L.A.-based firm AccuScore, which “describes itself as ‘a fee based sports betting system’” on its own website, had “supplied computer-generated predictions to the [NFL] in an unusual if not unique arrangement,” according to Hal Habib of the PALM BEACH POST. The NFL the "past few weeks posted detailed predictions for the outcomes of games on its official website." before The league was asked Wednesday “why it formed a business partnership with a gambling service,” and the "link to the ‘Forecast Center’ was deleted Thursday morning.” The NFL in a statement said its digital division “will not use content from this outside vendor to avoid any appearance of an association with other aspects of the company’s service.” A source said that the league was “caught off-guard by the gambling services offered by AccuScore, which also provides statistical analysis to organizations including ESPN and NASCAR.” Habib notes the Forecast Center “did not cite point spreads or accept wagers but spared few details in predictions that would have been of interest to fantasy football players and serious gamblers.” AccuScore Founder & CEO Jason Manasse said, “I don’t believe that this actually provides any gambling value. … I think they’re using it purely for information in bar chatter.” Manasse cited a “confidentiality agreement in declining to reveal whether AccuScore or the NFL initiated contact between the organizations” (PALM BEACH POST, 10/26).
