Memphis has its doubters
The 33-1 Tigers have the longest odds among the top-seeded teams to reach the Final Four.
For most of the regular season, Memphis was the last undefeated team in Division I college basketball.
But after winning 26 consecutive games and 47 in a row at home, the Tigers lost, 66-62, to Tennessee and they suddenly turned into the nation's most forgotten team.
That's why Memphis will play its first game of this year's NCAA tournament without much fanfare despite owning a No. 1 seeding and a 33-1 record.
But the Tigers are not considered a "sleeper" team to Las Vegas oddsmakers, who have them listed on most betting boards at 6-1 to win it all heading into their South Regional opening game against Texas Arlington today.
Texas Arlington -- playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time -- is not given much of a chance to pull off an upset.
The Mavericks are 24 1/2 -point underdogs against Memphis.
Like fellow top-seeded teams UCLA, Kansas and North Carolina, Memphis will enjoy a "home-court" type of advantage playing its first-round games in North Little Rock, Ark., which is a two-hour drive from campus.
Bodoglife.com, however, considers the Tigers a shakier bet to advance to the Final Four compared to the odds given to Kansas (1-1), UCLA and North Carolina (2-3). Memphis is listed at 3-2 to win the South Regional with enticing lines given to Texas (3-1), Stanford (4-1) and Pittsburgh (6-1).
There are a couple of interesting NCAA tournament proposition bets available at Sportsbetting.com. Total wins by Pacific 10 Conference teams: Over 9.5 (-130) or under 9.5 (even). Total wins by Big East Conference teams: Over 11.5 (-150) or under 11.5 (+120). Total wins by Atlantic Coast Conference teams: Over 9 (-120) or under 9 (-120).
There are other proposition tournament odds listed at Bodoglife.com. The player who will be named the 2008 tournament MVP: North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (5-1), UCLA's Kevin Love (8-1), Memphis' Chris Douglas-Roberts (8-1), UCLA's Darren Collison (12-1). The player with the most total rebounds in the tournament: Hansbrough (4-1), Love (6-1), Memphis' Joey Dorsey (8-1), Stanford's Brook Lopez (18-1).
latimes.com
Where is the smart money on Villanova vs. Clemson?
Covers.com
This is the matchup that caught a lot of people’s attention as soon as the NCAA Tournament bracket was released.
Clemson versus Villanova: a classic 5-12 pairing with a March Madness novice getting the chalk against a team that, although it struggled this year, has plenty of experience navigating the brackets.
If any pointspread was going to move, you’d think it would be this one. But surprisingly, the Villanova Wildcats have held steady as 6-point underdogs since this line opened on Monday.
The only movement you’ll find on this game is at a few offshore books that opened the game at 6 ½.
“Public consensus on this game is Clemson wins outright but doesn't cover the six points," says Randy Scott, sportsbook manager of BetEd.com. "We have good public action on the Clemson moneyline and Villanova pointspread. The pointspread has only slightly moved down since opening at -6 ½.”
The more you look at this matchup, the more you have to agree with that assessment. It looks like it has all the hallmarks of a game that will come down to a buzzer-beater or maybe even go to overtme. In other words, these teams appear as evenly matched as you can get.
You can’t take anything away from either team for the conferences they represent. The Big East and the ACC are two of the most competitive leagues in the NCAA. The defensive statistics are pretty much identical and both teams are well coached. They both get even marks in those categories.
The main difference is that Clemson has scored on average about six points per game more than Villanova and, of course, that Clemson won four more games than Villanova.
However, you have to consider the circumstances of Villanova’s season. A five-game losing streak in the middle of their Big East schedule nearly sank their hopes of making the tournament, but at the time, they were struggling with adversity and still trying to find chemistry in their lineup.
"That five-game [losing] streak is probably something this group will refer to throughout their careers," coach Jay Wright told the Philadelphia Daily News. "We went through everything in that stretch – an injury to our center [6-10 sophomore Casiem Drummond], an illness to one of our leaders, [6-7 junior forward] Shane Clark, young guys playing more minutes and making mistakes.
“To persevere throughout that situation, to come out on the other side and go on a run, I really think it gave our team confidence that we could overcome anything.”
After that losing streak, Villanova won seven of its last 11 games, including a blowout over Syracuse in the Big East tournament that essentially cemented their invitation to the Big Dance. They couldn’t stand up to Georgetown in the next round, but they had already proved that they were better than their 20-12 record suggested.
All this is not to say that Clemson isn’t a dangerous team. They have five players who can all score from different areas on the floor which makes them extremely tough to defend, but their pressure defense won’t be as effective against Villanova as it was against most teams. Villanova guards Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher are excellent ball handlers who should be able to break Clemson’s press – and when that happens, Clemson usually runs into trouble.
And then there’s the free throws. Clemson does almost everything else well, but they convert on just 62 percent of their free throws – 312th out of 328 Division I basketball teams. Villanova is one of the best teams at free throw line (72 percent) and that could be a major factor in this game.
Keep an eye on this pointspread because it’s one that could be adjusted before the game tips off Friday at 9:50 p.m. ET.
"Villanova is a good live dog in this matchup," Scott says. "They should grab the attention of the underdog bettors. The line should jump downward even further come closer to game time with some sharp money being bet on +6."
NCAAB Tips and Trends
Midwest Region - RBC Center (Raleigh, NC)
#10 Davidson vs. #7 Gonzaga [
Davidson (-2, O/U 139.5): The Wildcats bring a nation-leading 19-game winning streak into the Big Dance and played a very tough non-conference slate that included meetings with Duke, North Carolina and UCLA. All 5 starters are back from last year's NCAA Tournament team, and they led the Southern Conference in free-throw shooting.
PROJECTED SCORE: 71
The UNDER is 8-2 in Davidson’s last 10 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have become an annual staple in the Big Dance, making the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 10 years. However, this is not one of their best teams, which was proven again in a loss to San Diego in the West Coast Conference Tournament title game. Point guard Jeremy Pargo will face a lot of pressure defensively trying to keep up with Davidson's Stephen Curry (25.3 points per game), which could affect him on the offensive end.
PROJECTED SCORE: 69
Gonzaga is 2-4 ATS in 6 games on neutral courts this season.
Key Injuries - NONE
#15 UMBC vs. #2 Georgetown
UMBC: The Retrievers could be a dangerous 15 seed. They shoot 39 percent from 3-point range and have a number of players that can hoist the long ball. UMBC also hits its free throws, connecting on 73 percent of its attempts this season. The Retrievers only lost one game by double-digits all year, a 24-point defeat at West Virginia.
PROJECTED SCORE: 60 (OVER - Total Play of the Day)
Maryland-Baltimore County is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Georgetown (-16.5, O/U 130): The Hoyas shared a common opponent with Maryland-Baltimore County in West Virginia. While the Retrievers suffered their worst loss of the season at Morgantown, Georgetown beat the Mountaineers twice, including a 72-55 victory in the Big East Tournament semifinals. Even though Georgetown lost to Pitt in the tourney title game, this is a battle-tested team that played a very rugged Big East schedule and won the regular-season championship.
PROJECTED SCORE: 76
The OVER is 4-1 in Georgetown's last 5 games overall.
The UNDER is 9-2 in Georgetown's last 11 NCAA Tournament games.
Key Injuries - NONE
Midwest Region - St. Pete Times Forum (Tampa, FL)
#13 Siena vs. #4 Vanderbilt
Siena: The Saints are a trendy pick to upset Vanderbilt in the first round. Siena backers will point to the fact that the Saints upset Stanford earlier in the year but keep in mind Siena also lost to St. Joseph’s, Syracuse, Cornell and got blasted by 44 points at Memphis. Siena shoots a ton of three-pointers and we saw what can happen when they struggle from beyond the arc. Against Memphis, the Saints only hit 9-of-21 attempts from long range and got outrebounded by 18 in a 102-58 drubbing at the hands of the Tigers. If the three-ball isn’t falling on Friday for the Saints, Siena’s chances of sticking with Vandy are slim.
PROJECTED SCORE: 73
The UNDER is 4-0 in Siena’s last 4 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Vanderbilt (-7, O/U 153.5): The Commodores were a mediocre 6-6 in regular-season road/neutral games, which does not bode well in the Big Dance. While they are a very talented team and can get up for any opponent (see their upset of #1 Tennessee earlier this season), they can fall flat just the same, proven in losing 2 of 3 games after that big win.
