freese played the games.

The next upcoming international break will be another telling sign of that. I would probably say the order is Freese at one; number two and three will depend on who is in form come the World Cup.”

Do you expect Mauricio Pochettino to stay on as coach after the World Cup?

“I never asked Mauricio about his contract or status, ever. If the US has a decent run… I don’t know what his relationships are like with the board. I can see him staying, but I can also see big clubs wanting him. You never know with that.”

Finally, from your point of view, what would a successful World Cup look like for the United States?

“You have to look at the draw. The US is not in a luxury position like England, Brazil or Argentina, where no matter who they get drawn with, they are getting out of the group. They have to take it step by step and see what the draw is and whether they can get out of the group.

Once you are out of the group, then it is down to lady luck, I’m afraid, with the draw. In the last World Cup, they had a solid side, but then you saw them against the Netherlands, and they were very much second best on the day.

It depends on what draw you get, the teams you play, and whichever goalkeeper plays, they will have to be very good in the World Cup because, as the teams hopefully advance, they are going to get better and better. They will create chances no matter what. I would say success is to get out of the group and then take it game by game.”

Liverpool & Aston Villa: Life Between the Posts

Friedel concludes by discussing his former clubs, Liverpool and Aston Villa, both of which face challenges in their own right. Liverpool’s struggles without Alisson show the importance of a strong backbone, much like how star players like Messi (and possibly Neymar) anchor their teams in MLS. Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s growing confidence mirrors the rise of other clubs like Inter Miami, with Friedel’s positive reflections on the club’s culture and fan support linking back to the importance of strong foundations, both on and off the pitch.

How much have Liverpool missed Alisson? Has his absence been overlooked amid all the talk about their poor form?

“Enormously. Alisson is one of the greats at the club, but I also think they will be missing him off the field when things aren’t going well, to help situations and to make sure players stay in line. He is so good in one v ones; you can play high lines and know he is there. Giorgi Mamardashvili is a very good goalkeeper, but he is very new when it comes to playing in the Premier League. He needs to learn the Premier League, which is normal.

He has a big frame and looks very good, but at this moment in time he is not Alisson. That is fine; it doesn’t mean he is not a good goalkeeper. It is a little bit unfortunate that at the time Alisson is out, Kelleher has gone, and he would’ve been used to playing at Anfield and used to playing with the Liverpool squad. They miss him immensely. They could be missing him more than any other player.”

What have you made of Giorgi Mamardashvili? Some question marks have been raised about him. Has he shown he can be the long-term successor to Alisson?

“It is too early to tell for me. I think it is really difficult for goalkeepers to come in right away and be incredible. Some do, of course, but the Premier League is different. I remember when Hugo Lloris first came to Tottenham, he was at Lyon, a Champions League club, and he was an important layer for France, winning games.

But when he came to the Premier League, he found that he had so much to do all the time, whereas when he was playing at Lyon, he didn’t have as much to do. You have to get used to that as a goalkeeper; you have to get mentally prepared that if you are playing bottom of the league, you might have to do more. You just never know, because it is the Premier League.

I think before people can really jump on to how he is, they need to let him have a run of games, to be settled in the country and at the club for a little while. Then we can have our opinions on whether he can be the successor.

But I don’t think he is one you can jump on the back of right now. Everyone knows Alisson is number one, let him learn his trade. He has many years ahead of him, so let’s see how he develops.”

On to your other former club, Aston Villa. Emiliano Martínez appeared to suffer a dip in form after all the Man Utd speculation in the summer. Do you think that affected him?

“I think it impacted him. I have met Emi Martínez, and he is a super guy, a top-class professional. I was a little bit surprised when I saw him at the end of the season; it did seem like a farewell, so when you are like that, naturally I thought he had a move [to another club].

Mentally, looking from the outside in, I think he was prepared for that move and not mentally prepared to stay. That’s what it looked like to me from the outside. Now, in meeting him and knowing him a little bit now that he has stayed, I think he loves Aston Villa and will work incredibly hard.

I just think he thought that he was done, and that is what it looked like to me. Is he still one of the world’s best? Yes. Can we get his form back? Absolutely, without a doubt. I think we are judging him. If he has a little dip in form, and his form has been so high for so long, then a little dip isn’t so bad.”

