Behind The Lines - Presented by inplayLIVE
Welcome to the inplayLIVE Podcast!! In this season of the podcast, tune in each week to Behind The Lines! In this podcast, we won't be giving out picks, predictions, or what parlays we're making (spoiler alert: parlays are a surefire way to lose money). We're not going to tell you the latest scores and stats, but we're here to blow the lid off the tricks and tactics that sportsbooks use to keep bettors in the dark and at a disadvantage. You'll get an inside look at their sneaky strategies and find out how to dodge their traps and pitfalls. Join inplayLIVE CEO Andrew Pace and host Shane Mercer each week to dive deep into all things sports betting, and how to beat the books!
Episodes
192 episodes
Why Did This Bet VOID? With Mark Penelton
A hockey bet with thousands across multiple books and odds providers voids - why? This week, Shane is joined by inplayLIVE member Mark Penelton for a deep dive into why, and what it means for the betting industry going forward. Plus - a look in...
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59:59
Can A Trapezoid Predict Who Will Win March Madness? With Ryan Hammer
This week, Pace and Shane invite Ryan Hammer back onto the show to dive deep into the Trapezoid of Excellence; what it is, how it works, and what it all means for March Madness! Plus - breaking news in the ever-changing world of sports betting....
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1:00:01
This Bettor Saw The Dark Side of Sportsbooks
This week Pace and Shane are joined by Scotty Longshot for a deep dive into the side of sports betting most people never see.From long-shot betting and plus-money strategy to shady sportsbooks, account shutdowns, glitchy lines, and susp...
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1:04:43
The Bet On Khamenei That Sparked A Payout Controversy
Did Kalshi get it wrong? The market on Iran’s Supreme Leader just paid out — but bettors are arguing about whether the resolution actually followed the rules. This week Pace, Shane, and Gosu dive deep into Khamenei controversy. Plu...
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1:00:19
Did They Change The Odds After McDavid Won MVP?
An Olympic parlay paying $25,000 suddenly became $4,000 — after the bet had already hit.Shane and Gosu break down the viral McDavid MVP + points controversy, how correlated parlays are priced, and what this means for bettors going forwa...
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56:46
How Sharps Are Betting THESE NBA Futures
This week Pace, Shane and Gosu dive into NBA futures and how the sharp money is approaching the board right now. Pace shares some big news from Maui - they talk Olympics bets, the NBA Allstar game and more. John shares some elite futures bets, ...
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Episode 152
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49:54
I Had My Worst NFL Betting Season - Here’s Why It Matters
This week, Pace and Shane unpack the Super Bowl that, let’s be honest… left a lot of fans wanting more. From game flow to betting angles, coaching decisions and more, the guys unpack what made it such a tough watch and what bettors can actually...
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Episode 151
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40:36
Is AI About to Take Over Sports Betting? With Dr. Brett Abarbanel
This week, and Behind The Lines' 150th episode, Dr. Brett Abarbanel returns to break down the future of sports betting. Pace and Shane dive into how AI is reshaping betting strategy, the rapid rise of prediction markets, and the growing challen...
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1:01:15
Does Everybody Lose in Sports Gambling? With Danny Funt
This week, Shane and Pace are joined by investigative journalist Danny Funt to discuss his new book, Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. The conversation traces the modern gambling boom — from offshore books and re...
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Episode 149
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1:05:00
Why the NFL Still Can’t Define a Catch
On this week's episode, Shane and Pace dive into the newest controversy in the NFL - What actually defines a catch? Two nearly identical plays. ruled differently... they dive into the NFL’s catch rules, the idea of “surviving the ground,” and w...
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Episode 148
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59:02
Why Most Bettors Will Lose in 2026 (And What Winners Are Doing Instead)
Why do most bettors lose — even when they feel like they’re doing everything “right”?In this week's episode, in addition the NFL Playoffs, Pace and Shane break down what exactly is holding bettors back heading into 2026. From misu...
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Episode 147
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1:06:33
Why Sports Betting Is Ripe for Fraud (Former Lottery CEO Explains)
This week, after a deep dive into the NFL playoffs and looking ahead to the insane matchups for football with John, Pace and Shane talk to former lottery CEO and fraud prevention expert Terry Rich for a look into fraud prevention in sports bett...