PROJECTED SCORE: 80
The OVER is 4-1 in Vanderbilt’s last 5 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
#12 Villanova vs. #5 Clemson
Villanova: The Wildcats underachieved most of the season until making a late run for the Big Dance. They got in thanks to a huge win over Syracuse in the Big East Tournament and are a very talented young team that figures to compete for the conference title next year. Turnovers have been a problem though due to having 3 freshmen and a sophomore in the backcourt.
PROJECTED SCORE: 70
Villanova is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Clemson (-6, O/U 143.5): The Tigers return to the Big Dance for the first time in a decade after playing in the NIT each of the last 3 years. They are coming off their best finish in the ACC since 1990 and will need to overcome their status as the worst free-throw shooting team in the conference, which can be blamed for at least half of their losses this season.
PROJECTED SCORE: 75
Clemson is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
West Region - St. Pete Times Forums (Tampa, FL)
#12 Western Kentucky vs. #5 Drake
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers were able to rally down the stretch despite losing one of their best players last month in 6-foot-7 senior Mike Walker. They were able to hang tough with the likes of Gonzaga and Tennesee (losing by a combined 9 points) and could possibly sping the upset due to their outstanding defense and veteran guard play.
PROJECTED SCORE: 68
Western Kentucky is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Drake (-4, O/U 139.5): The Bulldogs rewarded their backers this season - going 21-7 ATS - the most profitable team in the country. Drake lives by the long ball, putting up 28 3-pointers a game. But amazingly, MVC Player of the Year Adam Emmenecker has never attempted a 3-point shot in his 4 years at Drake.
PROJECTED SCORE: 72
Drake is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 Friday games.
Key Injuries - NONE
#13 San Diego vs. #4 Connecticut
San Diego: The team's 2 best players - point guard Brandon Johnson and center Gyno Pomare - are also less talented than their UConn counterparts and face severe mismatches. The Toreros were able to win 13 of their last 15 games to get into the Big Dance, but 11 of those came at home, as they also hosted their conference tournament.
PROJECTED SCORE: 60
San Diego is 20-7 ATS in its last 27 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
UConn (-11.5, O/U 131): The Huskies outrebounded their opponents by nearly 7 per game and are anchored in the middle by 7-foot-3 Hasheem Thabeet, who was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year after blocking a conference-record 94 shots during the regular season. There's no doubt that their strength lies in the interior, but the key to their success could very well depend on the play of point guard A.J. Price, who led the league in assists.
PROJECTED SCORE: 71
The OVER is 7-3 in UConn’s last 10 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
East Region - BJCC Arena (Birmingham, AL)
#15 American vs. #2 Tennessee
American: This is the first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance for the Eagles, who rely heavily on the 3-point shot. They shoot over 41 percent from beyond the arc to rank fourth in the nation and make 8 treys a game. However, American did have more turnovers than its opponents this season, which could be problematic against the opportunistic Vols.
PROJECTED SCORE: 60
American is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Tennessee (-20, O/U 141): The key number for the Vols is 80. Tennessee was 21-1 SU & 13-5 ATS this season when it scored 80 points or more. When the Vols failed to reach 80, their record dipped to 8-3 straight up and 2-9 ATS. Tennessee may need to score that many points with the way its defense has played recently. The Vols gave up an average of 76 points in their last 5 games.
PROJECTED SCORE: 80
Tennessee is 1-5 ATS in 6 games on neutral courts this season.
Key Injuries - NONE
#10 South Alabama vs. #7 Butler
South Alabama: The Jaguars were the best team in the Sun Belt this season despite losing in the conference tournament semifinals. They beat SEC West champ Mississippi State and lost by just 3 points to both Vanderbilt and Ole Miss, finishing 26-6 overall. Fortunately, South Alabama was still rewarded with an invite to the Big Dance and could be a nice sleeper pick to win a couple games.
PROJECTED SCORE: 61
South Alabama is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 Friday games.
Key Injuries - NONE
Butler (-4, O/U 125.5): The Bulldogs have 4 senior starters and averaged 9.2 3-pointers per game during the regular season. That obviously means they have tremendous experience and are one of the best outside shooting teams in the country. What could be a big problem is that Butler had a negative rebounding margin of 0.9 while playing a Horizon League schedule, which will hurt the team if the shots aren't falling as expected.
