The Daily Valet. - 2/11/22, Friday

✔️ A Safe Bet?

Friday, February 11th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I’m not a big football fan, but the Super Bowl excites me … for the snacks.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Betting on the Super Bowl

This year’s game could see millions more legal sports bettors

It’s not about winning or losing, but how much money you made off your bet. For Sunday’s Super Bowl, 31.4 million Americans are expected to place $7.6 billion in legal bets—an increase of 78% over last year, respectively, according to the American Gaming Association.

Bettors include people making casual wagers with friends or relatives, entries into office pools, wagers with licensed sportsbooks, and bets placed with illegal bookmakers. According to the Associated Press, 30 states plus Washington D.C. now offer legal gambling.

This past year, partnerships with sports gambling companies and casinos represented a significant chunk of the NFL’s record $1.8 billion in sponsorship revenue, with virtually every big name—including DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM and PointsBet—getting a piece of the action.

But you might recall that the NFL was adamantly against the idea for decades—fearing that legalized gambling would commingle with match-fixing and corruption and hurt the integrity of the sport.

Axios reports that FanDuel says 59% of spread bets are on Cincinnati to cover the 4-point spread as an underdog. Among moneyline bets that do not involve a points spread, 76% of bets predict the Bengals will win the game outright.

Of course, some of the most fun wagers often involve events such as the length of the National Anthem to the first song being sung during the halftime show.

↦ HalfTime: The best Super Bowl halftime shows are the ones where something goes wrong, argues InsideHook.

Inflation Rises to a 40-Year High

Costs of everyday items are rising the fastest

Consumer prices rose 7.5% in January compared to the previous year for the greatest year-over-year increase since February 1982, the Labor Department said Thursday.

A sharp uptick in housing rental prices—one of the biggest monthly costs for households—contributed to last month's increase. Strong demand from consumers and a strained supply chain due to the pandemic were also blamed for the high inflation numbers.

But it's now raising pressure on the Federal Reserve (and, by extension, the White House) to take serious action to get control of prices. And that could mean a supersized interest rate hike. CNN calls it a drastic move—a tool the government hasn't used in over two decades. But that could effectively ease up the overall heat of the economy.

Still, plenty of economists believe inflation will cool by year's end, reports the New York Times, as automobile prices climb at a more moderate pace and supply chain problems hopefully ease.

↦ Dig Deeper: Where is inflation is hitting hardest? The Wall Street Journal examines the price of everything from groceries to utilities.

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Supersonic Flight Is Coming Back

I feel the need ... the need for speed

Call it a supersonic boom. All the latest technology in flight seems to be aiming towards flying as fast as possible.

NASA's X-59 supersonic jet, which is being developed with Lockheed Martin, just started undergoing wind-tunnel tests and is expected to make its first flight later this year. Nicknamed “Son of Concorde” after the famed commercial jet that launched in the late 1960s, this new generation is called QueSST—or Quiet SuperSonic Technology aircraft.

Other supersonic projects are moving forward as well. Boom Aerospace announced it was breaking ground for a new production facility in North Carolina to build the first commercial supersonic plane. They company just got a strategic investment of $60 million from the U.S. Air Force and the first plane should be finished in less than three years.

And in China, a company called Space Transportation recently released footage of a prototype jet that it said would reach 2,600 mph. That kind of speed would allow it to fly from New York to Beijing in about an hour. Even Virgin Galactic has plans to eventually use its supersonic aircraft for more than just space tourism, and instead carry time-sensitive (and very wealthy) travelers to far-flung destinations in record time.

↦ Meanwhile: Some environmentalists and European nations are set to clash with the U.S. over the noise rules for supersonic jets.

A Weekend Pairing

‘Bel-Air’ + a fancy canned cocktail

Another month, another reboot right? But 'Bel-Air' is not your typical reboot. While recent re-inventions rest on replicating familiar formats, regurgitating subplots or recasting actors to reprise their roles, the Peacock series, which premieres Super Bowl Sunday, is a top-to-bottom reimagining of the story told on a '90s sitcom.

Variety says the show's low expectations “got flipped-turned upside down.” Where Will Smith once mugged for the ‘Fresh Prince’ studio audience, newcomer Jabari Banks holds his own as the anchor of a coming-of-age story that should feel familiar even if you've never seen a single episode of the comedy that inspired it. And Empire points out that like the original show, ‘Bel-Air’ uses its deceptively simple setup as “a vehicle through which to have important, necessary conversations on everything from the use of the n-word and Black-on-Black prejudice, to the unfair biases of the prison system and more.”

↦ Your Pairing:I thought this pairing should have a high-low balance like the show. So what better than canned cocktails? Except these cans are from Death & Co. They took the most popular, original drinks served at their bars, then scale them up into a single batch cocktail featuring Colorado-made bourbon and ginger paired with birch and amaro.

In Other News

↦ Abortions in Texas Fell 60% in 1st Month Under New Limits

↦ Protections for Gray Wolves Restored Across Much of the U.S.

↦ How the Switch From the Sit-Up to the Crunch Created the Ab-Scam Industry

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Emoji skin colors

The Genesis G80

Streetwear is dead?

There’s Something About a Rolex

Why buy one when you could win it for free?

There are few status symbols more coveted or revered than a Rolex watch. It's at once a luxurious indicator of a man's success and a useful timepiece durable enough to last a lifetime (or more).

Well, now's your chance to score one for yourself, for free. Yes, I'm serious. It's an Oyster Perpetual Datejust, complete with the signature Oyster bracelet and magnifying cyclops lens. We've partnered with a few of our favorite brands to give it away. It's a gorgeous timepiece and since I can't win it, you might as well.

↦ Enter Now: To win a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust

V-Day Fit

Valentine's Day is on Monday, and you're ready for your date—gifts are wrapped, reservations are made, flowers have been ordered. What else is there? Well, depending on where dinner is, you have to dress the part.

↦ Get It: Our Valentine's Day date fit

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