Many regard him as the best goalie in the world. Do you feel he’s the best still?

“I still think he is a top-five goalkeeper in the world, top five or top seven. When you are him, there are only a handful of clubs that you would consider moving to from a club like Aston Villa. I didn’t know whether it was Barcelona, Man United or whoever, but if it was Man United, then you could argue that Aston Villa is in a better place than Man United.

If it is Barcelona and you come from South America, I can understand that move. For Aston Villa, I am delighted he has stayed because it is hard to get a keeper so good.”

Who will come out on top in the battle of your former clubs at Anfield on Saturday?

“Normally, I would say Liverpool, but I can’t put my finger on what has happened to them. They have leaked quite a few goals, but with Mo Salah’s reaction in the Champions League, they may have one or two other issues to sort out off the field.

I would have to predict a draw, and this is probably the most likely result. Liverpool will come out of their slump; they have too much firepower going on. They still have outstanding players defensively. I really don’t see Liverpool losing this game, but Aston Villa will be full of confidence too.”

How do you reflect on your time at Villa?

“They are an incredible club. I played many years against Aston Villa and had some friends along the way who had played at the club, but you obviously don’t really know the club until you are there.

I thought the whole training ground set-up was superb, the stadium, the fans, and I really liked the fans because they pressure the players enough but don’t go overboard. As a player, you knew they would back you even if they had a go at you, so I really liked that. They are very similar to Liverpool fans in that manner.

They would applaud good football, even from the opposition, if it warranted it. You could tell it was a very educated footballing crowd. Martin O’Neill is a very intelligent man, and we had a very good thing going at the club.

You never know as a player what is going on behind the scenes, but the manager and Randy Lerner had a falling-out, which is a shame, as it stopped a bit of the progression. But I really enjoyed my time at Aston Villa.”

Following Rory McIlroy’s historic win at Augusta last month, the PGA Tour returns on Thursday, May 15 for its second major of the season.

The 2025 PGA Championship will take place at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina featuring a loaded field of previous winners, current champions and hungry contenders looking for their first win.

With so many intriguing storylines spread throughout the field, players at Hard Rock Bet are getting strategic. Whether it’s backing the red-hot Scottie Scheffler or chasing greatness with Jordan Spieth, the amount of bets pouring in on each golfer have been interesting to say the least. Let’s dive into the data.

The Favorites

We’ll begin with the ‘Big 3’ in terms of odds: Rory McIlroy (+325), Scottie Scheffler (+425), and Bryson DeChambeau (+700). 

After an impressive showing at the Masters in which they each finished in the Top 5, these three household names have received a combined 33% of all Winner bets for the 2025 PGA Championship.

Scottie Stays Hot

Following a relatively slow start to the season by his standards, Scheffler recently silenced the doubters with an impressive eight-stroke runaway victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson for his first tour win of 2025. Scottie will now look to carry that momentum to Quail Hollow for his first major championship outside of Augusta.

Bettors at Hard Rock Bet apparently loved what they saw at TPC Craig Ranch two weeks ago, as Scheffler (+425) has received 14% of all Winner bets thus far, which is the most of any golfer by a wide margin.

Rory Chasing History

Rory McIlroy took the golf world by storm last month by becoming just the sixth golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam. Showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, McIlroy will now look to become the first to ever achieve it in a single season in the modern era.

The quest for history will continue at Quail Hollow this weekend, which has been nothing short of a safe haven for Rory. In addition to one runner-up finish, McIlroy has racked up an impressive four PGA Tour wins in Charlotte, his most at any course.

As a two-time PGA Championship winner (2012 & 2014) with a strong history at this year’s location, it should come as no surprise that Hard Rock Bet players are loving Rory (+325) to triumph this weekend. In total, 8.9% of all Winner bets are on McIlroy to win, the fourth-most among all golfers.

Bryson’s Revenge

After an epic battle that took place between McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau at the Masters, bettors are once again flocking back to the LIV superstar at Quail Hollow.

Approximately 10% of all Winner bets at Hard Rock Bet are on DeChambeau (+700) to capture his third career major championship, good for the second-most behind Scheffler.

In addition to seeking out his first major victory outside of the U.S. Open, Bryson will look to avenge last year’s PGA Championship where he finished as the runner-up behind Xander Schauffele.

