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New FanDuel promo code for Penn State vs. Notre Dame: Bet $5, get $200 in guaranteed bonus bets

The semifinal stage of the College Football Playoffs is set, and the Penn State Nittany Lions and Notre Dame Fighting Irish will battle for the right to play for the 2024-2025 FBS National Championship.

FanDuel sportsbook offers $200 in bonus bets to use for Thursday night’s clash. Join me as I explain how to unlock the FanDuel promo code (no code needed) for Penn State vs. Notre Dame on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

FanDuel promo code at a glance

FanDuel promo code: How to claim $200 in bonus bets on the College Football playoff semifinals

You won’t need a FanDuel promo code to get the $200 in bonus bets but you must place a minimum wager of $5. Follow these five steps to activate your bonus bets:

1. Use any of our FanDuel promo code banners or links on this page to be taken directly to the FanDuel Sportsbook registration page.
2. Complete all the mandatory fields and verify your new FanDuel betting account by email or text message.
3. Choose a banking option and make a minimum deposit of $5.
4. Place a wager of at least $5 on Thursday’s Notre Dame vs. Penn State College Football Playoff matchup or any other game on FanDuel’s board.
5. Once the first bet settles, FanDuel will credit your account with $200 in bonus bets, distributed in increments of $25.

FanDuel existing user promos

The FanDuel promo code bets expire within seven days. FanDuel offers several themed bonuses and profit boosts specifically for NFL and NBA customers.

• NFL Profit Boosts: FanDuel offers weekly odds and profit boosts for all NFL playoff games.
• No Sweat NFL Bets: FanDuel provides a “No Sweat Bet” bonus. If your NFL bet loses, FanDuel will credit you with a bonus bet equal to the amount of your losing wager.
• NFL Same-Game Parlay Profit Boosts: Get up to a 50% profit boost on your NFL same-game parlay (SGP) cards.

How to use your FanDuel promo code bonus on the College Football playoffs

Place a $5 wager on any game you’d like, including Thursday night’s Notre Dame vs. Penn State Nittany Lions College Football Playoffs semifinal matchup, and the $200 in FanDuel bonus bets are yours as soon as your first wager settles.

If you are new to sports betting, check out our College Football Playoff betting guide.

Here are some important trends to consider if you are planning on betting on Thursday’s Notre Dame vs. Penn State game.

Important Trends for Notre Dame

• Notre Dame has hit the Moneyline in their last 12 games (+12.00 Units / 8% ROI).
• Notre Dame has covered the Spread in their last 10 games (+10.00 Units / 90% ROI).
• Notre Dame has only hit the Game Total Under in 5 of their last 12 games (-2.70 Units / -20% ROI).

Important Trends for Penn State

• Penn State has hit the Moneyline in 12 of their last 14 games (+10.00 Units / 1% ROI).
• Penn State has hit the Game Total Under in six of its last seven home games (+4.90 Units / 64% ROI).
• Penn State has covered the Spread in five of its last seven games (+2.85 Units / 37% ROI).

Remember, win or lose the $200 in FanDuel promo code bonus bets is yours for only a $5 wager.

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FanDuel Casino promo code for this week: Play $1, get $100 in casino credits instantly

New users don’t need a FanDuel Casino promo code to get $100 in casino credits, they only need to make a first wager of just $1 or more. This fantastic offer can be claimed in just a few minutes with no real promo code required at registration.

FanDuel is consistently ranked as one of the best online casinos in the US. On this page, I discuss this platform’s welcome offer and highlight some of its most important terms and conditions.

FanDuel Casino promo code at a glance

FanDuel Casino promo code: How to claim this offer

FanDuel Casino has one of the best designs and user interfaces of any online casino operating in 2025. It is well-known for offering a variety of great bonuses, including its “Play $1, get $100” welcome offer for new members.

Claiming the FanDuel Casino promo code offer can be claimed in just a few minutes. Below, I highlight the steps necessary to claim this offer today.

1. Click any FanDuel Casino promo code links or banners shown throughout this page.
2. Click the ‘Join Now’ button on the FanDuel Casino landing page.
3. Create a new account with FanDuel Casino by filling out the required fields. No promo code is required during registration.
4. Verify your identity with FanDuel by providing a valid form of ID (passport, driver’s license, etc).
5. Make a first deposit of $5 or more using an accepted banking method.
6. Wager $1 on any game and receive $100 in casino credits within 72 hours.

