While guests at the Station Casinos Race and Sports Books put a hurting on the house on NFL Sunday, it was a team from the Beehive State (fun fact: Utah) that stung guests just a few days before. However, just 48 hours later, Allegiant Stadium went from being the House of Pain to the House of Gain for bettors.
With all that in mind, let’s quickly look back over the sport’s landscape and dish out some insight on what’s ahead on the field, the city, on the STN Sports App and at the Station Casinos Race and Sports Books.
Raiders Return?
After a slow start to the season, Raiders bettors were getting bucked off like a cowboy at Thomas & Mack, but they returned this past weekend and were rewarded handsomely. On Sunday, the Silver & Black took down the Los Angeles Chargers and covered the 2.5-point line in a 27-20 win at Allegiant.
“That was arguably one of the bigger decisions of the day, and this was after the bettors backed the Raiders for nine straight weeks and got off them two weeks,” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos’ Race and Sports Book Director. “They were back on. Keeping that game under the total helped us, but that was not a good outcome for us.” The Cowboys stunning victory on Sunday night and Tampa’s come-from-behind win on Monday night were also a kick in the pants for the Book. “There were a lot of live tickets going to the Cowboys,” Esposito said. “We were not in a great situation going into that game on Monday night, and that happens sometimes.”
The lone bright spot for the house came from Pennsylvania, where the Eagles and Steelers wins were nice and needed outcomes.
San Francisc-woes
With all due respect to Messi, Ronaldo and the World Cup studs, the most watched foot in America is in San Fransisco. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot in Sunday’s win over the Miami Dolphins. Initial media reports claimed his season was over, but then came news on Tuesday that Jimmy “GQ” might be able to return if the Niners are able to make a deep playoff run. Still, because of the injury, the Niners’ future’s odds ticked up slightly, whereas the Cowboys and Eagles odds dropped a bit. Like that Isaac Newton fella said: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” But, in a credit to just how good that 49ers defense is, San Fransisco still has the fifth lowest odds to win the Super Bowl… even with a third-string QB!
“I still favor both the Eagles and Cowboys over them now in the NFC, because of the injury to Jimmy G,” Esposito said. San Fransisco fans better hope Jimmy G “heals” like one of John Dutton’s calves on Yellowstone.
Pac-12 Championship
On Friday night in Las Vegas, there was a bad moon rising… Cameron Rising, to be exact. Rising and his Utah Utes took down the USC Trojans in the Pac-12 Championship Game, and the Book made a huge, huge haul in the Utes 47-24 win. “The handle was almost Super Bowl-esque,” Esposito said. “It was by far the largest college handle and decision that I can remember in a long time. It might have been our biggest single decision on one game that we’ve had so far this season in all sports.”
To little surprise, the money was very one-sided. Not only were Station’s counters seeing an avalanche of small and moderate wagers tied to the Trojans, a multitude of five-figure wagers were placed on Southern California, too. “They were heavily backed,” Esposito said. “It seemed like every few minutes we were getting another $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000 bet on the Trojans. It was an onslaught of SC money.” And, judging by the first quarter, USC — who entered as 3-point favorite — was looking like they might coast to a win and sashay into the College Football Playoff. Then the Utes showed their mettle and grounded USC like chuck roast at the butcher. Ironically, the biggest single bet of the game was on Utah, as a Green Valley Ranch guest plopped $50,000 on Utah money line.
Esposito noted, “There was so much USC money that we were rooting for that guy to win!” US-C-Ya-Later! With their CFP hopes dashed, will USC be motivated to play in the Cotton Bowl against Tulane? The Trojans opened as a small favorite… then again, they were a field goal favorite against Utah, too. The Utes, meanwhile, opened as a slight favorite against Penn State in the Rose Bowl. (All 41 bowl lines have been posted on the STN Sports App!)
Big 12 Championship
Things were different over at the Big 12 Championship featuring Kansas State and TCU, as the bettors supported the underdog so heavily throughout the week that the favorite actually changed by kickoff. Whereas the Horned Frogs opened as the slight favorite when initial lines were posted, the Wildcats ended as the favorite — this despite TCU’s potential CFP hopes on the line. Of course, Kansas State won in overtime 31-28, but TCU still managed to get into the CFP, where they’ll play Michigan. The Frogs opened as an underdog of more than a touchdown to the Wolverines.
Vegas, Baby, Vegas
Why was there so much interest in the Utah/USC game? A few factors come to mind: Certainly the matchup of the squads had something to do with it, as does Southern California proximity to Vegas. The fact that Utah and USC played an unbelievable 1-point game in October might have been on people’s minds. All of these can be true, but one thing that can’t be discounted is location. The Pac-12 Championship game was played at Allegiant Stadium, and events that happen in Vegas almost always generate more action. UFC fights that happen here see more wagers; NCAA basketball games that happen here are bigger; the Vegas NASCAR race is heavily bet.
“I think it just gives you a glimpse of what maybe Formula One will be like out here, or what the Super Bowl or Final Four will be like,” Esposito said. “I think having Formula One, Super Bowl and the Final Four out here is going to generate an epic type of handle.”
Cup Runneth Over
For the past two weeks, Station Sports Books have been an early morning hangout for bettors. Let’s just say they’ve been getting kick out of World Cup games. “The crowd has been just unbelievable. There’s been people sitting on the floor and it’s been standing room only,” Esposito said.
While many of the world’s soccer blue bloods are in the running, Morocco is the Cinderella of the tournament so far, having knocked out perennial power Spain on Tuesday. Station’s top oddsmaker noted several people took a shot at Morocco to win it all, and those tickets would pay hefty amounts should they cash. Entering the tournament, the United States and Mexico carried the most liability for the Book. “The only one that we have some liability on happens to be Cinderella, and that’s Morocco,” Esposito said. During the World Cup — AND ONLY DURING THE WORLD CUP —it’s okay to have a foot fetish.
Bets To Know
Yet another professional sport arrives in Vegas, which means one more team to bet on (or against)! Now available in the STN Sports App and our books is the very first Las Vegas Desert Dogs Professional Lacrosse League game. Coincidentally, they are a dog heading into their game against Panther City Lacrosse Club.
Weekly Winners
While the World Cup and football have the attention of 99% of bettors, some are finding big wins in NBA – check out this HUGE bet on Monday night, with a bettor placing over $57,000 on Pacers +12 against the Warriors. They won handily, 112-104, and so did the bettor.