The Nice List: Who made us the most money this year?
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It's the season of giving - and thankfully some don't need a date on the calendar to get into the spirit
Below is the list of teams and players who went above and beyond to ensure a profitable year for us, thus cementing a place on our 2020 nice list.
We hope they all have an incredible holiday season.
Buffalo Bills
I staked my professional reputation on the Bills this summer and if they were anything short of a 10-win team, I might have had to leave the industry. Instead, Josh Allen and the fine folks from upstate New York are hand-delivering all of my Christmas gifts this year.
Not everybody here was a believer — cough cough, Moretto — but I bought in all the way: 33-1 to win the Super Bowl, 2-1 to win the AFC East, over 8.5 wins, you name it. I've also bet them against the spread almost every week and it's taken the entire season for oddsmakers to catch up.
I even sprinkled a little on everyone's favorite Wyoming grad to win MVP at 66-1, which has been worth every cent even if Allen doesn't win the award. The 24-year-old quarterback's been the most valuable player for my wallet, and his Bills are the gift that keeps on giving.
- C Jackson Cowart
Dallas Stars
In a year chock-full of mysteries, one of the biggest was how the Stars remained underdogs throughout the playoffs. At some point, I almost felt guilty doubling down on Dallas +145 every game.
I bet more than I could afford on Dallas to roll the Flames and put my bank account in overdraft to hit it again when they went down 2-1. I then put it all on them to beat the Avalanche and helped myself to more against the Knights. I cleared more money than Jeff Bezos during the holidays.
The Stars fell just short against the Lightning but came through in a big way when I took a large position on them in Game 1. The second this pandemic ends and traveling becomes a thing again, I’m booking a flight to Dallas and buying a round for everyone at Black Swan Saloon.
- Alex Moretto
Dustin Johnson
Thank you, DJ.
Picking golf winners is rarely an easy task, but Dustin Johnson made it feel like shooting fish in a barrel during his incredible run this past summer. First, we capitalized on an outrageous +3000 price for the now 24-time PGA Tour winner to emerge victorious at the Travelers Championship, which we doubled-down on at +250 heading into the final round. Then Johnson's odds of +2000 in the first FedEx Cup playoff event were too good to pass on at The Northern Trust, and the world No. 1 put it in cruise control en route to a dominant 11-shot victory.
No, we weren't on DJ when he won the Masters in November at +1000 - we were too busy counting the money he had already won us.
- Eric Patterson
Jake Fromm
William Jacob Fromm is solely responsible for the uptick in my bank account for Q2 of the fiscal year. The 22-year-old's draft spot over cashed and so did his matchup prop versus Jalen Hurts.
If I ever encounter Fromm in person, I wouldn't even need his autograph - the money we won fading him in the NFL Draft would greatly surpass the amount we'd profit off selling said signature.
- Alex Kolodziej
Los Angeles Lakers
One of my annual traditions is to lay unnecessary amounts of speculative money on dark-horse NBA title teams linked to disgruntled stars hoping one of them eventually pulls the trigger. My dreams came true last summer when I saw the Lakers priced at 25-1 to win the NBA Finals mere weeks before they ultimately traded for Anthony Davis, a move that prompted books to install them as 3-1 title favorites almost immediately.
Sometimes it pays to be early and sometimes it pays to be lucky. I felt a little of both as I watched L.A. tear through the Western Conference with minimal resistance, losing just five combined games during their postseason run. The only thing better would have been an upset bid by the Heat, whom I bought at 55-1 to win it all back in November. But hey, beggars can't be choosers, right?
- C Jackson Cowart
Miami Dolphins
When will the Dolphins start getting even a sliver of respect in the betting market? Hopefully never, honestly. It’s like oddsmakers don’t realize Brian Flores is building a powerhouse in Dade County.
It took about a month before Miami became a weekly auto-bet for me. There was a stretch from Weeks 5-10 where they covered five straight. I bet them every game and, in tandem, we did it again from Weeks 12-14. I haven’t lost a bet on the Dolphins this year - few have, seeing as they’re 11-3 ATS.
The club also came through with the easiest win of all time as +3 underdogs against the Jaguars (hahahahahahahaha, imagine) on Thursday Night Football - still one of my biggest positions of the calendar year.
At this point, I feel like Miami’s success this year is a direct result of my betting habits. If I keep backing the 'Phins, they'll probably win the Super Bowl. It’s a dangerous power to have. Miami fans, slide into my DMs with your best offers and someone please pass this along to the front office.
- Alex Moretto
North Carolina A&T
I don't think I won a college basketball game after Thanksgiving, but whenever I needed to get out of a pinch, I waited for a North Carolina A&T game. Overs? Automatic. There was a stretch from December to January where the program cashed 11 straight and by some fate of the gods, I was on, like, seven of them.
Duke? UNC? No, let's not get it twisted. The true basketball kings of the state are the North Carolina A&T (checks notes) Aggies!
- Alex Kolodziej
Who's on your nice list? Show your appreciation in the comments.