As you can see, this is one of the easiest online casino welcome bonuses to claim right now. In just six steps, new members of FanDuel Casino can earn $100 in casino credits to play all of their favorite games. It’s important to reiterate that there is no promo code required to claim this welcome offer.

While a first wager of just $1 or more will earn you casino credits, a first deposit of $5 or more is required to become eligible for this bonus. There are several notable terms and conditions attached to this offer. Learn about those rules below.

FanDuel Casino promo code terms and conditions

FanDuel Casino always sets fair terms and conditions for its bonuses. That is certainly the case with the FanDuel Casino promo code offer. This is a great, albeit somewhat simplistic offer with some very generous rules attached.

Some of the most important terms and conditions connected to this offer include:

1. New users must be at least 21 years old.
2. The welcome offer is available to those located in NJ, MI, PA, and WV.
3. A minimum deposit of $5 is required.
4. A minimum wager of $1 is required.
5. $100 in casino credits are issued 72 business hours after you make your first qualifying wager.
6. Casino credits expire 7 days after being issued to your account.
7. The bonus comes with a 1x playthrough requirement.

Casino fans above the age of 21 in NJ, MI, PA, and WV can claim this welcome bonus. Keep in mind that you do not need to be a resident of these states to claim this offer. The only requirement is to be physically located in one of them.

As I pointed out earlier, a first deposit of $5 is required to claim this offer. Once this is made, players need to make a first wager of just $1 or more.

Be sure to use your casino credits quickly. All casino credits earned from this welcome offer will expire just seven days after being issued. This bonus also comes with a 1x playthrough requirement. This means that players only need to bet $100 in real money to turn their casino credits into withdrawable cash.

Best game to play using the FanDuel Casino promo code offer

FanDuel Casino provides its users with a huge number of games. That includes slots, table games, live dealer games, and more. Many of the best online slot games available today can be played here.

I have spent a huge amount of time playing the different games offered through this platform and have discovered one of the best to use with the casino credits earned from the FanDuel Casino promo code offer.

Gold Blitz

FanDuel Casino provides its users with a truly massive variety of slot games. Gold Blitz stands as one of its best and most popular slots currently available. This game, from Fortune Factory, is set on a 5×4 grid and offers users 4,096 different ways to win.

Gold Blitz has a fun money theme, with symbols such as gold bars, coins, and dollar symbols. Match 3 or more of these symbols on a payline to earn a reward.

Wild symbols appear on reels 2 and 6 with the base game, and 2, 3, and 4 during the bonus round. There are several bonus rounds available, including the Collect Feature, Gold Blitz Feature, and Free Spins feature. With the correct symbol combination, players can earn an incredible 5,000x your wager.

This is one of the best-looking slot games I have played in recent memory. It’s extremely slick using both a web browser and a mobile app.

Gold Blitz has an average RTP of 96%. It is a fantastic, well-rounded slot that comes with a variety of fun features. After claiming the FanDuel Casino promo code offer, consider playing this game with your casino credits.

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Which Alabama schools are ranked top 25, ‘most improved’? See the list

Alabama will recognize 50 schools for their recent success on the state’s school report cards.

Each year the Legislative School Performance Program typically awards $2,000 to each of the state’s 25 top-performing schools. It also gives an $8,000 prize to each of the state’s 25 most improved schools.

Scroll down to see the schools on each list.

More Alabama schools saw improvement this year, but growth has been in pockets.

AL.com recently explored several of the schools on last year’s “most improved” list and found that many staff were using research-based strategies to improve outcomes in the classroom.

“Even schools that have challenges can see remarkable growth,” State Superintendent Eric Mackey told board members at a work session Thursday.

The rankings are determined by total scores on the state report card, which measure academic achievement, growth and other indicators of school performance taken during the 2023-24 school year.

Lawmakers created the Legislative School Performance Program in 2012 as part of the law creating school and district report cards, but didn’t fund it until 2020.

Beginning in 2020, lawmakers gave the Alabama State Department of Education $250,000 annually to award to schools showing academic excellence.

The state board of education will formally recognize the schools during its Feb. 6 meeting in Montgomery.