PROJECTED SCORE: 65
Butler is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 Friday games.
Key Injuries - NONE
#11 St. Joseph's vs. #6 Oklahoma
St. Joe's: The Hawks can play with just about any team in the country, but they have trouble closing out games, which could again be an issue here. A lot of that has to do with a lack of depth, as head coach Phil Martelli has not used his bench much lately. Keep this in mind for second-half betting.
PROJECTED SCORE: 63
The UNDER is 6-2 in St. Joseph’s last 8 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Oklahoma (-1.5, O/U 127.5): The Sooners have a favorable opponent, as both teams would prefer to keep the score in the 70s or less. Since they are not a good shooting team, pounding the ball inside to Blake Griffin and Longar Longar will be key. Oklahoma has a distinct size advantage and should be able to wear down St. Joe's, controlling the pace.
PROJECTED SCORE: 65
The UNDER is 7-0 in Oklahoma’s last 7 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
#14 Boise State vs. #3 Louisville
Boise State: The Broncos could be a live underdog against Louisville. Boise State is 14-3 SU & 10-4 ATS away from home this season. The Broncos are also the fourth-best shooting team in the country, hitting 50.2 percent from the field.
PROJECTED SCORE: 65
Boise State is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 lined games.
Boise State is 10-4 ATS away from home this season.
Key Injuries - NONE
Louisville (-13, O/U 143.5): Outside of a disappointing 2-game skid heading into the Big Dance, the Cardinals were one of the hottest teams in the country down the stretch. They are finally healthy after a rough start to the season and won 9 straight games before losing to Georgetown and Pitt, both teams they beat earlier in the year. Louisville ended up going 9-2 ATS in the last 11 games, and insiders believe the Cards could be as dangerous as any of the top seeds in the field.
PROJECTED SCORE: 78
Louisville is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
East Region - RBC Center (Birmingham, AL)
Mount St. Mary's vs. #1 North Carolina
Mount St. Mary's: The Mountaineers rallied back from an early 9-point deficit to not only win but cover against 20-loss Coppin State in the opening-round game on Tuesday. Now comes the challenging task of meeting overall top seed North Carolina, something guard Jeremy Goode has always dreamed of. “I envisioned playing against them when I was little,” said Goode, a Carolina native. “To play against them means a lot.”
PROJECTED SCORE: 62
Mount St. Mary's is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
North Carolina (-24.5, O/U 150): The Tar Heels are loaded with talent and could be very tough to beat if they don't turn the ball over. However, they have proven to be beatable when that happens, committing a combined 30 turnovers in losses to Maryland and Duke during the regular season.
PROJECTED SCORE: 87
North Carolina is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
#9 Arkansas vs. #8 Indiana
Arkansas: The Razorbacks obviously have talent, which is one of the reasons they made it all the way to the SEC Tournament title game. However, they lack consistency and focus, which was proven in losing to Georgia as an 8-point favorite in that game. Arkansas is also a poor road team with a 2-7 mark during the regular season compared to 15-1 at home.
PROJECTED SCORE: 70
Arkansas is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
Key Injuries - Leading scorer Sonny Weems (15 ppg; knee) has been upgraded to expected to play.
Indiana (-1, O/U 140.5): The Hoosiers have one of the best 1-2 scoring punches in the country in freshman guard Eric Gordon and senior center D.J. White. The duo averaged over 38 points per game and will be very difficult to match up with. The team's motivation down the stretch will be critical though, as Indiana was just 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games after Dan Dakich took over as head coach for the departed Kelvin Sampson.
PROJECTED SCORE: 71
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
South Region - Alltel Arena (North Little Rock, AR)
#10 St. Mary's vs. #7 Miami (FL)
St. Mary's: The Gaels play outstanding pressure defense, holding 13 opponents under 60 points and forcing 15 turnovers per game. They also limit the opposition 30.4 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. However, the offense of St. Mary's could very well be the difference. The team is averaging 79.7 points per game in its 25 wins and 61.2 in its 5 losses.
PROJECTED SCORE: 69
St. Mary’s is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Miami (-1, O/U 137.5): Hurricanes guard Jack McLinton led the ACC in 3-point field-goal percentage at 44 percent and also shoots 90 percent from the free-throw line. However, Miami sometimes becomes too dependent offensively on McLinton, which could be a major issue against a team as defensively sound as St. Mary's.
