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UPDATE: Carrot Top (real name: Scott Thompson) remains hospitalized in Las Vegas following what is now widely being reported as a suicide attempt on Friday (Sept. 18). On Sunday afternoon (Sept. 20), a rep for the beloved longtime Strip comedian told TMZ he “is now awake, breathing on his own and continuing to improve, surrounded by his family and those closest to him.”
All Carrot Top shows at the Luxor have been canceled at least through Saturday (Sept. 26).
In other Carrot Top news, Brian Evans—the man accused in a lawsuit filed by the comic of extorting him over a sex tape—told TMZ he denies ever threatening to release the tape. He claims it was erased from a USB drive “in accordance with the prior settlement”—a statement that TMZ did not elaborate on—and that he’s “sorry that Scott apparently did something to hurt himself.”
EARLIER: Carrot Top, the comic with the longest-running current Strip residency at more than 20 years, was rushed to a hospital on Friday (Sept. 18) after what TMZ reported as a suicide attempt.
His publicist, Jami Schlicher, confirmed only that he is recovering and receiving care. She asked for privacy on behalf of his family and close friends and did not address the reported cause.
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As Macquarie analyst Chad Beynon points out, prediction markets generated $4.3 billion in taker volume during the first week of September without any help from the NFL, building on momentum from the 2026 World Cup. However, the NFL’s impact was immediate, with taker volume hitting a daily record during Week 1 of the campaign.
With all that in mind, it’s not surprising that Macquarie expects sports event contracts will drive approximately 80% of taker volume this year, but Beynon sees other categories growing over the long term.
“We expect non-sports categories such as economics, politics, crypto, and entertainment to gain share over time,” says the analyst.
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“But after yesterday’s game, they’re going to draw a lot more support because they were pretty good underdogs (against the Chargers),” Scucci added.
Bettors had plenty of momentum after favorites dominated Week 1, but Sunday (Sept. 20) tilted back in the sportsbooks’ favor behind a wave of upsets. Several heavily backed teams failed to win or cover the spread.
The biggest wins for Boyd were the Eagles failing to cover (24-20 over the Titans), the Saints winning outright as large underdogs (24-17 over the Ravens), and the Browns topping the Bucs (23-19). For bettors looking to recoup losses, the afternoon slate offered relief, with the 49ers handling the Dolphins (35-13), the Seahawks routing the Cardinals (31-7), and the Cowboys topping the Commanders (37-20).
Sky Sports
