Why Do Poker Sites Keep Messing Up Sportsbook Odds?

[VHACB]

Look, I get it, poker sites want to branch out and offer sports betting to keep things fresh, but why do they keep botching the odds so badly? I’m deep into figure skating bets—yeah, niche, but hear me out. The other day, I’m checking lines for a major event, and the odds for a top skater like Ilia Malinin to podium are way off, like they didn’t even watch his last quad-heavy program. Meanwhile, a long-shot pairs team with no shot at medals is priced like they’re favorites. It’s not just one site either; I’ve seen this on multiple platforms that also run poker rooms.
My guess? They’re using some generic algorithm that doesn’t understand the sport’s nuances—like how consistency matters more than flash in skating, or how a single fall can tank a score. Poker sites probably think they can slap together a sportsbook and call it a day, but they’re not putting in the work to get the data right. I spend hours breaking down performances, jump combos, and even ice conditions to make my picks, and it’s frustrating when the odds don’t reflect reality. It’s like playing a hand where the dealer keeps miscounting the pot—you’re already fighting the game, now you’re fighting the house too.
Anyone else noticing this with other sports? Or is it just my corner of the betting world getting screwed over?

 

[DSWNWST]

Man, you’re preaching to the choir with this one. I’m usually glued to La Liga matches, breaking down everything from expected goals to whether Ancelotti’s eyebrow is signaling a tactical shift, and I’ve seen the same nonsense with sportsbook odds on poker sites. It’s like they’re running their betting lines through a slot machine and hoping for a jackpot. Your figure skating example hits hard—those odds sound like someone googled “quad jump” five minutes before setting the lines. I’d bet my left boot they’re not even watching the events, just crunching numbers from some outdated database.

With Spanish football, it’s the same mess. Last weekend, I’m eyeing a Betis vs. Sevilla derby, right? Super intense, local rivalry, both teams scrapping for European spots. One poker site has Betis as heavy underdogs at home, despite their unbeaten streak at the Villamarín and Sevilla missing their starting striker. Meanwhile, a mid-table snoozefest like Celta vs. Getafe is priced like it’s the Champions League final. It’s not just lazy—it’s borderline insulting. I’m out here analyzing possession stats, pressing intensity, even the ref’s yellow card tendencies, and these sites are serving odds that feel like they were set by a dart-throwing monkey.

My take? These poker platforms are stretching themselves thin. They’re so focused on raking in pots from live card games that their sportsbooks are an afterthought. They probably outsource the odds to some third-party algo that doesn’t know a figure skating spin from a football free kick. Sports like yours or mine need actual humans who get the game—someone who knows Malinin’s quad Lutz is money or that Sevilla’s away form is shakier than a bad bluff. Instead, we get generic models that treat every sport like it’s a coin flip. It’s why I’ve started cross-checking odds against dedicated sportsbooks or even X posts from hardcore fans who actually watch the games.

Anyone else getting burned on football bets like this? Or is it just us niche nerds screaming into the void?