Michael Jenkins, who currently hosts D.C. Sports Live on NBC Sports Washington, co-hosted the new gambling show alongside Tim Murray, a host for SB Nation Radio and the studio host for Navy football.
Jenkins and Murray discussed the biggest daily topics in sports, but with a gambling focus that included point spreads and line movements as talking points. Oddsmakers and professional sports bettors were brought on as guests, according to The Washington Post.
“If we hear [Oregon quarterback] Justin Herbert is coming back to play his senior year, what does that do to [Ohio State quarterback] Dwayne Haskins’s chance to be the No. 1 pick or other quarterbacks’ chances to get drafted in the first round?” said Murray, according to The Post. “Wherever we can find a line or odds, that’s a segment.”
NBC Sports will produce The Daily Line in conjunction with Westwood One. The show will air from 3 to 7 p.m. ET every weekday and will broadcast on a group of radio affiliates across the U.S., in addition to the NBC Sports Radio app. The Daily Line is also expected to simulcast on some of NBC’s regional sports networks at some point during 2019, according to The Post.
“I don’t think anyone expects me to give a deep dive into my algorithm or spread sheets,” Jenkins said. “I’ve been to Vegas like 15 times. I love to gamble, but I’m not a degenerate gambler. We want to have conversations with the average sports fans.”
Since the federal ban on sports betting was removed in May 2018, a total of eight states have passed legislation to legalize sports betting. More and more states are expected to implement legalized sports betting in 2019, which likely means plenty of TV networks and digital media outlets will follow NBC and CBS in creating content focused on sports gambling.