Professional golf's civil war appears to be ending with a slow retreat. LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed upstart that promised to revolutionize the sport, is showing unmistakable signs of decline as star players abandon ship and the league bleeds billions of dollars in documented losses.

The departure of Brooks Koepka last December marked the clearest signal. The five-time major champion walked away from a reported $100 million contract with one year remaining, citing family reasons and frustration that LIV "wasn't as far along" as he had hoped. Now, it’s Patrick Reed, declaring himself "a traditionalist at heart" after failing to reach extension terms with the league.

The financial carnage tells a brutal story. LIV lost $461 million in 2024 alone, up from $395 million the previous year. Total documented losses exceed $1.1 billion, and these figures exclude U.S. operations entirely. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has poured roughly $5 billion into the venture, with another $309 million injected last July. Yet Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist notes that with Saudi exports worth around $360 billion annually, losses of half a billion per year remain "sustainable for many decades." Sure, they can afford it, but sustainability and success are different animals.

Television ratings don’t help. LIV's 2025 broadcasts averaged just 338,000 viewers compared to 3.1 million for PGA Tour final rounds. When both tours aired simultaneously, the PGA drew roughly 17 times larger audiences. Jon Rahm's Individual Championship victory attracted a microscopic 89,000 viewers.

Meanwhile, the PGA Tour has crafted a reentry pathway that sends a clear message about disloyalty. Brooks Koepka's return required a $5 million charitable donation, five-year exclusion from the Player Equity Program (costing tens of millions of dollars), no FedEx Cup bonus eligibility in 2026, and no automatic entry to lucrative Signature Events. The terms apply only to recent major champions, explicitly excluding Phil Mickelson, in what many viewed as intentional payback for his public criticism.

The reactions from Tour loyalists reveal deep bitterness. Wyndham Clark, who rejected LIV after winning the 2023 U.S. Open, captured the frustration perfectly: "If you would've told me that I could have gone for a year and a half, make a boatload of money and then be able to come back, I think almost everyone would have done that." Hideki Matsuyama, who reportedly turned down nine figures from LIV in 2022, expressed puzzlement that the Tour "didn't explain anything to the players" about the new rules.

Meanwhile, Billy Horschel, once calling defectors "hypocrites," now acknowledges that bringing them back helps Tour equity values grow. Even Rory McIlroy, initially fierce in opposition, argues returnees "have already paid their consequence" in reputation damage. Tiger Woods called Koepka's return "a win for everyone."

The most devastating blow to LIV may be the collapse of merger talks. When the framework agreement was announced in June 2023, unification seemed inevitable. But the PGA Tour secured $3 billion in independent financing through Strategic Sports Group, eliminating any desperate need for Saudi partnership. Leverage shifted.

LIV is attempting reforms for 2026: expanding to 72-hole tournaments, larger fields, enhanced relegation, and doubled team prize money. But without world ranking points, with negligible television audiences, and with stars now departing rather than arriving, the league appears destined for permanent second-tier status. The revolution has been downgraded to expensive sideshow.

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Same intelligence. Same accuracy. Just a lot less waiting.

🏀 Friday Night NBA Props

Friday's NBA card offers some exciting games, and we've identified three angles where the numbers offer some strong betting opportunities.

Austin Reaves Over 15.5 Points (-109)

The Lakers head to Washington riding a significant statistical edge. Los Angeles leads the NBA in both rim efficiency (73.9%) and short-midrange shooting (49.0%), while the Wizards rank near the bottom of the league in defending both areas. Washington also surrenders offensive rebounds at the third-worst rate in the league, suggesting the Lakers will control the paint and generate extra possessions.

The play here centers on Austin Reaves returning from a calf injury. Before getting hurt in December, Reaves was on an absolute tear, clearing this 15.5-point line in 80% of his last 20 games while averaging 25.5 points during that stretch. His season-long success rate sits at an impressive 82.6%.

The matchup couldn't be better. Washington ranks 28th in defending guards, and their tendency to foul plays directly into Reaves' hands. Reaves should find plenty of scoring opportunities against a porous Wizards defense that has allowed 119.6 points per 100 possessions this season.

Sam Hauser Over 11.5 Points (-102)

Boston hosts Sacramento in what looks like a textbook mismatch. The Celtics boast the second-best offensive rating in basketball (120.6) and lead the league in non-corner three-point attempts while making 15.6 triples per game. Sacramento arrives on a back-to-back after a tough overtime loss in Philadelphia.

