Enthusiasm on 3, DraftKings Sportsbook Plus, Next Cowboys Coach
Welcome to the Wednesday, January 15th edition of the Knup Letter!
It’s huuuuump dayyyyy! Oh the good old commercial watching days.
So we’ve mentioned Deion Sanders (and my flag football experiences with him) many times over the first week of this newsletter. But what do you all think?
Is Deion Sanders a good fit to be the next Dallas Cowboys head coach?
GO! I personally would love to see it. We all know the Cowboys need good leadership on the field. And Deion’s personality shines bright enough for the big Cowboys stage. How him and ownership would mix? Who knows! But lets see how it all plays out.
A bit slower of a news day today! But regardless, below are the news stories and press releases I found interesting today.
AI Takes Center Stage As Retail Industry Gathers For Annual Trade Show [BUSINESS, TECH] — I need to get to a true tech/AI show sometime in 2025. Any recommendations?
New Sports Betting Bill To Be Introduced In Georgia [SPORTS, BUSINESS] — Georgia still trying… Again and again!
Betsson Partners with GameplAI to Expand Localized Betting Offerings Globally [SPORTS, BUSINESS, TECH] — Congrats to both companies on the partnership.
SBC Announces Launch of iGamingExpert.com for iGaming News Coverage [BUSINESS] — congrats to our friends and media partners SBC on the new website.
Fanstake Signs Nate Ament to NIL Deal as First Basketball Ambassador [SPORTS, BUSINESS] — Congrats to my friends at Fanstake (episode 236) and Nate Ament on the deal!
Maryland Terps on the Frontier of Sports Innovation [SPORTS, TECH] — Refreshing to see colleges teaching the youth the importance of learning tech. Frustrates me when the education system punishes the use of tech… More on that another day in a full article :)
Word of the Day: Enthusiasm
Back when I was coaching my son’s 4th-grade basketball team, we had this moment that still makes me laugh to this day. It was right after a timeout—our team was huddled up, hands in the middle, ready for a pep talk from Coach Knuppel.
What did I shout?
“Enthusiasm on three! One, two, three… ENTHUSIASM!”
The kids gave it their best shot, but I’ll never forget the look my assistant coach and best friend gave me afterward. He leaned in, grinning, and said, “Well that was a first…” Or something along those lines…
To this day, he doesn’t let me live it down. But hey, the energy was there, and sometimes that’s all that matters.
Looking back, “enthusiasm” might have been a big word for 4th graders, but it’s one that carries a lot of weight in sports, business, and life. Enthusiasm isn’t just about being loud or energetic; it’s about passion, belief, and commitment.
It’s contagious, too. Whether you’re rallying a team during a game or pitching a new idea in a boardroom, the energy you bring can set the tone for everyone else. People gravitate toward those who show genuine excitement—it gives them confidence and inspires them to give their best effort.
In business, enthusiasm can be the difference between a deal closed and an opportunity missed. In sports, it’s what turns good teams into great ones. And in life, enthusiasm is what makes the journey enjoyable.
So, whether you’re coaching a group of kids, leading a business meeting, or simply tackling your daily to-do list, remember to bring enthusiasm. You never know who you’ll inspire—or who might still be teasing you about it years later.
DraftKings has launched a new program called DraftKings Sportsbook Plus, a $20/month subscription offering unlimited "Step Up" tokens for parlay boosts. It’s currently exclusive to New York bettors and is designed to make betting more engaging. Tokens allow odds boosts on parlays, up to 100% for 11-leg parlays, but only on bets of $25 or less.
Why Everyone’s Talking About It
The sports betting community has been buzzing about this. Some say it as a game-changer for parlay enthusiasts, while others see it as a clever marketing gimmick. It’s another step by DraftKings to innovate and lock in loyal customers, but is it truly valuable for the average bettor?
My Take: Overhyped and Risky
While I admire DraftKings’ efforts to innovate, I’m skeptical of this program for a few key reasons:
Promotes Risky Betting: Parlays are already a tough bet to win. Boosting odds might encourage bettors to take unnecessary risks, potentially leading to irresponsible gambling habits.
Low Value for Many Bettors: The $25 bet cap on boosted odds limits the potential payoff. Casual bettors may not see enough return to justify $20/month, while serious bettors will be turned off by the low wager cap.
State Restriction Is a Missed Opportunity: Launching this in just New York limits its appeal and makes it feel unnecessarily exclusive.
Subscription Fatigue: With so many services vying for attention and dollars, this feels like another niche subscription that might not deliver enough value to justify the cost.
Final Thoughts
DraftKings Sportsbook Plus could be a fun tool for hardcore parlay bettors, but for the average user, it’s more of a gimmick than a must-have. At the end of the day, strategy and discipline will always trump gimmicks in sports betting.
But those are just my thoughts—what about yours?
👉 Would you try DraftKings Sportsbook Plus? Why or why not? Let me know!
It’s a good thing I don’t do this professionally guys. Actually, this is not my first rodeo and I’m confident on the many reasons I’m not a professional handicapper or bettor. Because it’s HAAAARD! So enjoy the wins, enjoy the losses, and poke fun at Knup whenever you want for being a terrible sports bettor. PS — the Kings sucked last night of course.
Onto today… Time to get stubborn! Bucks destroyed the Kings last night. Can they play back to back and look as good? I think not! My hometown Orlando Magic have been solid at 22-18 on the season. I’m taking them to keep this game close tonight.
PICK: Orlando Magic +6
Want your brand in this spot? For details, email me at ryan@knup.com.
What do you call a soccer player who’s always enthusiastic?
A real goal-getter!
Boom! I like that one and fitting for today :)
Happy Birthday to... Justin Striebel, Aditya Satyadev, Samallyn Coleman, Aurora Sadikaj, James Hardwick, Michael Stringfellow, Lucas Swain-Britton, Kate Chambers!
Check out our full calendars we update weekly: Sports Calendar | iGaming Calendar
Thanks for tuning into today’s Knup Letter! Whether it’s sports, business, tech, content, or just a fun dad joke, I hope you found something that brought value—or at least a smile—to your day. Enthusiasm is the word of the day, so let’s carry that energy into everything we tackle.
Have a fantastic Wednesday, and as always, thanks for letting me be a small part of your week. Keep crushing it out there, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow!