Betting Interest Has Become a Scheduling Signal Networks Read Next to Overnight Ratings

Every weekday during the season, SpoilerTV posts the previous night's TV ratings before most people have finished their coffee. The early overnight household numbers arrive first, then the adjusted 18-49 demo fills in for ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and CW. Programmers have read that one sheet for decades. A strong demo protects a fragile drama; a soft overnight sends a bubble show toward a Saturday…