Previous PGA Winners Make for Popular Picks 

Despite leading the way on the odds and amount of bets received, none of the aforementioned ‘Big 3’ have won the PGA Championship since McIlroy last did so 11 years ago. 

That being said, there are several recent winners featured in this year’s field, including one two-time winner who is drawing even more interest at Hard Rock Bet than Rory himself.

JT Three-Peat?

That’s right, that two-time PGA Championship winner is none other than Justin Thomas, who actually won this specific event at Quail Hollow back in 2017 for his first career major.

JT is playing some of his best golf as of late, getting back into the win column with a thrilling playoff victory over Andrew Novak at the RBC Heritage last month.

All that considered, Thomas (+1600) has received an eye-popping 9% of all Winner bets placed at Hard Rock Bet, slightly edging out McIlroy as the third-most bet golfer to win the 2025 PGA Championship.

Xander, Morikawa Also Drawing Interest

When looking at recent winners, how could we gloss over the defending champion?! It’s been a relatively quiet season for Xander Schauffele, but players at Hard Rock Bet seem to like their chances backing the event’s most recent winner. Schauffele (+1750) has racked up the seventh-most bets (3.4%) to win the PGA Championship.

Right behind Xander in both odds and percentage of bets is yet another recent winner in Collin Morikawa (+2000). The two-time major champion is currently receiving 2.7% of all Winner bets at Hard Rock Bet, good for eighth-most.

Brooks on Tiger’s Tail

While both Thomas and McIlroy will aim to join an elusive list of golfers to win the PGA Championship at least three or more times, they’ll do so in a field that features one of them: Brooks Koepka (+4000).

Despite losing a bit of a step since leaving the PGA Tour for LIV a few years back, Koepka managed to bring home a historic third PGA Championship victory in 2023 at Oak Hill. In addition to victories at Bellerive in 2018 and Bethpage Black in 2019, Brooks has won the event a remarkable three times over the last seven seasons. A win at Quail Hollow this weekend would tie Koepka with Tiger Woods (4) for the second-most PGA Championships in golf history. Only Walter Hagen (5) and Jack Nicklaus (5) have won more.

Currently listed at 40-1 at Hard Rock Bet, Brooks has amassed about 2% of all Winner bets thus far – good for tenth-most among all participants.

Spieth Slam Would Send Shockwaves

Perhaps the most earth-shattering outcome that could take place this weekend would be Jordan Spieth winning at Quail Hollow. Just one month after Rory McIlroy joined Tiger Woods as the second golfer to achieve the career Grand Slam since 1966, Spieth will have the opportunity to follow suit at the 2025 PGA Championship.

Although Spieth hasn’t won a major since 2017 and only has two PGA Tour victories in general during that span, bettors are anticipating history taking place later this week. At the moment, Spieth (+5000) has drawn 4.7% of all Winner bets at Hard Rock Bet. This number is good for sixth-most (!) among all golfers – more than anyone not named Scheffler, McIlroy, DeChambeau, Thomas or Aberg.

2025 PGA Championship Tees off Thursday, May 15

As the second major of the season gets set to begin, be sure to check out the myriad of golf betting markets currently available at Hard Rock Bet. In addition to the outright winner market mentioned above, players at Hard Rock Bet can wager on Head-to-Head Matchups, Top 5, 10 or 20 Finisher, End of Round Leader, Players to Make/Miss the Cut, Winning Margin and even specialty props like ‘Will there be a Hole in One?’

Register for a new account today in an eligible state to secure a signup bonus to use on the 2025 PGA Championship. No Hard Rock Bet promo code is required.

Bet of the Week voting is underway for the week of November 21st. Head on over to X and cast your vote. As always, the winner will take home a $50 Bonus Bet to deploy on Hard Rock Bet.

This week voters can choose from:

Anytime TD

Candidate #1 turned a $5 Bonus Bet into $315.99 (+6320) with a 6-Bet anytime TD parlay. The ticket included favorites like Derek Henry at -230, but also incorporated some players less-likely to visit the endzone like Taysom Hill at +150. This is what Bonus Bet dreams are made of.

Ice King

Hockey season is well underway and we might have a new Ice King. One Hard Rock Bet player turned $1 into $351.48 (+64338) with a remarkable 11-Bet hockey parlay. The ticket correctly matched a variety of over-under wagers along with winner bets to get book a healthy payout.

