These are the headlines you Need2Know:
* **Ohio’s Special Election:**
The election for a House seat in Ohio is still too close to call. The 12th district near Columbus is considered a Republican stronghold, so if the Democrat Danny O'Connor beats Republican Troy Balderson ー or comes really close ー it may signal a shift for the November midterms. Balderson was leading by less than 2,000 votes. For more as this story develops, [click here](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/live-news/primary-election-2018-08-07-kansas-michigan-missouri-washington-ohio-special-election/).
* **First Muslim Woman in Congress?**
Michigan state representative Rashida Tlaib won the Democratic primary Tuesday, and no Republicans are running in November's midterm election. For more, check out [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/08/politics/rashida-tlaib-michigan-13-congressional-district-election/index.html).
* **Elon Musk’s ‘Private’ Venture**
The CEO wants to take Tesla private if his company's stock reaches $420 per share. Musk made the announcement via [Twitter](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1026872652290379776) during Tuesday’s trading, and some media outlets wondered if his account was hacked. But he was serious: Tesla closed up 11 percent at nearly $380 once trading resumed after a temporary halt. For more on Musk's plans and what investors are saying, [click here](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/08/tesla-board-has-met-several-times-to-discuss-musks-desire-go-private.html).
* **New Rule Rattles NFL:**
As they run and tackle their way through the second week of the National Football League's preseason, players and coaches are concerned that the league's new helmet-contact [rule](https://nflcommunications.com/Pages/Fact-Sheet---Use-of-the-Helmet.aspx) is removing a key physical element of the game. The rule, which prohibits players from leading with their helmets to make contact, applies to running backs, offensive and defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs. For more on player the story, read [this](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/nfl-helmet-rule-enforcement-unclear-for-players-coaches/2018/08/07/aec19218-9a74-11e8-a8d8-9b4c13286d6b_story.html?utm_term=.77d3f158d4e1).
Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest.
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Alex Silverman, senior reporter covering the business of sports at Morning Consult, joins Cheddar News to discuss why the number of those betting on sports doubled in 2021 and what's next for the industry in 2022.
If you have not placed your buffalo wings order yet, hurry up. The biggest weekend in NFL playoff history kicks off in just under 48 hours with six games being played over three days. Sports Analyst at Yahoo Sports Pamela Maldonado joined Cheddar to give us a preview ahead of the Super Wild Card Weekend.
With the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing rapidly approaching, clouds of controversy continue to swirl around China's treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority population, its surveillance state, and security for visiting athletes. Phelim Kine, China correspondent for Politico, joined Cheddar to break down the big storylines surrounding the Beijing Games and highlight what he saw as the complete disregard by top corporate sponsors like P&G, Airbnb, Intel, Visa, and Coca-Cola, for the controversies. "They spend $100 million for every Olympics that they sponsor, and they have frankly shown absolute willful indifference to any type of entreaty to essentially be more vocal about their concerns about human rights in China," he said. Kine also touched on the data privacy fears for athletes as visiting contingents are being told to carry burner phones to avoid security risks.
NFL games continue to be among some of the highest-rated programs on television. In 2021, viewership jumped 10 percent from the previous year to an average of 17.1 million as the league debuted its first 18-week season after running on a 16-week schedule since 1978. Fans — and team owners — welcomed the change with open arms, but a vocal percentage of players were not as ecstatic (despite the union signing off). Those who were against adding games cited health and safety concerns as their main reason. While the extended season means fatter pockets for the league, the opposition asks: is it worth the risk? Cheddar's JD Durkin breaks it all down.
With the Australian Open set to begin on Monday, Novak Djokovic is once again being threatened with deportation from Australia after his visa was briefly reinstated and revoked again over alleged discrepancies. Djokovic’s team will sit for an Immigration hearing on Saturday.
Decorated skier Lindsey Vonn did not hold back when touching on mental health in "Rise," her new memoir. "My mental health is definitely part of my story," she said. "Now I'm just thankful that this conversation is so much more talked about — Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Kevin Love, Michael Phelps, all have been outspoken about it." She noted that she felt happy that readers, particularly kids, get to see a vulnerable side to her in the book. The gold medalist also went on to note what she's most looking forward to watching in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
It was 'game on' for sports bettors in the state of New York, as mobile betting kicked off on four major betting operating platforms Saturday. This comes at an exciting time for sports fans with some of the biggest NFL games of the season right around the corner. Cam Rogers - Host of Lock It In with Cam Rogers, Betting Analyst at the Bleav Podcast Network joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Former wide receiver for the New York Giants, Victor Cruz has partnered with Krystal Restaurants, a popular burger chain in the South, to bring the franchise to his home state of New Jersey. Cruz and Alice Crowder, CMO of Krystal Restaurants, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the venture. The five new locations will be known as "Victor Cruz's Krystal," decked out with memorabilia from his football career, with the former player explaining how "hands-on" he plans on being. "You never know, OK? You might walk in and Victor Cruz will be flipping a burger back there, and you might be getting it directly from the source," he said.
Max Bichsel, vice president at Gambling.com Group joins Cheddar News to talk about the growing sports betting industry, New York legalizing mobile betting, and 2022 predictions for the sector.
