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Zach Gillum

Vice President of Racing and Wagering at Oaklawn Hot Springs racetrack in Arkansas; regular guest on Arkansas radio shows Morning Mayhem and The Zone (103.7 The Buzz).

Aug 6, 2026

0:39
Big news in the world of horse racing, speaking of.
0:43
Yeah, very big news.
0:44
You know, those three weeks out, I think it will definitely help their field size, but time will tell.
0:49
You know, over the last few years, I think the last two have skipped the greatness that have won the Derby.
0:54
I think it was three or four out of the last five.
0:56
So I hope it gets it back to, I know triple crown is something that really is a focus of our sport.
1:01
And it's something that brings everybody out almost.
1:43
I see you already have a lot of college football lines for the early games of the season, too, and I'm sure you've got some early lines for NFL as well, right?
35:27
Big news in the world of horse racing, speaking of.
35:31
Yeah, very big moves.
35:32
Those three weeks out, I think it will definitely help their field size, but time will tell.
35:38
Over the last few years, I think the last two have skipped the greatness that have won the Derby.
35:42
I think it was three or four out of the last five, so I hope it gets it back, too.
35:45
I know Triple Crown is something that really is a focus of our sport, and it's something that brings everybody out.
35:50
I think it was 25 million, roughly, or 20 million that won.
36:35
And I'm sure you've got some early lines for NFL as well, right?
0:19
But the good news is it's perfectly air conditioned in the sports book and all over Oakland, so that's nice.
0:25
Yes, come on in.
0:26
You might even need a light jacket.
0:27
It's definitely cool in here.
0:28
It is warm outside, and, you know, it's warm in the FanDuel Oak Lawn Sports app.
0:33
You know, I know this is the time of year where it feels like things are slowing down.
0:37
We just got through a World Cup, just had the last major of the year for golf, but we are 35 days away from college football.
3:08
So do you all adjust that based on national, or is that based on action that you guys take yourself or FanDuel in general?
1:40
And Norway and England.
1:42
Yeah, so Spain and Belgium.
1:43
That is Friday, 2 o'clock for that game to start.
1:47
Spain, minus 340, your favorite.
1:48
Belgium at plus 260.
1:50
And again, these are odds to advance to the next round.
1:53
It's about the easiest thing to understand.
3:41
What else is happening this weekend, Zach?
42:28
Argentina and Switzerland and Norway and England.
42:32
Yeah, so Spain and Belgium, that is Friday, 2 o'clock for that game to start.
42:37
Spain, minus 340, your favorite.
42:38
Belgium at plus 260.
42:40
And again, these are odds to advance to the next round.
42:43
It's about the easiest thing to understand.
42:45
So your team advances to the next stage.
44:20
my gosh against vera okay interesting well it's very played great yesterday so i can understand why the odds are so long but he will definitely be the rooting favorite at home i'm assuming they're on center court again but we'll see uh what else is happening this weekend zach
speaker_1HOST
3:28
And so this is a unique thing you guys are doing here.
3:32
Yeah, it's really cool.
3:33
And, you know, there were some people that were kind of misunderstanding it.
3:35
They thought it was hurting them.
3:37
They were like, well, if my player comes out, I don't want his substitute.
3:40
And I said, well, keep in mind, in this instance, what this is really for is if your star player's already got two shots on goal and you bet three plus, but your team's up three, they're probably going to put him on the bench and put in his sub.
3:52
Isn't it nice that that sub shot on goal counts for you? So that's the biggest thing is, it really helps you out to where if your team's doing so well that you're a star player, it doesn't have to be a star, your player that you wagered on is now pulled out of the game, his substats count for that wager.
speaker_1HOST
4:28
But if there's money to be made and you think there's some opportunities out there for you, you know, you might as well take advantage of it.
32:38
And so this is a unique thing you guys are doing here.
32:42
Yeah, it's really cool.
32:43
And, you know, there were some people that were kind of misunderstanding it.
32:45
They thought it was hurting them.
32:47
They were like, well, if my player comes out, I don't want his substitute.
32:50
And I said, well, keep in mind, in this instance, what this is really for is if your star player's already got two shots on goal and you bet three plus, but your team's up three, they're probably going to put him on the bench and put in his sub.
33:02
Isn't it nice that that sub shot on goal counts for you? So that's the biggest thing is it really helps you out to where if your team's doing so well that you're a star player, it doesn't have to be a star, your player that you wagered on is now pulled out of the game, his sub stats count for that wager.
33:38
But if there's money to be made, you think there's some opportunities out there for you, you know, you might as well take advantage of it.
4:02
We'll run through a little bit of the, do you have any specials or anything different with the U.S. game going on tonight?
4:08
Right now, there is a promotion going.
4:10
Bet $1, get $2.50 back if the U.S. reaches the round of 16 based on what we just told you on those odds.
4:16
Minus $3.10.
4:18
Looking very likely that happens.
4:20
If you log in, that's one of the promotions up at the top.
4:22
You can get all the details there.
5:23
Got to be.
MooseHOST
35:07
We'll run through a little bit of the, do you have any specials or anything different with the U.S. game going on tonight?
35:13
So right now there is a promotion going, bet $1, get $2.50 back if the U.S. reaches the round of 16, based on what we just told you on those odds, minus $3.10.
35:23
Looking very likely that happens.
35:25
So if you log in, that's one of the promotions up at the top.
35:28
You can get all the details there.
35:30
There are some other profit boosts that are live for the day, not just for World Cup, but for some other sports as well.
35:35
And then for the U.S. game, similar to the game where Justin's at, you have other options than just winning the game.
MooseHOST
36:28
Got to be.
37:39
How about futures on the U.S. Open?
37:43
Yeah, Wyndham Clark right now, plus 240.
37:45
He was plus 190 when I was looking about 30 minutes ago.
37:49
He had a big first round, 6-under, playing well today, under par, and late in the round.
37:54
So he's about off the course.
37:55
He's on his 16th hole as we speak.
37:58
Morikawa having a hot day.
41:07
Did you guys have a lot of action on that?
0:18
What are we working on?
0:20
So there's a lot on the board, obviously, looking at this.
0:23
And I heard you mention first matchup Mexico-South Africa there, minus 250.
0:28
Looking at those odds, USA's first matchup tomorrow, 2 o'clock.
0:32
And they are minus 110, a favorite in that matchup.
0:35
Now keep in mind, most of these matchups are going to be listed in three-way markets.
0:39
So you're going to have a team, a tie, and a team.
3:41
All right, what else do we want to hit?
41:58
What are we working on?
42:01
So there's a lot on the board, obviously, looking at this.
42:04
And I heard you mention first matchup Mexico-South Africa there, minus 250.
42:09
Looking at those odds, USA's first matchup tomorrow, 2 o'clock.
42:13
And they are minus 110, a favorite in that matchup.
42:16
Now, keep in mind, most of these matchups are going to be listed in three-way markets.
42:19
So you're going to have a team, a tie, and a team.
45:37
All right, what else do we want to hit?
9:21
Is it, is it overwhelming now that the, the Spurs are the favorite to win tonight? I mean, not Spurs, uh, the Knicks, and w- and finish it off here in, in another game?
9:30
Yeah, I mean, the Knicks have, uh, really, you know, turned themself into a pretty heavy favorite.
9:35
They're going up 2-0.
9:36
In tonight's game they're only two and a half point favorite, um, but they are a favorite back at home in New York.
9:42
Um, and then many different options on how to get down on the game, whether it's the point spread, um, you know, the total obviously, the, uh, money line, but you have a lot of player props, threes, rebounds, assists, um, a lot of different 10 game parlays that you can do with that, and then you're gonna have some fun promotions that go with that, whether it's a profit boost or, um-

