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Ken Hoffman bets against ESPN 97.5 host's 3-point shootout success

Ken Hoffman bets against ESPN 97.5 host's 3-point shootout success
ESPN 97.5's Raheel Ramzanali (pictured in this photo illustration) looks to sink at least 14 shots. Raheel Ramzanali/Twitter

This article originally appeared on CultureMap.

UPDATE: Official results: Raheel made 11 of 25 shots, and the over/under was 13-1/2 ... so "Under" won the bet.

There also was a prop bet: "Will Raheel make three shots in a row during the shootaround?" He did not. So "No" won the bet.

"I am disappointed that I didn't make more shots, and I must admit that I got nervous when I made two in a row. I was never able to hit the money ball," Raheel explained.

"Hey, I'm not happy, either. I bet on myself to hit three in a row."

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Ten minutes after noon Friday, October 26, ESPN 97.5 host Raheel Ramzanali will shoot 25 3-point basketball shots at the Downtown Club at the Met. He believes that he will make at least 14 of them.

You can bet on it.

Or, like me, against it.

The online gambling site, My Bookie, is posting odds and taking action on Raheel’s 3-point accuracy. Yes, you can wager real money on Raheel. They’ve set the over/under at 13-1/2, meaning if Raheel sinks 14 or more shots, the “over” wins. If he makes 13 or fewer, the “under” takes the money.

He will shoot the 25 shots like the NBA 3-Point Contest — five shots from five different spots beyond the 3-point arc. 

There is a $100 limit on the over/under wager.  Let’s not get too crazy here, Raheel is a talk show host, not a pro athlete (his deluded fantasy doesn’t count).

There is an interesting prop bet, too: Will Raheel make three shots in a row during the shoot-around? You can bet up to $100 on that, too.

Naturally, I pulled Raheel into the Gow Media interrogation room, aimed a bright light in his face, and grilled him for insider information. (Talk to me. Look, we can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way.”)

“I’ve played basketball since I was 5 years old. I played for Clements High School,” Raheel says.

Wait, did you actually “play” for Clements High?

“Okay, I was on the team at Clements High, but I played a lot in daily practices. And now I play twice a week in an adult recreation league,” Raheel clarifies. “I’m a much better player now, I’m much stronger. I wish I could go back and play high school ball. I’d get more than 5 minutes a game this time.”

I’m in. Eric Sandler, CultureMap’s food editor and I set up a My Bookie account. We’re betting $50 on the “under,” that he’ll make fewer than 13-1/2 shots, and $50 on yes, he will make three shots in a row. 

Here’s why I think Raheel will come up short of the over/under. The NBA 3-point line is 22 feet in the corners and 23.75 feet at the top of the key. Raheel brags that he’s a dead-eye shooter. Okay, but the NBA 3-point line is not a natural jump shot for an amateur – yes, Raheel you are an amateur. He will have to put extra oomph to reach the hoop from 23 feet. That will cut into his accuracy.

Steph Curry may be the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history. Last year, he made 46 percent of his 3-point attempts. For Raheel to go “over,” he will have to make 56 percent of his shots. Raheel waved that fun fact away, “I am better than Steph Curry.”

Remember what I said about deluded fantasy?

“The Met has NBA leather balls. Uh-uh, I’m bringing my own soft college ball. Another thing, I’ve heard the rims at the Met are nice and loose, so the ball has a better chance of falling in,” Raheel said. “I’ve done a few practice sessions and I’m telling you, I’m going over.”

What’s a five-letter word for “deluded” that start with a C and ends with a Y, and is worth 19 points in Scrabble? I’ll spot you the Z.

Continue reading on CultureMap.

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The Astros beat the Royals, 7-3. Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images.

Yordan Alvarez’s long home run backed a solid start by Hunter Brown as the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Sunday in the series finale to avoid being swept.

Alvarez snapped Houston’s 26-inning scoreless streak, crushing Kris Bubic’s sinker 436 feet to center for a three-run homer and a 3-0 Astros lead in the third inning.

Brown (4-1), who allowed one run on seven hits and a walk with nine strikeouts over six innings, surrendered a lone hit in each of the first four innings but struck out seven while not allowing a runner past second.

Brown’s 28-inning shutout streak – fifth longest in franchise history – ended in the fifth inning on a two-out single by Jonathan India and an RBI double by Bobby Witt Jr.

Leading off the fifth, Chas McCormick doubled and scored on Jeremy Peña’s single. McCormick had three hits and scored three runs for the Astros.

Peña’s two-out, two-run double in the sixth extended Houston’s lead to 6-1. Peña collected three RBIs in his first game batting leadoff.

Yainer Diaz added a solo home run in the seventh.

Bubic (2-2) allowed four runs on five hits and three walks, striking out four in five innings.

India had a pair of singles and drove in a run while Witt extended his hitting streak to a career-best 19 games.

Key moment

Isaac Paredes drew a four-pitch walk ahead of Alvarez’s three-run blast.

Key stat

Alvarez, who led left-handed major leaguers with a .362 average against left-handed pitchers in 2024, hit his first homer of this season against a left-hander.

Up next

The Astros open a three-game homestand Monday against Detroit with Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (1-2, 2.63 ERA) opposing RHP Ronel Blanco (2-2, 5.01).

Tuesday, the Royals begin a three-game series against the Rays in Tampa with Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-3, 3.90) against RHP Taj Bradley (2-1, 5.08).

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