Welcome back to the WNBA Cup!

In every WNBA regular-season game, we award descending points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five players.  At the end of the season, the player with the most points will be awarded the Notinhalloffame WNBA Cup. 

However, the winning player must accept their award in person in the Emerald City of Seattle.

Here is the current top ten as of games concluded on August 21:

1. A’Ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces, 125 Cup Points:  33 Games, 3.73 Cup Points per Game, 22.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 2.2 BPG, 32.7 PER, 7.2 WS.  (#2 Last Week)

2. Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury, 107 Cup Points:  30 Games, 3.57 Cup Points per Game, 16.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 8.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 25.7 PER, 5.6 WS. (#3 Last Week)

3. Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx, 106 Cup Points:  26 Games, 4.08 Cup Points per Game, 23.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 31.1 PER, 7.0 WS.  (#1 Last Week)

4. Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm, 101 Cup Points:  36 Games, 2.81 Cup Points Per Game, 18.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 22.8 PER, 4.8 WS. (#4 Last Week)

5. Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream, 95 Cup Points:  36 Games, 2.64 Cup Points per Game, 18.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 19.8 PER, 6.6 WS. (#5 Last Week)

6. Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks, 93 Cup Points, 35 Games, 2.66 Cup Points per Game, 17.9, PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 23.2 PER, 4.3 WS. (#6 Last Week)

7. Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever, 81 Cup Points:  35 Games, 2.31 Cup Points per Game, 15.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 22.8 PER, 5.8 WS. (#7 Last Week)

8 (TIE). Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks, 76 Cup Points:  34 Games, 2.24 Cup Points Per Game, 20.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 19.3 PER, 3.9 WS.  (Not in the Top Ten Last Week)

8 (TIE). Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty, 76 Cup Points:  35 Games, 2.08 Cup Points Per Game, 19.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 20.4 PER, 3.9 WS. (#9 Last Week)

10. Paige Buckers, Dallas Wings, 75 Cup Points: 29 Games, 2.58 Cup Points per Game, 19.7, PPG, 4.1 RPG, 5.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 22.0 PER, 3.7 WS. (Not in the Top Ten Last Week)

Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell and New York’s Breanna Stewart fell out of the top ten.

At present, 122 players have received at least one point, the same amount as last week.

Our next update will be up next Friday.

It is with great pleasure that we have brought back the Notinhalloffame MLB Regular Cup, and let us explain how this works:

For every regular-season game, we anointed the top five players with the most points, in descending order: 5-4-3-2-1. 

We know the following:

• The top players for the MLB NIHOF Cup are not always the best in the league, as injuries keep players out of games, and a premium on staying healthy can help pile up points. It also does not hurt to be a top player on an average or mediocre team, as they can amass Cup points more easily than elite players on loaded squads.
• In Baseball, it is more common than in Basketball and Hockey for a player to accrue points with a single Home Run in a game, which favors position players. Starting Pitchers have a hard time with approximately 30-35 Starts and throwing fewer innings than previous generations. This is also true for closers not made for this process.
• Please remember that this is NOT necessarily who we think were the best players this year and does not reflect overall consistency. Treat this the way we did: as a fun process and more of a compilation of temporary statistical domination.

Here is the current top ten after games concluded on August 21.

1. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers:  168 Cup Points in 125 Games.  (#1 Last Week).  5.7 bWAR, 120 Runs, 138 Hits, 44 Home Runs, 83 Runs Batted In, .285/.393/.625 Slash Line, 1.018 OPS & 181 OPS+.

2. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees: 163 Cup Points in 116 Games. (#2 Last Week).  6.9 bWAR, 99 Runs, 139 Hits, 40 Home Runs, 92 Runs Batted In, .330/.445/.684 Slash Line, 1.129 OPS & 209 OPS+.

3. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners: 151 Cup Points in 125 Games. (#4 Last Week).   5.6 bWAR, 83 Runs, 116 Hits, 47 Home Runs, 102 Runs Batted In, .247/.355/.588 Slash Line, .944 OPS & 167 OPS+.

