Both the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings are 7-8 in the 2023 season. These teams are on the bubble when it comes to making the playoffs, meaning that the Packers vs. Vikings game on December 31 is crucial for both of them. Whoever wins on Sunday will increase the probability of making the playoffs to at least 50%.

Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings Week 17 Odds

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When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota     
• Date: Sunday, December 31, 2023
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: NBC

Green Bay Packers Doing Great in Big Games in 2023

In their first season without Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback, the Green Bay Packers are doing surprisingly well. They’re 7-8 right now, with wins over some real heavyweights including the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions.

In their most recent game, they defeated the Carolina Panthers by a field goal. That wasn’t much of an achievement, but a win is a win. Still, they need to be concerned about the fact that they conceded 30 points against the Panthers whose offense is the fourth-worst in the league.

On the bright side, they did very well offensively, with quarterback Jordan Love going 23-for-36 for 312 yards and two touchdowns. Further, Chuba Hubbart, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette scored a rushing TD each.

Minnesota Vikings Putting Their Hopes in Home Support

The Minnesota Vikings still have a chance to make the playoffs, but their recent form is what needs to worry them. They lost four of their last five games, with their only win happening against the Las Vegas Raiders in a game that finished with 3-0 on the scoreboard.

To be fair to the Vikings, they did put on a big fight in the last two games. They took the game with the Cincinnati Bengals to overtime, losing by a field goal in the end. In their most recent game, they lost to the in-form Detroit Lions by six points. 

The Lions are the team they’ll take on in the final game week of the regular season. But that game won’t matter to them unless they beat the Packers on December 31. So, can they do it?

Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings Prediction

The Packers vs. Vikings New Year’s Eve game will be a real thriller. For both teams, this is a must-win game as the one that loses can say farewell to the playoffs. We expect both to go all-in on December 31, the result of which is that we might even see the game go to overtime.

We won’t see many risky moves in this game, with both teams probably focusing more on running the ball rather than passing. The result is that we probably won’t see too many touchdowns, which is why under 46.5 points is out pick. Our pick for the Packers vs. Vikings game-winner is Minnesota.

Picks: Minnesota Vikings & Under 46.5 Points

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Several years after the repeal of the PASPA, Minnesota might be next in line for legalizing sports betting. The prospects of another wagering vertical, however, sparked worries among people struggling with gambling harm and treatment organizations.

StarTribune, a Minnesota-focused news outlet, spoke with a woman it referred to as Teri on the matter. A former addict, Teri expressed her concerns about the introduction of sports betting.

Remember those Nancy Reagan “Just Say No” buttons? That’s what we need for sports betting.

Teri

In her youth, Teri won $500 in a church raffle. This small victory eventually spiraled into a gambling addiction, causing her much trouble.

Gambling was a way for Teri to escape reality. At first, she would win small sums of money or break even. Eventually, however, she started losing. Like many people, Teri chased losses, which eventually caused her to file for bankruptcy. Sadly, this didn’t stop her either.

Luckily, Teri was eventually sent to Project Turnabout’s Vanguard residential gambling treatment program. Funded through unclaimed lottery proceeds, the program is free for residents of the North Star State, allowing those struggling with harm to find help.

Project Turnabout Offers Free Help to People Struggling with Problem Gambling

As Minnesota prepares to discuss the legalization of sports betting, Project Turnabout’s chief executive officer, Marti Paulson, wants to raise awareness of the services offered by her team.

Project Turnabout treats problem gambling much like chemical abuse, providing patients with a facility where they can stay and receive help. The project believes that problem players need around 10 days of withdrawal which often include symptoms such and anxiety, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Participants in the program are required to eat well and participate in various activities alongside people treated for chemical dependency.

Paulson and Teri are among the people who are especially concerned about the introduction of mobile sports betting. They believe that online betting implies higher chances of harm.

Teri also told StarTribune that she is very concerned about the ever-increasing number of young gamblers. She lamented that the legalization of betting is probably inevitable but hopes that college students will be mindful of their bank accounts.

Teri asked people to be vigilant and keep an eye on teenagers isolating or a partner making excuses for unpaid bills.

The post Project Turnabout Promotes Services as Minnesota Considers Legalizing Betting appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Blake Carl Fitzgerald faces prison after running an illegal gambling scheme. The 40-year-old allegedly used livestreaming services to wager remotely on behalf of other people.

The Minnesota man ran his illegal scheme on TikTok and Discord, Bring Me the News, a local news outlet, claims. According to a criminal complaint, Fitzgerald ran the scheme between October and December 2022.

Fitzgerald allegedly received $65,103 through CashApp and Venmo from his customers. He proceeded to use the money to play slot games at Lake Casino & Resort and Treasure Island Casino, livestreaming his performance on TikTok. According to the complaint, Fitzgerald would call out a subscriber’s name during the stream, asking them to say which machine they’d like him to play.

As agreed with his subscribers, Fitzgerald would keep more than half of the winnings and would send his subscribers the rest. If he ran out of time to play, he would return his subscribers’ money.

Fitzgerald took a subscription fee of $5.99 from his followers. He kept in touch with them via a Discord server.

Minnesota, meanwhile, continues to fight for the legalization of sports betting.

Fitzgerald Faces Prison Time

Fitzgerald’s scheme eventually fell apart when the Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division received an anonymous complaint. After that, the regulatory body launched an investigation and identified Fitzgerald. The authorities also learned that the man had an accomplice who helped him run the scheme.

However, the name of the suspect has not been revealed as of yet since they are yet to be formally charged. In the meantime, Fitzgerald is being charged with three counts of running an illegal gambling operation.

As a result, the mastermind behind the illegal TikTok gambling scheme risks prison time of up to three years, as well as thousands of dollars in fines, Bring Me the News concluded.

In other news, the police in California continue their war on illegal casinos. In July, local authorities cracked down on an illegal casino, arresting three people and seizing a number of gambling machines and guns.

The arrestees in that case currently face charges over their illegal possession of guns.

Iowa athletes, meanwhile, face charges over illegal participation in betting. A total of eight people, including active players, former players and a student assistant, were found guilty of using third-party accounts to wager.

Elsewhere, match-fixing allegations led to the arrests of 17 people. These arrests took place in Spain after a thorough investigation.

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