Below are the 25 schools that showed the most improvement on state report card scores for the 2023-24 school year. All schools on the list have moved up by at least one letter grade.

Can’t see the table? View it here.

While several familiar names received a Top 25 ranking, all of the state’s “most improved” schools were new to the list this year.

The top 25 schools are listed below. Can’t see the table? View it here.

You can also view recent report card scores at the Alabama State Department of Education’s report card dashboard. Use the dropdown menus to find your school or district.

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Former Baker football coach Juan Johnson to take over north Alabama 7A program

Juan Johnson is officially set to take over as the next head football coach at James Clemens after being approved by the City of Madison Board of Education on Thursday night.

He will take over for Chad McGehee, who retired in November after four seasons as the program’s head coach; Johnson becomes the Jets’ fourth coach in the program’s short history.

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Wendy’s opens a new restaurant in the Birmingham metro area

Wendy’s opened its newest location in Calera Wednesday.

The restaurant, located at 121 Supercenter Drive, is owned by Clarence Bailey of Bailey Restaurant Group.

“We see our new restaurant as more than a building, but a place to better connect with the community while serving Wendy’s fresh, famous food,” Bailey said. “We’re excited to celebrate with Calera and look forward to serving this wonderful community for years to come.”

The new Calera restaurant is part of a drive that the franchise initiated to see growth in units globally – the “Build-to-Suit” program, which allows operators to see a return on investment in about 3-and-a-half years, according to QSR.

Wendy’s has more than 6,000 locations in the U.S.

Jobs are still available at this location. For more information, visit the website.

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Legendary Muscle Shoals studio’s manager loses home in fire: ‘This is tough’

As Muscle Shoals Sound’s operations manager, Ana Hyde has booked recording sessions for stars like Lana Del Rey and The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, A-list producer Dave Cobb and actor/musician Kiefer Sutherland.

Hyde’s also arranged confidential visits by many other celebs to that storied Alabama studio, where artists like The Rolling Stones and Staples Singers cut classic tracks. She handles group tours and manages staff schedules, too. When bassist David Hood, the last living member of prolific session musicians Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, aka The Swampers, is at the studio, Hyde make sure he’s taken care of.

“She’s the glue that holds us together at the studio, for sure.” Muscle Shoals Sound executive director Debbie Wilson says. “She’s always taking care of everybody else.”

Now, Hyde, who’s worked at Muscle Shoals Sound since 2015, and her family need help. On the night of Jan. 4, an electrical fire destroyed their Sheffield home, which was built by her maternal grandparents in 1955. She and her two teenage children lost everything they owned.

“And if they had been there,” Wilson says, “it could have been a much worse scenario. She’s strong, but this is tough for anybody.”

A GoFundMe campaign was started to assist Hyde and her children. As of publishing of this story, more than $7,000 has been raised towards the campaign’s $50,000 goal. “We’re trying to get them back to some sense of normalcy,” Wilson says.

Hyde losing her home in a fire have given her heightened empathy for the thousands in Los Angeles dealing with similar losses this week, Wilson says, as wildfires continue to ravage L.A.

In addition to monetary help, helpful donations for Hyde’s family include: gift cards, toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, razors, etc.); first aid supplies (bandages, pain relievers, etc.); ready-to-eat food (snack bars, canned goods, etc.); feminine hygiene products; bottled water, and household supplies (bedding, towels, kitchenware, small appliances, furniture, cleaning supplies).

Hyde’s family is also in need of everyday clothing (shirts, pants, undergarments, socks, shoes); seasonal wear (coats, hats, gloves, scarves, etc.) and pajamas. Women’s sizes needed: shirts small and XL; pants four to six, and 12; shoes 7.5 and 8. Men’s sizes needed: medium shirts; 32 waist by 34 length pants; and 12.5 shoes.

The drop off location for donations is Muscle Shoals Sound’s famous address: 3614 Jackson Hwy. in Sheffield.

A local hotel is generously putting up the family this weekend, and Monday they will be moving into a Tuscumbia rental house. The latter was facilitated by a fan who saw a post on Muscle Shoals Sound’s Facebook page about Hyde’s situation.

“It’s friends and family, but it’s also strangers,” Wilson says of those who’ve reached out to help. “It’s kind of restored my cynical view of humanity. Ana’s just been overwhelmed with gratitude that these people are stepping in to help.

