Sports News Roundup: FIFA approves prize money increase, Alpine skiing, FIFA rejects La Liga plans

FIFA will raise the prize money for the Women's World Cup from $15 million to $30 million starting with next year's edition in France, president Gianni Infantino announced on Friday, though critics immediately said the increase was not enough.

Soccer: FIFA approves prize money increase for the 2019 Women's World Cup

FIFA will raise the prize money for the Women's World Cup from $15 million to $30 million starting with next year's edition in France, president Gianni Infantino announced on Friday, though critics immediately said the increase was not enough. Following a FIFA council meeting in Rwanda, the Swiss-Italian also said that $20 million would be made available for pre-tournament preparations, meaning that $50 million in total would be allocated across the 24 participating nations.

Tennis: Video Review system to trial at NextGen Finals

A Video Review system for judgment calls will be available to umpires and players for the first time at a tennis tournament when this year's NextGen ATP Finals starts in Milan next month, the men's governing body confirmed on Friday. Using Hawk-Eye technology, the Video Review will give players the chance to challenge judgment calls from the umpire such as whether a ball bounced twice or whether a player inadvertently made an illegal double hit.

Alpine skiing: Vonn eyes Stenmark feat as retirement looms

Champion skier Lindsey Vonn has set her sights on breaking Ingemar Stenmark's all-time mark for World Cup victories even as her career winds down to a close. The 34-year-old Vonn, who holds the women's mark for Cup victories at 82, is closing in on the ultimate record of Stenmark's 86 as she competes in the final season of her career. "I definitely think I can (break Stenmark's record)," Vonn told reporters on Thursday at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold Medal Gala in New York.

NBA roundup: LeBron's triple-double lifts Lakers

LeBron James had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to record his first triple-double with his new team, and the Los Angeles Lakers knocked the visiting Denver Nuggets from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 121-114 victory Thursday. It was the Lakers' first victory at home this season. Los Angeles earned its first win overall Wednesday at Phoenix.

As states chase sports betting gold, addicts left in the cold

On the day Jeff Wasserman's decades-long gambling addiction came to a head, the Delaware lawyer found himself parked outside a convenience store with three agonizing options: end his life, flee the country or come clean and get help. "I raised the white flag in my own mind," Wasserman, 63, said of the day he decided to seek help for a problem that had secretly consumed hundreds of thousands of dollars, his retirement savings and his career. "I knew that it was D-day."

Tennis-Stephens says unlikely quartet had pointed to prove in a run to semi-finals

Sloane Stephens is happy to be part of an unlikely quartet to reach the last four of the WTA Finals after the American maintained her perfect record in round-robin play with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber on Friday. The American's victory set up a semi-final showdown against Karolina Pliskova on Saturday, the fifth and seventh seeds taking to the Singapore Indoor Stadium court after sixth-ranked Elina Svitolina faces eighth-ranked Kiki Bertens.

Dodgers turn to Buehler down 2-0 in World Series

Down 2-0 in the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers once again will rest their hopes on the right arm of a 24-year-old rookie. Walker Buehler will take the mound when the Dodgers host the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the best-of-seven series Friday night. The Red Sox won the first two games in Boston on the strength of two-out rallies and dominant pitching.

FIFA rejects La Liga plans to play Barcelona game in the U.S

La Liga's plans to host the Girona versus Barcelona domestic league game in the United States in January hit another stumbling block when soccer's world governing body FIFA said on Friday it opposed the idea. The Spanish league drew controversy when it signed a 15-year deal with Relevent Sports in August to expand its presence in the U.S., including taking one regular-season match per campaign over the Atlantic.

NHL roundup: Penguins blast Flames 9-1

Patric Hornqvist and Phil Kessel each scored twice Thursday for the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins in a 9-1 shellacking of the Calgary Flames. Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists, and Bryan Rust, Jack Johnson, Jake Guentzel and Matt Cullen also scored for Pittsburgh, which won its third straight. Derick Brassard had three assists, and Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Dominik Simon two each.

Golf: Finau surges to halfway lead in Shanghai

American Tony Finau powered through the front nine on his way to a three-shot lead after two rounds at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai on Friday. Slightly calmer winds than during the opening round at Sheshan International Golf Club allowed for some low scoring in the morning and Finau was at the forefront as he signed for five-under-par 67 to be 11-under overall.

(With inputs from Reuters)