Geoff Zochodne
Geoff Zochodne
Geoff has been writing about the legalization and regulation of sports betting in Canada and the United States for more than three years. His work has included coverage of launches in New York, Ohio, and Ontario, numerous court proceedings, and the decriminalization of single-game wagering by Canadian lawmakers. As an expert on the growing online gambling industry in North America, Geoff has appeared on and been cited by publications and networks such as Axios, TSN Radio, and VSiN. Prior to joining Covers, he spent 10 years as a journalist reporting on business and politics, including a stint at the Ontario legislature. More recently, Geoff’s work has focused on the pending launch of a competitive iGaming market in Alberta, the evolution of major companies within the gambling industry, and efforts by U.S. state regulators to rein in offshore activity and college player prop betting.
Sport to bet on: Golf or NASCAR
Sports movie: Senna
Sports snack: Giant pretzel
Covers feature: Odds and betting lines
Nate Diaz over Donald Cerrone at UFC 141. I was in Las Vegas at the time and saw my bet win while watching the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Best Betting Memory
Worst Beat
Manitoba Judge Says Offshore Sportsbook Did ‘Incalculable Harm’
Bodog did not show up in court to fight the injunction and has already said it is restricting Manitobans’ access to its real-money site.
California Attorney General Says Daily Fantasy Sports Illegal, Too Much Like Betting
California AG Rob Bonta's office dropped its opinion on the legality of paid fantasy sports, and it's not good news for Golden State DFS lovers or operators.
A ‘Big Beautiful’ Blow? Here Are the New Ways U.S. Sports Bettors Could Get Squeezed
Recent policy decisions by state and federal lawmakers, directly or indirectly, could put even more financial pressure on sports bettors and gamblers, and in ways that may catch punters unawares.
Report: Guardians Pitcher on Leave Amid Possible MLB Sports Betting Probe
The Athletic reported on Thursday, citing sources, that Luis Ortiz’s “non-disciplinary paid leave” would run through to the end of the All-Star break and was the result of an MLB investigation tied to gambling.
New Jersey Hammers Sweepstakes Casinos, Hampers Sports Betting
Garden State lawmakers approved tax increases for sports betting and online casino operators, and passed anti-sweeps legislation that goes further than just a crackdown on dual-currency wagering.
Smarkets Eyes Kalshi Route for US Sports Betting Revival
Smarkets’ path to prominence in the United States could be paved with sports event contracts of the kind prediction markets like Kalshi (somewhat controversially) offer.
Is Time Running Out for DFS and Sweeps Casinos in California?
Lawmakers in Sacramento, with the support of Native American tribes with gaming operations in the state, are trying to remove all doubt about the legality of sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks, as well as paid daily fantasy sports contests.
Offshore Sportsbook Bodog Exits Manitoba After Uncontested Court Order
Bodog’s addition of Manitoba to its “restricted regions” follows a court in the province recently cracking down on the companies behind the Antigua and Barbuda-based online gambling site.
Quebec’s Next Election an ‘Opportunity’ for Online Gambling Reform
Quebec would be a significant market for private iGaming operators given its population of more than 8 million people, similar in size to a state like Virginia.
Will Daily Fantasy Sports Contests Ever Come Back to Ontario?
There could be a long way to go before Ontarians ever play paid DFS with a provincially-regulated operator.
Ontario Launching Review of Sports Betting, iGaming Sector
There are opportunities for improvement, Ontario's gaming minister says.
Ontario Turning Up The Heat on Offshore Sports Betting, Casino Sites
Approximately 20% of all online gambling in Ontario is happening with operators that may be regulated abroad or outside the province, but not by the province itself.
Alberta Eyeing ‘Early’ 2026 for New Sports Betting, iGaming Market, Minister Says
Nevertheless, the province's government still has some work to do, such as setting rules for how online sportsbooks and casinos can advertise.
Like it or Not, Sports Betting and iGaming in Canada is Changing
Online sports betting and internet casino gambling in Canada is being disrupted, and by entities that usually are on the receiving end of disruption
Canadian Senator’s Anti-Sports Betting Ad Bill Off to Committee
Canadian Senators who were supportive of single-game wagering are now trying to correct what they see as an oversight to that decision.
Will a 50-Cent Fee Stop Sports Bettors From Betting?
A Covers survey of Illinois sports bettors suggests the 50-cent “transaction fee” that DraftKings and FanDuel plan to impose in the state in September will change how some people wager. The extent of the impact, though, is TBD.
DraftKings Putting 50-Cent Fee on Illinois Sports Bets, Joins FanDuel
DraftKings, like FanDuel, plans to charge its customers a 50-cent fee in response to the per-bet tax Illinois lawmakers recently approved.
New York Senate Passes Bill Banning Sweepstakes Casinos
Members of the New York Senate passed Senate Bill 5935 on Wednesday, advancing it to the state Assembly for further scrutiny and potential amendments.
Louisiana Lawmakers Approve Fixed-Odds Horse Racing for Sportsbooks, But Trouble Looms
Churchill Downs reportedly said the fixed-odds bill “further negatively impacts” the competitiveness of a major track in the state, the New Orleans-based Fair Grounds.
Sports Prediction Market Crackdown by Trump’s CFTC Nominee Looks Unlikely
Appearing before the U.S. Senate’s Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, which is examining his nomination, Brian Quintenz made what was interpreted as favorable remarks for federally regulated prediction markets.
