8. NFL Ref Lockout
The NFL’s season started out on a sloppy note after a labor dispute with officiating crews put a group of second rate replacements on the field of America’s biggest sport.
These amateurs made life miserable for oddsmakers and sportsbook affiliates. Players, on the other hand, benefited from weak officiating that turned losers into winners.
Things came to a head after a blown call cost the Green Bay Packers a Monday Night Football win. The blown call was so egregious that Sportsbook.com offered a refund to players who bet the Packers.