Exclusive

Our third option this week took advantage of two Hard Rock Bet exclusives, and got a nice price on a home underdog to cash a unique NFL ticket. The 3-Bet parlay included:

• De’Von Achange to record 5+ rushing yards in each quarter (+125) EXCLUSIVE
• Steelers to win (+145)
• Christian McCaffrey and Kenneth Walker III to each record 5+ rushing yards in each quarter (+450) EXCLUSIVE

The total $5 wager came in at +2932, resulting in a $151.59 win.

Return of Klay

Last but not least, this bettor capitalized on the Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay Area by putting $3.75 on Klay to make the first basket of the game, specifically in the form of a free throw. Just 15 seconds into the game Klay drew a foul from none other than Steph Curry, and opened the scoring with a free throw to cash the +7500 bet.

Weigh in now over on X and be on the lookout for Bet of the Week next week.

Bet of the Week basics

Every week on the Hard Rock Bet X account our admin will make a post calling for submissions for Bet of the Week. All Hard Rock Bet players are invited to put forward their best, or most unique wager of the week.

Bet now in eight different states

Hard Rock Bet is the top-rated online sports betting app in the United States and it’s reach continues to grow. Check us out in all of the following states:

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All new sign-ups will get our best possible bonus, no Hard Rock promo code is necessary to get started.

Hard Rock Bet’s Bet of the Week promotion is back and voting is officially underway. Check us out over on X and cast your vote today (Thursday, November 14!) on who should take home this week’s $50 Bonus Bet.

Let’s introduce the contenders:

Double Trouble

One Hard Rock Bet player submitted not one, but TWO impressive parlay tickets for consideration. The first, a 19-bet, and the second, a 14-bet (OK – we’re impressed). Both shared similar legs that included a concoction of tennis favorites. In total the two $25 bets hit for a combined $1,225.02. Well done.

8-Bet Germany SGP

Our next candidate chose to start their Sunday with an international NFL parlay. With the Giants and Panthers meeting in Munich, many bettors may have glanced at two of the worst teams in the league taking the field and focused their attention elsewhere. However, this particular player saw an SGP opportunity. 8-Legs later his $5 bet paid out $151.25 – oh, and he tacked on a 30% Profit Boost for good measure.

Too Much Hart

Parlay? Nah, who needs it. This week’s third Bet of the Week option simply picked out one seemingly unlikely player prop and went with it: Josh Hart to record a Triple Double at +6000.

Sure, the 8-year veteran had only recorded six previous Triple Doubles in his career… but it was time for a seventh. What a bet.

20-Legs brings in $2K

Finally, we’ve saved the longest ticket for last. This bettor pieced together twenty different wagers on one parlay card, many of them college basketball favorites (… and some heavy favorites), for one lucrative return. $100 at +1954 was good for a $2,054.28 payout.

While all of these bets are winners, which will add a $50 Bonus Bet to their tally? Cast your vote now on X.

How Bet of the Week works

How does Bet of the Week work? We’ll make a post on the Hard Rock Bet X account on Tuesday or Wednesday requesting bettors to submit their favorite wins from the past week. Next, our admin will allow about a day or so for the submissions to roll in, and then pick out the four best. Next, the people have their say. We’ll post a poll on X and the winner takes home the $50 Bonus Bet.

Bet today in eight states

Hard Rock Bet offers its top-rated betting app in eight different states (and counting!):

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You don’t need a Hard Rock Bet promo code during account creation – all new players will receive the best possible bonus offer. Get started today.

Voting for Hard Rock Bet’s Bet of the Week promotion is officially underway. Have your say on who wins the $50 Bonus Bet this week. Let’s take a look at the finalists:

12-Leg Basketball Parlay

Our first finalist is an exciting $38, 12-leg basketball parlay that connected at +2549 for a $1,006.77 payday.

Timely Tennis

16 bets, five dollars, and a dream. One user turned a $5, +27340 parlay into $1,372.02 while betting on a variety of sports, including tennis.

Dollar Triple Double

Ja Morant Triple double at +3000? Check. James Harden triple double at +1200? Check. Put them together, like one Hard Rock Bet player, and $1 becomes $403. Nice hit.

