Renowned Oddsmaker And Analyst Inducted Into Mobile Sports Hall Of Fame

• Danny Sheridan has been inducted into the Mobile, Alabama, Sports Hall of Fame.
• Sheridan is the first member of the sports wagering industry to be so honored, signifying a change in local attitudes about sports betting and gambling.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Mobile, Alabama, has a Sports Hall of Fame, and in a distinct sign of the times, its newest inductee is famous for the betting side of things.

Danny Sheridan has been a Mobile mainstay, commentating on the US sports scene and handicapping sporting events for the last 35 years. You may not know him by name, but if you’ve watched any mainstream athletics coverage over the last decade or two, you’ll definitely recognize Sheridan.

And now, he’s being recognized by his hometown’s most prestigious honor association, as he will be enshrined in the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame this Thursday.

Sheridan, a graduate of the University of Alabama, provided daily odds for USA Today for 30 years (1982-2012), has been featured on every major network and cable TV channel (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, TBS, CNN, ESPN, CNBC, ETC), and has written for the likes of Playboy, Penthouse, Maxim, FHM, and more.

Of course, Sheridan’s most critical contribution to the slow mass adoption of legal sports betting came in 2001. That year, he testified before Congress in opposition of a bill that would ban NCAA sports betting in Nevada. Based in large part on his testimony, the bill was not adopted.

On August 1, 2018, Sheridan made the first legal sports bet in the state of Mississippi, taking the “under” on the Auburn Tigers 2018 season win total, which was set at 10 games. (The Tigers went on to finish with an 8-5 record, and Sheridan took home about $1,000.)

In addition to Sheridan, the 31st class of the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame includes five other inductees:

• Luis Gonzalez – legendary Diamondbacks slugger whose most famous hit was a bloop single.
• Roy Patton – 10-time Conference Coach of the Year, career NCAA soccer coaching record of 369-167-7.
• Nyla Shepherd – McGill-Toolen volleyball star, won four straight AHSAA Class 6A volleyball championships, career 222-9 record.
• Rick Trickett – 40-plus-year career as NCAA football coach for programs such as West Virginia, Southern Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, and Florida State.
• Rea Schuessler (posthumous) – manager of Ladd Stadium for 30 years, built the venue’s marquee Senior Bowl into the preeminent college football showcase event.

The 2019 class will join such enshrined sports history superstars as Hank Aaron, Willie McCovey, Ozzie Smith, Billy Williams, Kenny Stabler, Satchel Paige, William Perdue, Frank Howard, Peggy Martin, and Eddie Stanky, among others.

What Sheridan’s Induction Means For Legal Alabama Sports Betting

Alabama has long been known as one of the strictest states when it comes to any kind of gambling whatsoever. There are only three betting venues in Alabama, and all are Class II tribal operations.

Further, the state has no horse tracks, only offering simulcast horse racing betting at a few local dog tracks. Just last week, the Alabama Senate – by one vote – passed a bill to allow a public vote on opening a state lottery.

In such a conservative state, the prospect for legal sports betting seems like it should be a long-shot at best. However, Sheridan’s induction into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame shows that attitudes are changing.

To that end, Alabama is actually currently considering a sports wagering legalization package.

House Bill 315 would create the Alabama Sports Wagering Commission and authorize wagering on professional and collegiate sports.

House Bill 358 would legalize sports wagering on professional, collegiate, and select amateur contests.

While neither bill has seen a formal vote on the Alabama House floor, Sheridan’s local notoriety and acceptance into a mainstream Hall of Fame speaks to the momentum that legal Alabama sports betting has in the state.

It seems unlikely that Alabama will formally legalize sports wagering in time for state bettors to put money on the Crimson Tide this season, but you can expect betting to become a legal Alabama pastime sometime within the next year or so.

Especially if Sheridan gives the induction speech we all expect him to.

News tags: AL HB 315 | AL HB 358 | Alabama | Alabama sports betting | Danny Sheridan