“This community comes together. It also is a testament of the impact Ana’s made on the community and continues to. She’s a background person who doesn’t like a lot of attention. But everybody loves her, and we certainly do.”

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Center Point hires former West Blocton coach to lead football program

Center Point High School hired Dre’Mail King as its new head football coach, it was announced on Thursday.

King will replace George Bates, who left the school after seven years and was recently hired as the new head coach at Shades Valley. King led West Blocton to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023.

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Ivey headed to Mar-a-Lago for dinner with Donald Trump as winter weather makes way to Alabama

Gov. Kay Ivey is currently headed to Florida to attend a dinner for Republican governors hosted by President-elect Donald Trump.

According to a report from The Hill, the meeting is expected to focus on how governors can help implement Trump’s agenda in the coming months.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds are also expected to be in attendance.

Ivey’s Communications Director Gina Maiola confirmed the governor is on her way now so that the upcoming winter storms don’t interfere with her travel plans.

Earlier today, Ivey issued a state of emergency for 37 counties in Alabama, citing the threat of ice, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and prolonged temperatures below freezing.

“I encourage Alabamians to make any needed preparations today, and if you are in an impacted area and do not have to be on the road, try to avoid it,” she said.

“Keep an eye on your local forecasts and stay weather aware.”

A winter storm warning will go into effect at midnight for all of north Alabama.

A winter weather advisory has been issued for central Alabama roughly south of the Interstate 20 corridor. It will go into effect at midnight.

Forecasters said that temperatures will be at or just below freezing in the warning and advisory areas and will cause difficult travel conditions for the Friday morning commute, especially across north and north-central Alabama.

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Is TikTok shutting down? US Supreme Court ruling on ban could decide its fate

In one of the most important cases of the social media age, free speech and national security collide at the Supreme Court on Friday in arguments over the fate of TikTok, a wildly popular digital platform that roughly half the people in the United States use for entertainment and information.

TikTok says it plans to shut down the social media site in the U.S. by Jan. 19 unless the Supreme Court strikes down or otherwise delays the effective date of a law aimed at forcing TikTok’s sale by its Chinese parent company.

Working on a tight deadline, the justices also have before them a plea from President-elect Donald Trump, who has dropped his earlier support for a ban, to give him and his new administration time to reach a “political resolution” and avoid deciding the case. It’s unclear if the court will take the Republican president-elect’s views — a highly unusual attempt to influence a case — into account.

TikTok and China-based ByteDance, as well as content creators and users, argue the law is a dramatic violation of the Constitution’s free speech guarantee.

“Rarely if ever has the court confronted a free-speech case that matters to so many people,” lawyers for the users and content creators wrote. Content creators are anxiously awaiting a decision that could upend their livelihoods and are eyeing other platforms.

The case represents another example of the court being asked to rule about a medium with which the justices have acknowledged they have little familiarity or expertise, though they often weigh in on meaty issues involving restrictions on speech.

The Biden administration, defending the law that President Joe Biden signed in April after it was approved by wide bipartisan majorities in Congress, contends that “no one can seriously dispute that (China’s) control of TikTok through ByteDance represents a grave threat to national security.”

Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok’s U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information.

But the government “concedes that it has no evidence China has ever attempted to do so,” TikTok told the justices, adding that limits on speech should not be sustained when they stem from fears that are predicated on future risks.

In December, a panel of three appellate judges, two appointed by Republicans and one by a Democrat, unanimously upheld the law and rejected the First Amendment speech claims.

Adding to the tension, the court is hearing arguments just nine days before the law is supposed to take effect and 10 days before a new administration takes office.

In language typically seen in a campaign ad rather than a legal brief, lawyers for Trump have called on the court to temporarily prevent the TikTok ban from going into effect but refrain from a definitive resolution.

“President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government — concerns which President Trump himself has acknowledged,” D. John Sauer, Trump’s choice to be his administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, wrote in a legal brief filed with the court.

Trump took no position on the underlying merits of the case, Sauer wrote. Trump’s campaign team used TikTok to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, and Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, in December. He has 14.7 million followers on TikTok.