Four Futures

This colorful collection of futures wagers has been cooking for a while, but finally came good last week with the Dodgers winning the World Series. This 4-bet parlay included the UConn Huskies to win March Madness, the Florida Panthers to raise the Stanley Cup, the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Finals, and finally the Dodgers to win the World Series. In total the $50 wager hit for a $31,185 win.

Head over to the Hard Rock Bet feed on X to cast your vote.

Bet of the Week: How it works

Not familiar with Bet of the Week? Here’s how it works. We’ll post a call through the Hard Rock Bet X account on Tuesday or Wednesday of each week asking for bettors to submit their winning tickets from the past week. Our admin will allow about a day or so for the submissions to trickle in, and then pick four finalists. On Wednesday/Thursday the people have their say. We’ll post a poll on X and whoever accrues the most votes takes the prize, a $50 Bonus Bet.

Bet today in 8 states

Hard Rock Bet is accepting legal wagers right now in eight different states:

• Arizona
• Florida
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No Hard Rock Bet promo code is required during sign up – claim your new player bonus today.

Week 3 of the NFL is in the books and there’s been quite a bit of movement on the Super Bowl odds front. With each passing week the picture becomes more clear. Who are the real contenders? Who might be pretenders? Below we’ve summarized the most notable developments in this important NFL betting market after week 3.

All odds were pulled from Hard Rock Bet on Tuesday and are subject to change.

The Favorites

Week 3 brought some interesting results amongst the betting favorites to hoist the Super Bowl LIX trophy, but generally speaking there wasn’t a huge amount of movement in prices at the top.

The defending champion Chiefs won again on the road in Atlanta, but their odds didn’t budge (+450). The Bills were the biggest mover at the top, with the odds shortening from +1000 to +800 after pummeling the Jaguars 47-10 on Monday Night Football. An impressive road win for the Eagles in New Orleans saw their odds improve from +1200 to +1100, while the Lions also won in Arizona but remain at +1200.

Two of the current favorites lost on Sunday, but only saw slight adjustments in their price. The 49ers lost for the second week in a row, falling to just 1-2 on the season, and shifted from +575 to +700 – they remain the favorite in the NFC. The Texans also came up short… well short, losing 34-7 to the Vikings in Minnesota. As a result the Texans moved back from +1100 to +1300.

Team	Week 3 Result	Old Odds	Current Odds
Chiefs	Win: KC 22 – ATL 17	(+) 450	(+) 450
49ers	Loss: SF 24 – LAR 27	(+) 575	(+) 700
Bills	Win: BUF 47 – JAX 10	(+) 1000	(+) 800
Eagles	Win: PHI 15 – NO 12	(+) 1200	(+) 1100
Lions	Win: DET 20 – ARI 13	(+) 1200	(+) 1200
Texans	Loss: HOU 7 – MIN 34	(+) 1100	(+) 1300

Risers and Fallers

Some of the largest risers from the middle of the pack include the Vikings, who pummeled the Texans and saw their odds for the Super Bowl jump from +4000 to +2500. The Packers, even without QB Jordan Love, won impressively in Tennessee and are now +2000.

Notably, the Falcons played the Chiefs close and their odds remained static at +3000 despite the loss, while the Seahawks smashed the Dolphins to stay undefeated but their odds have not moved from the +4000 mark.

As for fallers? The Bengals fell to 0-3 and are now +2500 longshots (they were +2000 entering the week). Additionally, the embarrassing home loss to the Broncos saw the Bucs slide from +4000 to +5000, and the Dolphins continue to suffer without Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, dropping from +4000 to enter the week, to +6000.

Team	Week 3 Result	Old Odds	Current Odds
Packers	Win: GB 30 – TEN 14	(+) 2500	(+) 2000
Vikings	Win: MIN 34 – HOU 7	(+) 4000	(+) 2500
Bengals	Loss: CIN 33 – WAS 38	(+) 2000	(+) 2500
Falcons	Loss: ATL 17 – KC 22	(+) 3000	(+) 3000
Seahawks	Win: SEA 24 – MIA 3	(+) 4000	(+) 4000
Bucs	Loss: TB 7 – DEN 26	(+) 4000	(+) 5000
Dolphins	Loss: MIA 3 – SEA 24	(+) 4000	(+) 6000

The Longshots

Week 3 was a good week for some of the NFL’s underdogs. The Giants and Panthers, both +50000 to enter the week, notched their first wins of the season. While the Giants, the biggest mover on paper after Week 3, saw their odds halve to +25000, the Panthers did not budge. The Broncos were dominant in Tampa, taking down the previously unbeaten Bucs by a score of 26-7. Their odds, however, have not moved from +25000.