4. Pete Alonso, New York Mets: 147 Cup Points in 121 Games. (#3 Last Week).   2.9 bWAR, 65 Runs, 126 Hits, 28 Home Runs, 101 Runs Batted In, .264/.347/.510 Slash Line, .858 OPS & 143 OPS+.

5. Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies: 140 Cup Points in 127 Games.  (#5 Last Week).  4.2 bWAR, 89 Runs, 120 Hits, 45 Home Runs, 109 Runs Batted In, .253/.373/.584 Slash Line, .957 OPS & 157 OPS+.

6. Manny Machado, San Diego Padres: 136 Cup Points in 128 Games. (#6 Last Week).   4.0 bWAR, 74 Runs, 145 Hits, 21 Home Runs, 77 Runs Batted In, .294/.354/.486 Slash Line, .840 OPS & 130 OPS+.

7. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets: 134 Cup Points in 125 Games. (#10 Last Week).   3.7 bWAR, 85 Runs, 133 Hits, 25 Home Runs, 72 Runs Batted In, .262/.329/.461 Slash Line, .790 OPS & 124 OPS+.

8. Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians:  133 Cup Points in 123 Games.  (#7 Last Week).  5.1 bWAR, 81 Runs, 135 Hits, 26 Home Runs, 66 Runs Batted In, .291/.366/.517 Slash Line, .883 OPS & 141 OPS+.

9. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals: 129 Cup Points in 126 Games. (#8 Last Week).  5.5 bWAR, 81 Runs, 146 Hits, 18 Home Runs, 69 Runs Batted In, .295/.353/.501 Slash Line, .854 OPS & 135 OPS+.

10 (TIE). Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers:  127 Cup Points in 125 Games.  (#8 Last Week).  2.4 bWAR, 66 Runs, 126 Hits, 29 Home Runs, 92 Runs Batted In, .263/.317/.503 Slash Line, .820 OPS & 119 OPS+.

10 (TIE). Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers: 127 Cup Points in 120 Games. (Not in the Top Ten Last Week).   4.5 bWAR, 81 Runs, 136 Hits, 20 Home Runs, 67 Runs Batted In, .300/.397/.496 Slash Line, .893 OPS & 147 OPS+.

Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. fell out of the Top Ten.

Notably, 1,067 baseball players have earned at least 1 point, up from 1,051 last week.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives. As such, it is important to us that the Washington Commanders announced that Art Monk’s number 81 will be retired on November 2 during Washington’s home game against the Seattle Seahawks.

A First Round Pick in 1980 (18th Overall), Monk played fourteen seasons with Washington, where he earned three Pro Bowls and compiled 12,026 Receiving Yards and 65 Touchdowns.  Monk also helped the team win three Super Bowls.

Monk becomes the sixth man to have his number retired by the franchise, joining Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Darrell Green, Sonny Jurgensen, and Sean Taylor.

Monk was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Art Monk for his impending honor.

Live Betting and Mobile Sportsbooks The Digital Frontier in Betting

Live betting has evolved from an additional option on betting platforms to a market stimulant. Today, up to half of all predictions are made during the match, and the time between odds updates is measured in fractions of a second. The format is supported by high-speed data streams and algorithms that instantly recalculate the odds after each event – a goal, a serve, a penalty.

Mobile apps have strengthened the position of live mode. Betting from a smartphone is not tied to a location – you can place a bet in just a couple of clicks. Software for Android and iOS displays the live line on the main screen, sends push notifications about important moments and synchronises the video broadcast with the current odds. Detailed information on the development of sports technology can be found at cookislandssport.com.

Real-Time Betting Evolution

The first betting sites built their business on pre-match lines. Odds were fixed hours before the event. Changes were rarely made, and any fluctuations in the odds were unavailable to the player at the time of the game. The situation changed in the mid-2000s, when internet speeds and streaming quality allowed sports data to be transmitted in real time.

The emergence of API feeds from specialised providers such as Sportradar and Genius Sports was a technical breakthrough. Odds began to be updated every 1-3 seconds, and push notifications allowed players to react quickly to specific events, such as corners and free kicks.