PROJECTED SCORE: 70
The UNDER is 26-9 in Miami-Florida’s last 35 games as a favorite.
Key Injuries - NONE
#15 Austin Peay vs. #2 Texas
Austin Peay: The Governors were competitive earlier in the year in losses against top-level tournament teams in Vanderbilt and Memphis and won 11 of 12 down the stretch to get into the Big Dance. However, they are very undersized, with all 5 starters standing 6-foot-5 or shorter. Center Drake Reed is one of them and should struggle going against a tough Texas frontcourt led by 6-10 Connor Atchley.
PROJECTED SCORE: 62
Austin Peay is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Texas (-15.5, O/U 140): There are not 2 more dangerous guards in the country 6-foot or shorter than Longhorns D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams. Both are outstanding 3-point shooters and will have a surprising size advantage over Austin Peay's 5-foot-9 point guard Derek Wright. Out of all the first-round games, this one seems to have the biggest individual mismatches - all in Texas' favor.
PROJECTED SCORE: 78
Texas is 3-9-2 ATS in its last 14 Friday games.
Key Injuries - NONE
#9 Oregon vs. #8 Mississippi State
Oregon: This is a senior-laden team with 5 on the roster, led by starters Bryce Taylor, Malik Hairston and Maarty Leunen. The Ducks made it all the way to the Elite 8 a year ago, and those seniors will be looking for a successful end to their college careers.
PROJECTED SCORE: 72 (Side Play of the Day)
The OVER is 6-2 in Oregon’s last 8 Friday games.
Key Injuries - NONE
Mississippi State (-2.5, O/U 143): The Bulldogs enjoyed a fairly successful regular season, but they aren't a team that stands out or does anything remarkable. Their best outside shooter (Ben HanXXXough, the younger brother of North Carolina's Tyler) makes just 37 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, and they lack depth if they get into foul trouble.
PROJECTED SCORE: 70
Mississippi State is 1-3 ATS in 4 games on neutral courts this season.
Key Injuries - NONE
#16 Texas-Arlington vs. #1 Memphis
Texas-Arlington: The Mavericks are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance and may just be happy to be playing in the Big Dance. They do have some size inside with All-Southland selection Jermaine Griffin, but insiders believe they could be simply overwhelmed by the Tigers from the opening tip and end up on the wrong end of the biggest rout in the tourney.
PROJECTED SCORE: 58
Texas-Arlington is 3-0 SU on neutral Courts this season.
Key Injuries - G Ro'ger Guignard (13 ppg; ankle) is listed as questionable.
Memphis (-24.5, O/U 142): Fourteen of the Tigers 33 victories this season have been by 20 points or more, so their lackluster free throw shooting hasn’t been a problem. However, Memphis connects on just 59 percent of its free throw attempts. That’s a stat that won’t just hurt them in tight games, it could also be a factor in covering big spreads throughout the Tournament.
PROJECTED SCORE: 83
Memphis is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
Jeff Haney talks with a longtime sports bettor who says he’s finally reached the place where he can give up his obsession
When Alan Boston talks about how he came to find “a good place,” he does not mean his well-appointed house on a Las Vegas golf course or his summer home in Maine.
Boston has spent the better part of two decades handicapping and betting college basketball in Las Vegas, earning a national reputation among gamblers and oddsmakers. Yet he has always analyzed his own psyche as deeply as any Canisius-Siena matchup.
For once, he likes what he sees.
“If you had asked me at almost any time over the years, I would have told you I hate myself, I’m miserable, I’m unhappy,” Boston says. “At a very young age, I started using gambling as an escape from life.
“There were times I was in a very bad place. Not anymore ... I finally have peace of mind away from gambling.”
As a result, Boston says, this year’s NCAA Tournament will be the last he bets as a pro. After the championship game April 7 in San Antonio, consider Boston retired.
“I’m done. This is it.”
Boston points across his living room to a couple of overstuffed loose-leaf binders on the floor, scribble-filled pages spilling out, looking like the accouterments of an eccentric but brilliant professor. These are the tools of an old-school gambler who came up in the game before computers, who proudly relies on “feel” in deciding which college basketball teams to bet on.
