Sheldon Adelson Denies Report That He’s Bidding on New York Mets

Posted on: July 16, 2020, 05:47h. 

Last updated on: July 16, 2020, 10:08h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

The sports and gaming worlds were abuzz Wednesday morning as news broke that Las Vegas gaming mogul Sheldon Adelson was joining a team bidding for ownership of the New York Mets.

sheldon adelson mets
Sheldon Adelson, seen here at a Republican Jewish Coalition event with his wife, Dr. Miriam Adelson, has denied reports that he’s part of a bid to buy the New York Mets. (Image: Ethan Miller/Getty)

But by the afternoon, the buzz died down, as both a spokesman for Las Vegas Sands Corp., the company where Adelson serves as CEO and a representative for the private equity firm also reportedly joining the effort denied the New York Post report.

Sportico reported that billionaire Adelson was supporting a group led by Josh Harris and was possibly interested in developing a casino near Citi Field, the Mets ballpark, located in Queens.

Sands spokesman Ron Reese told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Adelson did not make a bid on the Mets. However, there was no denial of the Sportico story. A message to the Sands from Casino.org was not returned Wednesday.

Harris, along with David Blitzer, owns the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL. That group apparently was one of at least three that advanced from the first round of bidding.

Other groups involved in the process include one led by hedge fund manager and current minority Mets partner Steve Cohen, and another headed up by former major leaguer Alex Rodriguez and actress Jennifer Lopez.

Adelson Once Involved in Raiders Talks

This isn’t the first time Adelson has been associated with a pro sports franchise.

Adelson was a key figure in helping lure the NFL’s Oakland Raiders to Sin City, where they will make their debut (contingent on COVID-19) later this year. At one point, he planned to pitch in about a third of the cost for the team’s $1.9 billion stadium

However, he eventually backed away about two months before league owners approved the franchise relocation. Reports indicated he did so because of concerns about team demands and the fact Raiders owners presented a lease proposal that did not include Adelson’s name on it.

His departure forced the team to look elsewhere for $650 million in financing. That amount was eventually secured through Bank of America.

Mets Longshots to Win World Series

MLB’s season kicks off next week, nearly four months after its scheduled Opening Day was sidelined because of COVID-19. Teams will play 60 regular-season games, with the postseason play scheduled for October.

Oddsmakers at FanDuel and DraftKings have the Mets as their eighth choice to win the 2020 World Series. FanDuel offers the Mets at +2200, meaning a $100 winning bet nets $2,200, while DraftKings lists the team at +2000.

Both books have placed the Mets total wins for the season at 32.5. Odds are similar too, with FanDuel offering -106 for over and -116 for under, and DraftKings giving -109 for over and -114 for under.

The Mets also feature one of the top pitchers in the game in two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. Both sports betting apps list him as the favorite for this year’s award, with both offering +350 odds.