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Episode 146
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58:59
NFL Teams Are Playing Overtime Wrong - Here's How – Episode 145
This week, Pace, Shane and Gosu dive deep into the new rules in the NFL and how they're interacting with how teams play (or not) in overtime, and what this means for the league. They look ahead to the NFL playoffs with the usual picks from Gosu...
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1:12:49
You Can Actually Get PAID to Build Parlays – Here's How - Episode 144
This week, Pace and Shane invite an SX Bet parlay tournament winner, Jackel, onto the show for a discussion on his wins in a tournament that isn't all that it seems - plus, Grind with Gosu for the week ahead in the NFL, and some news shak...
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42:56
The NFL Is Getting Worse—And Here's Proof - Episode 143
The NFL is falling apart. This week, Shane, Pace, and Gosu dive into how team tendencies have shifted dramatically - making games sloppier, less predictable, and the overall quality of play substantially worse. Is the league in decline, or just...
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59:16
Did Pete Carroll RIG The Raiders Loss? Episode 142
Did Pete Carroll rig the Raiders’ loss? This week, Shane and Pace break down the explosive backlash to the Broncos-Raiders finale, where Carroll’s last-second field goal covered the spread, sparking rigging accusations from Dave Portnoy and fan...
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48:18
Did This Book Just Ask for a Psychiatrist’s Note? - Episode 141
Did a sportsbook really demand notarized proof Pace isn’t addicted to gambling? Pace reads the insane message word-for-word, break down how far responsible-gaming rules have gone off the rails, and expose which books are now asking for mental-h...
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50:59
Has A Sportsbook Ever Sent You This Email? With Prashan - Episode 140
Has a sportsbook ever refused to pay you? This week, Pace, Shane and inplayLIVE member Prashan investigate what that's like. Also! Shane and Pace dive deeper into the NBA betting scandal, Canada banning sports betting ads, and more - plus the u...
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1:05:19
He Beats Slots for a Living… But You’ll Never See His Face (With Daffy) - Episode 139
He’s never shown his face on YouTube… for a reason. This week Shane goes one-on-one with a secretive advantage slots player who has cracked certain machines for consistent positive expected value. Discover the exact conditions, the math behind ...
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1:31:41
Did This 2009 Case KILL The Big Beautiful Bill? With Gary Kondler - Episode 138
This week, Shane, Pace, and John dive deep with CPA Gary Kondler on how a landmark tax court ruling could be the ultimate solution for bettors facing the 90% loss deduction limit, exposing loopholes and strategies to fight back. Plus - grind th...
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1:03:07
How Long To Turn $1 Into A MILLION? With Kurt Ballard (Volume Bets)
This week, Pace and Shane chat with Kurt Ballard, aka Volume Bets and take a deep dive into Kurt's $1 to 1 Million Dollar challenge - what inspired it, his lessons learned along the way, why he does what he does and much more - plus later on, l...
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1:14:09
Did the MAFIA rig an NBA game? - Episode 136
This week, Shane and Pace unpack the FBI's explosive probe into rigged poker rings and insider betting scandals, where NBA stars like Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier face charges tied to crime families stealing $7M+ from victims. Plus, a $1.8...
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1:19:42
A Sportsbook STOLE $90,000 From Me. Here's What I did. - Episode 135
This week, Pace and Shane take a deep dive into a dark side of the sports betting industry - what happens when a book steals your money? Plus later on, find out if Shane is firing Pace for his teasers, and grind the week ahead with NCAAF and NF...
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48:14
Will the Big Beautiful Bill BANKRUPT Bettors? With Adam Robinson - Episode 134
This week Adam Robinson from America's Bettors' Voice sits down with Pace and Shane to discuss exactly that - and, spoiler alert - it's not looking good. From a mass exodus out of regulated books, to huge losses in tax revenue at the state leve...
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1:21:54
Can BREATHWORK make you a sharp? With Elliot Roe and Samm Hunter - Episode 133
This week, Pace and Shane dive deep into the world of mindset to answer that question, bringing Elliot Roe and Samm Hunter along for the ride - Elliot and Samm share their expertise on overcoming mental barriers, the importance of routine, and ...
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1:19:22