9 MINS LATER

speaker_7UNKNOWN
19:01
Yes.
19:01
So that is a good guess.
19:01
They're at plus 460.
speaker_2HOST
1:41
What's going on with softball and baseball, Zach? What kind of odds are you guys sporting down there?
1:46
Yeah, looking at softball.
1:47
So this is Arkansas at Nebraska, facing Nebraska.
1:50
Arkansas, a slight dog here.
1:51
Money line plus 108 on Nebraska, minus 138.
1:55
And it looks like right now it's mainly just the money line market for the game.
2:01
And then for the men's side of things, taking on Missouri State, or I'm sorry.
speaker_2HOST
5:52
Anything else you want to hit before we
MooseHOST
3:16
Ugh
3:16
... a win somewhere.
3:17
But, uh, Major League Baseball underway.
3:20
Some teams starting to separate themselves.
3:22
You also have NHL for the hockey fans out there.
3:24
They're in their playoffs as well, so can't forget about that.
3:27
You have the Canadians and the Hurricanes tonight.
3:48
... you got your basketball
33:15
All that's still available?
33:18
All that's still available.
33:18
You have round leader.
33:20
You have live specials that will vary depending on what the day is going on.
33:24
Birdies are better.
33:24
So who do you think is going to make the most birdies, whether it's the tournament or a round? have bogey-free round one.
33:33
So if you think Mr. Scotty Shepard is going to go bogey-free today, plus 430.
34:45
What else is on the docket for the weekend, Zach, as far as top options?
Todd PierceCORRESPONDENT
3:20
If they, if they get there, LSU doesn't want to see them, but, but yeah.
3:26
Well, and sticking with that Arkansas same basketball odds for next year on the board, if you're looking for that Arkansas 18 to one and then football, you have three games that are available as well as some future markets.
3:37
So, Win total right now at 4.5. And then you have whether or not they'll win the championship.
3:46
That's obviously pretty long odds there.
3:48
SEC, similar.
3:49
To make the college football playoff, you're getting 60-1.
3:53
And then those three games you have posted, they opened it up as a heavy favorite against North Alabama.
speaker_3HOST
5:33
How will that affect the lines going into the Preakness when the Kentucky Derby winner is not going to participate?
31:19
Uh, what are, what are we looking at there?
31:24
Four games going, two tonight, two tomorrow.
31:27
Um, right now the Pistons a three and a half point favorite over the Cavs.
31:31
They lead that series 1-0.
31:33
And then late tonight you have the Lakers and the Thunder.
31:36
Thunder an overwhelming favorite.
31:37
I mean, they've been your favorite to win the championship since last year before they had won the championship.
34:47
But how d- w- how will that affect, uh, the lines, uh, going into the Preakness when the Kentucky Derby winner is not gonna participate?
12:49
You bet.
12:50
And a lot of people kind of forget Litmus Test because he was 22 or 23, but he did make his way into the field, ran I think third in our Rebels, seventh in the Derby.
12:58
Now in the Derby, I feel like you can give them an excuse.
13:00
They tried an equipment change.
13:01
They're putting the blinkers back on for the Derby.
13:04
And that usually helps the horse keep a little more focused, and he's really going to need that in a field of 20.
13:09
It's Bob Baffert.

9 MINS LATER

22:34
You were doing both the wagering side of the sports book, but you were also doing horse, the horse business.

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