Mobile apps were the fastest to adopt the live model. The first versions offered graphical broadcasts and score updates, but by 2015, it was possible to watch a match in HD and place bets with a single tap on a smartphone. Now, live betting is a full-fledged section with custom filters by sport, instant cashout, and synchronisation with the video stream without delay.

Live Betting Mechanics – How It Works

Real-time betting is supported by a complex technological chain that connects the field, the betting site server and the user's screen in a matter of seconds:

• Data providers. Companies such as Sportradar, Betgenius and Stats Perform collect statistics at stadiums and through live broadcasts. Operators record events – goals, fouls, substitutions – within 1-2 seconds after they occur.
• Odds update algorithms. Betting platform software analyses the latest data, calculates probabilities and automatically adjusts the odds. Updates can occur every 1-5 seconds, and margins are built into the formulas to balance risk and profit.
• Manual vs automated trading. In major markets, such as the Champions League final, manual adjustments are often used by traders to account for unusual situations. In routine matches, everything is controlled by algorithms that respond to data without human intervention.

The system works as a single organism, and even a delay of a couple of seconds can change the outcome of a trade for the betting platform and the player.

Features of Mobile Betting Platforms

Smartphones have become the primary tool for betting, so mobile apps are designed with split-second response times and one-handed operation in mind. Every detail is important in the interface design, from the location of the "Place Bet" button to the page loading speed:

• UX/UI factors. The interface is simplified to a minimum of clicks: searching for a match, selecting a market and confirming a bet should take 3-4 steps. Buttons and fonts are adapted to the screen size, and important elements – odds, balance, live markets – are displayed in the visible area.
• Technical optimisation. Bets should be sent to the server in a fraction of a second. To achieve this, lightweight graphics packages, CDN networks for content and asynchronous data loading are used to prevent lag when the internet connection is unstable.
• Multi-bets and Cash Out. The apps allow you to collect express bets from several live markets, and the Cash Out function is available on the betting slip page. This is important when you need to close a bet a second before a dangerous moment in a match.

A well-thought-out menu structure and interface design allow players to manage their bets during the game, which is why mobile platforms are growing in popularity every day.

Technologies Shaping the Future of Mobile Betting

Mobile apps are becoming technological platforms capable of processing huge amounts of data in real time. Connection stability directly affects speed and quality of service. The transition to 5G has reduced streaming latency to milliseconds, which is extremely important for live betting with odds fluctuating every second.

Artificial intelligence has added a personalised approach to each player. Apps analyse betting history, preferred markets and playing style to offer odds and events that match the user's interests. This is not marketing, but a way to keep the player's attention at the moment when they are ready to make a decision.

Video streaming is now synchronised with the line. Changes in odds are displayed on the screen simultaneously with the action on the field, eliminating the gap between viewing and betting. Improvements in the technical component of the software make betting part of the sporting event rather than a separate activity.

Practical Advice for Players

Live betting requires quick reactions and competent analysis. Mistakes in assessing odds and rushing to cash out can be very costly. To increase your chances of winning, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Compare the odds with the pre-match and current figures. If a team was leading before kick-off but then conceded a goal, the increase in odds may be an impulsive market reaction rather than an objective prediction.
• Use Cash Out when strategically necessary. For example, when the game is going against your bet and the probability of winning drops sharply. With minimal changes in the course of the match, early exit "eats up" part of the profit for no good reason.
• Do not place a bet immediately after a goal, sending off or penalty. In the first few seconds after important events, the margin is at its highest and the odds rarely reflect the real picture.
• Limit the number of parallel events in live betting. It is difficult to follow three matches at the same time on a smartphone, and a missed moment can negate your strategy.
• Check the stability of your connection. A delay of a couple of seconds can result in your bet being accepted at different odds.

Live betting on a smartphone gives you instant access to the game and the chance to react to every event in the match, but it also carries the risk of rushing into a decision. In the foreseeable future, the market will continue to grow thanks to 5G, built-in video and smart algorithms that adapt the line to the player's style.