Editor’s note: Amanda Vance has made a well-respected name for herself in the male-dominated world of sports betting. In her talk with Playboy, she talks about why she loves to bet on the NFL, her love of Pittsburgh sports, and some special picks for 2024.
Head versus heart: The eternal sports betting quandary. For instance…
Let’s say you’re a lifelong Houston Rockets fan. Let’s say the rebuilding Rockets are hosting their interstate rivals, the way better Dallas Mavericks. Let’s say that even though the throwdown is going down at the Houston Toyota Center, the Mavs are 7.5-point favorites.
Your Clutch City-loving heart says, “Huge spread! In Houston! Bet Rockets!” The logical part of your brain, however, says, “Luka Dončić has career averages of 31.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game against Houston! Bet Mavs!”
This sort of thing is Amanda Vance’s day-to-day conundrum.
A hugely popular, hugely successful, hugely cool sports betting social media maven, the obsessive Pittsburgh sports junkie does her best to keep her love for the Steel City under wraps when making her picks. That said, her visible passion for both sports and betting makes her Pittsburgh truthiness not just forgivable, but endearing.
Amanda sat down with Playboy and dropped some biographical tidbits, some MLB and NFL picks, and a 2024 Super Bowl prediction for the ages.
Playboy: Here’s the most important question you’ll ever be asked in your entire life, bar none: Who’ll be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 1 quarterback, Russell Wilson or Justin Fields?
Amanda Vance: I don’t like Russell Wilson and I’m an Ohio State Buckeyes fan, so I want Fields in there, man. He’s a little irresponsible [with the ball] at times, but I like that he’s young. Maybe [Steelers’ coach] Mike [Tomlin] can turn him into a superstar. Maybe he can beat the Cleveland Browns and make a playoff run.
Playboy: Why Pittsburgh? Is that a Vance family thing?
Amanda: My father wanted a boy so he could have somebody to watch sports with him, so he turned me into that person and raised me a diehard Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates fan. Ever since I was in elementary school, I would listen to my dad talk about the Steelers, and our offensive line, and our general struggles, and then I would repeat it to my classmates. And I was his little shadow my whole life, so he’s the one who really inspired me to be the sports fan that I am today. And I still visit Pittsburgh as much as possible, and try to attend almost every [Steelers] home game. That’s kind of how I gained a following in the sports field, through my fandom with Pittsburgh, especially the Steelers.
Playboy: Your dad must be so proud of you.
Amanda: He loves it. The Pirates actually had us come out to the ballpark and let us on the field. I looked at him and I was like, “Hey, Dad, aren’t you happy I’m doing this?” It’s his dream come true, so it’s really awesome.
Playboy: Was anybody in your family a bettor?
Amanda: My grandpa. Growing up, he would take me to the dog track, and if I got the right dog, we could get ice cream.
Playboy: Describe your baseball research methodology.
Amanda: I’m a big trend bettor. I do analytics and I research and I look at pitchers’ ERAs before every game. But aside from that, since I am such a big sports fan, I kind of have a hunch. I know rivalries. I understand matchups. I think being such a big fan helps me get a better read on games.
Playboy: The MLB playoffs are a few weeks off, but I think we’re close enough to make some semi-educated guesses. Any early postseason betting thoughts?
Amanda: I love rooting for the Los Angeles Dodgers. I think they’re such a fun team to watch, and [Shohei] Ohtani is spectacular. I’ll give a couple of my trend bets that I would ride for the rest of the year: The Baltimore Orioles are my favorite team to take the over with; they’ve hit the over more than any other team in baseball. And I like taking the Washington Nationals to cover the spread.
Playboy: Generally speaking, when you’re making your picks, do you rely more on numbers, or personal rooting interest, or some combination thereof ?
Amanda: My first big rule is, never bet with your heart.
Playboy: Even when it comes to the Steelers?
Amanda: [Laughs] Rule number two, I think if you’re smart, then sports betting is kind of like the stock market. If you bet intelligently and you don’t win, you’re not dead. I look at it like blackjack. I was playing the other day, and I was down, and I kept losing, so I went all in. When I lost, I was like, Damnit, you don’t do that. You have to stay consistent over time. If you do it right, it could be a really great way to make money.
Playboy: What sport do you most like to bet on?
Amanda: Definitely NFL. I like that there are a lot of games to choose from each Sunday, and as a trend bettor, I think it’s easier [for me] to pick games.
Playboy: Name one NFL player—any position, offense, defense, whatever—who might be able to single-handedly drag his team to the Super Bowl?
Amanda: [Detroit Lions wide receiver] Amon-Ra St. Brown. Sorry to you Dallas people, but I hate the Cowboys, and I think the Lions have become America’s Team. I’m rooting for them, and St. Brown is fantastic.
Playboy: Do you have any Pittsburgh-related prop bets up your sleeve?
Amanda: I’d take the under on Russell Wilson’s passing yards, because I’d like Justin Fields to step in.
Playboy: Leave us with the biggest prediction of ‘em all: Who makes the Super Bowl, and what’s the final score?
Amanda: The Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions. Lions, 28-23. America’s Team!