Bolstered by a dazzling performance from rookie QB Jayden Daniels on Monday night in Cincinnati, the Commanders jumped from +15000 to +7500. The Colts, previously +10000 for the title, ground out a tough win over the Bears and are now listed at +7500.

Team	Week 3 Result	Old Odds	Current Odds
Commanders	Win: WAS 38 – CIN 33	(+) 15000	(+) 7500
Colts	Win: IND 21 – CHI 16	(+) 10000	(+) 7500
Broncos	Win: DEN 27 – TB 7	(+) 25000	(+) 25000
Giants	Win: NYG 21 – CLE 15	(+) 50000	(+) 25000
Panthers	Win: CAR 36 – LV 22	(+) 50000	(+) 50000

Bet today on Hard Rock Bet

Hard Rock Bet offers legal online sports betting to players in Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia — and is the exclusive provider of legal sports betting in Florida. New bettors in these regions are eligible for a new player offer and no Hard Rock Bet promo code is required to claim it. Sign up here.

Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21 and physically present in AZ, FL, IL, IN, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-888-ADMIT-IT. In AZ, call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (IL, NJ, OH, TN, VA)

Help Center Elevates User Experience

Hard Rock Bet has launched a new and improved Help Center, creating a more user-friendly resource for online casino and sportsbook players to enjoy. The new Help Center offers new functionalities including improved search-ability, a clean aesthetic that’s now available in Dark Mode, easy-access to both Live Chat and Email, detailed video walkthroughs for potentially tricky subjects, and it’s been optimized for the mobile experience like never before.

How can we help?

The new Help Center is accessible through both web and app by clicking on your Account menu in the corner of both platforms (top right for web, bottom right within the app). From there, selecting the ‘Help’ button will pull up the new Help Center database.

The Help Center home screen has been conveniently arranged with three primary elements:

Search

The improved search bar is front and center and really drives the new Help Center forward. Typing any word will instantly reveal Help Center entries that involve that particular term. For example, simply typing “deposit” calls up entries for:

• Deposit Limits
• What are my deposit and withdrawal options?
• How do I make a deposit?
• Why was my deposit declined?
• … and a lot more

It’s never been easier to find answers through the search bar.

Browse categories

The ‘categories’ area has been improved immensely. The most commonly searched categories are presented front and center, and selecting one will seamlessly expand the resource to reveal a new level of depth and detail, breaking the subject down into more specific questions.

The transitions between entries are silky smooth, and the questions and answers are extremely thorough.

Contact us

Looking to reach the Hard Rock Bet support staff? You can’t miss the new Chat and Email buttons, positioned prominently along the bottom of the Help Center homepage. Selecting the Chat button will open up a dialogue with Hard Rock Bet’s digital assistant, Betsy. Betsy is capable of addressing a variety of subjects, but will tap out in favor of a live support agent if necessary.

Selecting the Email button will open your preferred email client and allow the participant to quickly type out a question and fire it off to Hard Rock Bet’s capable staff.

Accessible for sportsbook and casino

Hard Rock Bet’s new Help Center offers useful answers to both online sportsbook and casino questions, and is accessible now in all Hard Rock Bet markets. This includes Hard Rock Bet’s leading New Jersey online casino, in addition to sports betting operations in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia.

New players can register and take advantage of lucrative welcome offers in the aforementioned states. No Hard Rock Bet promo code is necessary.

Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21 and physically present in AZ, FL, IL, IN, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-888-ADMIT-IT. In AZ, call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (IL, NJ, OH, TN, VA)

Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21 and physically present in AZ, FL, IL, IN, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-888-ADMIT-IT. In AZ, call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (IL, NJ, OH, TN, VA)

Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21 and physically present in AZ, FL, IL, IN, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-888-ADMIT-IT. In AZ, call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (IL, NJ, OH, TN, VA)