Final Notes from The Strip
By Micah Roberts
A 7-6 Colts final in the Super Bowl would suit the Las Vegas Bookmakers just fine as the optimum decision for Sunday’s Super Bowl. The favorite winning, but yet not covering, and the total staying under.
“We’ve had great action both ways and I’m surprised that we haven’t been forced off of the spread (Colts -5) through the entire Super Bowl weeks because it’s such an easy spread to move off of,” said Station Casino’s Vice-President of Race and Sports Art Manteris.
At the beginning of the Super Bowl bonanza, the Colts were everyone’s favorite flavor, but as things have settled so has the line.
“We have seen great two way action, but a concern of mine is the weather, and not necessarily the weather in Florida,” said Manteris.
“I’m worried about all the flights to Las Vegas that are being cancelled and delayed because of the what’s going on back east.”
On Saturday, 240 flights were cancelled alone due to weather. What that means to Las Vegas and it’s Super Bowl weekend remains to be seen.
Last year Nevada sports Books handled $84.5 million on the game, well short of the $94.5 million handled in the record year of 2006 when the Las Vegas economy was booming.
The fact the game has remained at the dead number of Colts minus-5 is telling because it doesn’t take much to move off the number. All it may take is a half-limit bet one way of another to sway a book’s line, but that hasn’t happened.
“We’ve a few bets close to limit ($100,000), but not enough to take of us one way or another,” said Manteris.
The Sports Books have been fortunate that game hasn’t opened or been pushed to any relevant number such as 3, 4 6, or, 7, so they don‘t have to make that tough call when to go to certain key number.
Jimmy Vaccaro has had the same sentiment through early Saturday action at his Lucky’s operations.
“We haven’t seen any real big action on the game either way. We’ve had really good action on the props, steady on parlay card play, and overall volume, but nothing that would signify any real move,” said Vaccaro.
The props have been an increasing more amount of business that many books across town are discussing.
“Some of the props are weighted, but many are where the player has us “over” and another place “under” for the “middle”, said Vaccaro.
A new Las Vegas friendly deal for the players is in-progress wagering which will be featured at Station Casino’s properties as well as Lucky’s book’s.
In between major breaks, bettors will be able to place bets on the Super Bowl as the game is going on at Lucky’s places.
At Station’s, they’ll have odds open at the end of the first and third quarters, and and the end of regulation if the game goes there.
Las Vegas is ready for action!
My FINAL, final score is Saints 37-31!