The justices have set aside two hours for arguments, and the session likely will extend well beyond that. Three highly experienced Supreme Court lawyers will be making arguments. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar will present the Biden administration’s defense of the law, while Trump’s solicitor general in his first administration, Noel Francisco, will argue on behalf of TikTok and ByteDance. Stanford Law professor Jeffrey Fisher, representing content creators and users, will be making his 50th high court argument.

If the law takes effect, Trump’s Justice Department will be charged with enforcing it. Lawyers for TikTok and ByteDance have argued that the new administration could seek to mitigate the law’s most severe consequences.

But they also said that a shutdown of just a month would cause TikTok to lose about one-third of its daily users in the U.S. and significant advertising revenue.

As it weighs the case, the court will have to decide what level of review it applies to the law. Under the most searching review, strict scrutiny, laws almost always fail. But two judges on the appellate court that upheld the law said it would be the rare exception that could withstand strict scrutiny.

TikTok, the app’s users and many briefs supporting them urge the court to apply strict scrutiny to strike down the law.

But the Democratic administration and some of its supporters cite restrictions on foreign ownership of radio stations and other sectors of the economy to justify the effort to counter Chinese influence in the TikTok ban.

A decision could come within days.

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Saying goodbye to a ‘silent warrior’: Irondale honors police officer killed while directing traffic

Hundreds of people said their goodbyes Thursday to an Irondale police lieutenant who was struck and killed while preparing to direct traffic outside Church of the Highlands.

Irondale police Lt. Mark Meadows, a 60-year-old husband, father and grandfather, was remembered as a “silent warrior,” a man of few words who made a big impact on those who knew and loved him.

“We know that because Mark was a believer, he’s in a better place today than we are standing right here,’’ Mayor James Stewart said. “We’re just so grateful that he died instantaneously. We don’t believe that he suffered, that he was in any pain.”

“God took him up to His mansion where there are many rooms,’’ Stewart said, “and we hope that he is in one of the biggest rooms today watching down to see us celebrating his life.”

Meadows was killed Monday morning when he was putting out traffic cones as the church’s 21 Days of Prayer service was about to let out.

It was just before 7 a.m. when Meadows was hit at the intersection of Grants Mill Road and Overton Road. He was pronounced dead at Grandview Medical Center at 7:39 a.m.

Alabama State Troopers said the Chevrolet Colorado that struck Meadows was driven by 32-year-old Evan N. Sullivan of Leeds. The driver stopped at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing.

Gov. Kay Ivey ordered the flags lowered Thursday in Meadows’ honor. The Jefferson/Shelby County Chapter of the Alabama Police Benevolent Association and the Police Benevolent Foundation are raising money for Meadows’ family.

Donations can be made here.

Meadows served four years in the U.S Army 3rd Ranger Battalion, 10th Mountain Division at Ft. Benning in Georgia.

Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, he began his law enforcement career with the Mountain Brook Police Department in 1992, before transferring to the Irondale Police Department.

He became an FBI instructor certified in pistol and rifle in 2001. He then became an NRA Instructor certified in pistol in 2017.

Meadows worked at Church of Highlands since the Grants Mill facility opened 18 years ago.

Mourners, which included police officers from law enforcement agencies throughout the state, poured into Church of the Highlands at noon Thursday. Meadows will have a private, military burial.

Officers from neighboring agencies filled in for Irondale police so many from the force could attend the service.

Stewart, who spoke before and at the service, said one of his favorite memories of Meadows happened just recently.

“I’d had a come-to-Jesus meeting with the police department, and he came to let me know that he was in support of the direction I wanted to move the city and the police department,’’ the mayor said.

“He had a slot for a 30-minute interview because he was a man of few words. I talked for 27 and he talked for three.”

Stewart described Meadows as a family man who was considerate, thoughtful, compassionate and humble.

“He put others’ interests before he put his own,’’ Stewart said. “He was always there to support and help someone along the way.”

“The Bible says, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’’’ he said, “and I feel that Lt. Meadows embodied that scripture because he looked out for everybody.”

“He meant a lot to us,’’ the mayor said. “He was a silent warrior. He didn’t say a lot, but you can see by the people that are here today that he was well thought of, well respected.”

Pastor Chris Hodges said the church considered Meadows a dear friend.

“He served this campus for nearly 18 years,’’ Hodges said, “and did it so faithfully.’’

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