O.J. Simpson Odds Beyond the Grave
You Can Now Bet On OJ-Related Developments
The rise and ubiquity of sports betting has seemingly no end and that appears to be true even after major sports figures pass away.
Controversial former NFL player O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, died two weeks ago and now you can actually bet on certain OJ Simpson posthumous odds such as what will happen with his assets, whether proof of his confession to the crime will be found or even how much his famed white Ford Bronco will sell for.
As strange as it sounds, there are multiple bets available regarding O.J. Simpson and none of them relating to O.J. Simpson’s NFL career stats.
It’s often forgotten how good Simpson was as a running back in college at USC — he rushed for 3,423 yards in just two seasons — and for the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, where he was the 1973 NFL MVP as he ran for 2,003 yards.
He was a rare player to be inducted in both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
However, though, he is best known for being charged with and eventually acquitted of the murder of Brown and Goldman, the police chase which initially resulted in his apprehension, the media circus his trial turned into, and his bizarre behavior after his trial.
Simpson was also arrested and for a robbery he orchestrated in a Las Vegas hotel room, eventually serving almost nine years in prison. To say that he led an eventful life would be an understatement.
The Famed White Ford Bronco
If you were of a certain age on June 17, 1994, then you probably remember exact where you were when Al Cowlings‘ white Ford Bronco became the most famous car in America, and maybe the world, for a certain period of time.
Cowlings — a former NFL player himself who was Simpson’s friend growing up in San Francisco and played with O.J. in college and on the Bills and 49ers, was with Simpson when he refused to turn himself in to the LAPD for his arrest. Cowlings was driving his car with Simpson in the back as police chased them back to Simpson’s Los Angeles home.
News stations broke into special coverage to track Cowlings’ drive, and phone calls to police, as he drove on the 405 Freeway to Brentwood, captivating the country.
Now, you can actually buy that notorious Ford Bronco as the current owners — owned by one of Simpson’s friends and two of Cowlings’ friends — are putting it up for public auction. There are actually OJ Simpson posthumous odds on what the final sale price for the car will be.
Right now, the dollar total is set at $1,500,000.50 with the over at -150 and the under at +110. Of course, it’s extremely hard to prognosticate what the sale price for such a unique item is going to be but it’s certainly interesting to think about.
The sellers have said they are seeking around $1.5 million for the car but because it is so unique — how often is a car of all things so intertwined with an incredibly well-known moment in American history? — there are reasons to believe the over is a smart bet. This isn’t like typical sports betting, of course.
Will We Ever Know OJ’s Guilt?
One bet asks whether or not an official after-death admission of Simpson’s guilt will ever be found. “Yes” is -130 while “No” is -110. This one is more difficult to conceptualize because many people consider Simpson’s book, called “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer,” to be a tacit admission that he did in fact kill Simpson Brown and Goldman. But, he never, during his life, did confess to the murders.
It’s a bit of a gray area what would constitute such proof, more gray area than with regular NFL odds, but any proof would certainly be a bombshell.
Some of the other OJ Simpson posthumous odds are a little more personal. There is a bet on the board asking whether Simpson’s assets will go to court to be used to pay the families of Brown and Goldman.
“Yes” is -260 because it seems like a formality for that to be the case because of allegations that Simpson withheld money to avoid paying a huge civil settlement levied against him in court. “No” is +170 and while that is good value — likely hoping that there will be some kind of out-of-court settlement — it is much less likely.
The other odd on the board is whether the people around Simpson that signed a non-disclosure agreement will break the terms of said agreement.
“Yes” and “no” are both -120 because it’s a bit more unclear who signed a NDA, what exactly the terms of those agreements were and what they prevent the signees from actually divulging to the public.
For NFL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