The Kings rank 28th in defensive rating and have been especially vulnerable around the basket, allowing the highest effective field goal percentage at the rim in the entire league. But it's their perimeter defense that opens the door for Sam Hauser.

Hauser has been averaging 13.4 points over his last five games and 15.7 over his last ten. He's cleared this 11.5-point number in 70% of his recent contests. Sacramento ranks 21st in defending his position and allows the sixth-highest frequency of three-point attempts in the NBA. That's a problem when facing someone who ranks in the 100th percentile for three-point volume at his position.

Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 Threes (-150)

New York's offensive firepower should be on full display at Madison Square Garden against Portland. The Knicks rank third in offensive rating (118.7) and excel at generating second-chance points and transition opportunities.

Portland has tightened defensively lately but remains extremely vulnerable on the perimeter. The Trail Blazers rank 28th in defending the three-point line against big men. That's terrible news when Karl-Anthony Towns comes to town.

Towns has been reliable from distance, hitting this over in 70% of his last ten games while averaging 1.7 makes per contest. Portland's defensive scheme allows a high frequency of non-corner threes, which is precisely where Towns operates from deep.

🌲 The Pine Line

✈️ NBA stars are swapping sides ahead of the deadline. Follow the latest trade updates from around the league.

🏈 Hall of Fame voter explained fessed up to not voting for Belichick. It had less to do with his Super Bowls than you think.

🏏 Star USA batsman suspended on the eve of the T20 World Cup. The ICC says they have more charges coming.

🏆️ All eyes are on New England and Seattle this week. It’s a sneaky time to get a few big trades in. 

🎓️ Will Indiana repeat their incredible run next year? Depends on how they do in the transfer portal.

🏒 How to Bet on the NHL Stadium Series Game

by Ed Egros - Follow on X @EdWithSports

The NHL Stadium Series returns at 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday when Raymond James Stadium, an outdoor venue and home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning facing the Boston Bruins. Warmer climates are no match for the pageantry of professional hockey!

While we're still waiting for full betting lines and totals to be released, there's plenty we can analyze now.  From a bettor's perspective, let's analyze the Stadium Series to learn how to capitalize on this game:

Putting On an Outdoor Game

To have a rink in the elements, organizers use things like a 53-foot refrigeration truck, thicker ice, smaller Zambonis, ice sensors, water treatment and insulation tarps.  

Understanding the technology is important because high-profile events bring out the best resources and accommodations. Goalie Jonathan Quick, remembering an outdoor game from more than a decade ago, remarked: “Quite honestly, the ice at Dodger Stadium was probably better than the ice at (Crypto.com Arena).”  It’s safe to assume outdoor games have the rink under control.

Rule Changes

However, NHL rules allow for additional stoppages if weather conditions make the ice unplayable or if team want to switch sides midway through the third period.  These possible stoppages can impact factors like scoring off the rush and ice tilt.

The weather forecast in Tampa for Sunday does not suggest any delays, but it’s always a possibility.  

How Previous Outdoor Games Have Gone

Across all outdoor games played since 2003, the average number of goals scored is 5.75 in 44 contests.  Compare that with this season, where we’ve seen six goals per game (and recently more like 6.3 goals a contest), and what may seem like a small difference could still represent a large enough sample size to suggest outdoor games are less conducive to scoring.

History offers some insights, but what about this specific matchup?  Jaxon has this to say:

Bruins vs Lightning

Let’s start with one of true stars of the league. David Pastrnak is among the leaders in the Eastern Conference in points and goals:

If there are additional stoppages, it could mean more shifts and more ice time for all the superstars, including Pastrnak. He should light the lamp Sunday.

Second, it's possible Pastrnak will be the only Bruin to score. Look at how few goals Tampa Bay allows compared with some of the other top defenses in the league:

It’s been this way all season long, especially lately.

Boston’s defense hasn't been too shabby either, with goalies like Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo having fantastic campaigns.  Even if this game weren't played in the elements, it would be safe to assume few goals would be scored.

Again, without the ability to find value elsewhere, expect Pastrnak to score a goal but for few total goals to be scored—likely something under 5.5.

Key Takeaway

For good measure, the NHL just announced next year’s Stadium Series game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.  Keep these trends handy for Sunday’s game and in the future to maximize your bankroll.  

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