Boston knows his method — knows Alan Boston himself — is an anachronism in modern-day sports gambling.
“The computer programmers can’t do what I do,” he says. “I can supersede any number with my feel. Everything I need to know is in those notebooks, and now I’m not going to need them anymore.”
The realization he was through as a professional sports bettor did not come to Boston as an epiphany. It was gradual, emerging from five years of psychiatric therapy and a lifetime of hard self-analysis. But Boston can pinpoint when things began to turn around. It was when he began acting as a mentor to a young man in Maine who had a rough upbringing.
The kid
Boston will refer to him only as “Rob” or, more frequently, “the kid” — although he’s in his early 20s now, living in Florida, pursuing a career in golf.
They met about five years ago at a golf course in Maine, and as Boston tells it, both of their lives changed.
“He was the kid who greeted me and got my bag and loaded it into the cart,” Boston says. “He always kind of moped around.
“We played golf one day and he acted like a selfish little (jerk). I told him to learn some (expletive) etiquette or we ain’t playing again.”
The next time they played, Rob chided a friend for trying to take a mulligan on a missed putt. Boston thought to himself: This kid really listens.
Boston attended one of the kid’s high school golf matches, and a connection became clear.
“He looked over and saw me,” Boston says. “His whole aura changed. The mopey kid was no longer a mopey kid. There was a glow. He just stood proud.
“I learned everything at that moment.”
On the third hole, the golf coach introduced himself to Boston and said Rob was very happy he’d come. “ ‘No one’s ever come to watch him before.’ And I was like, whoa. Oh. Well. That sucks.”
Meanwhile, Boston was speaking with his psychiatrist about how he had always used gambling to run away from relationships, to avoid attachments to people. He asked his therapist why he cared so much about the kid, and the therapist said it was because that’s what fathers do.
“Now, late in life, when I finally let someone in, albeit in a paternal way, gambling is no longer relevant,” Boston says. “I actually felt love. Once you do that it’s a whole different world.”
The handicapper
Boston, who turns 50 in August, recalls watching an episode of “Maverick,” the Western starring James Garner, as a kid and loving it.
“What an amazing show,” Boston says. “And when the closing credits came up, I remember thinking, ‘Wow, when I die all this good memory is going to be gone.’
“Many of my therapy sessions have been driven by that. Why fall in love when you’re going to die?”
Growing up in Framingham, Mass., Boston lost himself watching the trotters and pacers at Foxboro and betting football, especially after his parents split up. “I found peace of mind at the racetrack,” says Boston, who today owns three harness racehorses.
While earning his degree in the biological basis of behavior at the University of Pennsylvania, Boston immersed himself in the culture of college basketball betting, attending doubleheaders as many as three times a week at the Palestra.
He read the betting column in the New York Daily News and a novel by Robert Kalich, titled “The Handicapper,” learning about semi-mythical figures called “wise guys” and vowing to become one.
“I would always wonder how anyone could predict a winner in William and Mary-Virginia Tech,” Boston says. “How do they do it? Well, now I know. I did become that guy.”
Boston came to Las Vegas for good in about 1988, honing his “feel” for how games played out against the spread at the Stardust sports book, then the gathering place for the city’s top bettors and oddsmakers.
“Alan was always one of the most respected bettors,” says Scott Schettler, who ran the Stardust book in the ’80s. “Alan was always smart, almost frighteningly smart.”
Last basketball season, Boston didn’t do well betting. He almost quit. He even threw his loose-leaf binders away.
Less than a month into this season, he hit another rough stretch and again considered hanging it up. The turning point came when he picked DePaul as a 4-point underdog against Vanderbilt. DePaul lost by 6 — but in overtime, and Boston felt in his heart he had the right team.
“That was a big ‘feel’ game,” Boston says. “Right side, bad beat. Starting from that game I got more confident.
“The last two weeks were some of the best I’ve ever had. I’m going to go out a winner with this tournament.”
He gestured again to the overstuffed binders on the floor.
“Last year, my roommate picked them out of the trash can and shipped them to me in Maine. That won’t happen again — because I’m going to burn them.”
lasvegassun.com
WHAT A SHOT BY W KENTUCKY TO WIN THE GAME 😮