Last Sunday, a day in which we honored the women who brought us into this world, the Vegas Golden Knights got one step closer to the mother of them all: Lord Stanley’s Cup. Because of that, the nerves stemming from the Station Casino Race and Sports Books are getting more amped up than Aaron Lewis’ guitar at Red Rock’s The Sandbar.
As we’ve mentioned many times, the Golden Knights present a huge liability to the Book. But they aren’t the only team giving oddsmakers sleepless nights. With all that in mind, let’s quickly look back at the past week in sports and peek at what’s ahead on the STN Sports App and at the Station Casinos Race and Sports Books…
Chase For The Cup
In a series that was more chippy than a Frito Lay factory, the Golden Knights defeated the star-led Edmonton Oilers in six games. They now face Dallas, a team led by former VGK coach Pete DeBoer. The series is expected to be tight, as evidenced by the series price, which shows Vegas as decent, but not a huge favorite. However, because of the liability the Knights possess, the number is a little inflated to attract some Dallas backers, who we’ll call the Dallas Buyer’s Club.
“The series price is a little misleading in the Knights’ case. It’s a little skewed because of the position we’re in and the liability. Having them a little bit higher on the series prices isn’t exactly something you didn’t expect,” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos’ Race and Sports Book Director. “If not for the liability, I would still make the Knights a small favorite — maybe 6/5 or so — because they have home ice.” Thus far, early money came in on VGK but swung back to Dallas. One particular Station’s bettor already felt the sting from Dallas this week, as this person made a five-figure puck line bet on the Stars on Monday night in Game 7. The guest was winning until the Kraken scored with 19 seconds left. P-A-I-N. “We needed the Stars and the under in Game 7, but not having them cover the puck line was a huge difference,” Esposito said.
The NHL playoffs are supposed to be low-scoring, tight affairs, but the first few rounds bucked that trend, as it saw high scoring and more blowouts than the Green Valley Ranch spa. But, the Game 1 totals in the upcoming Eastern and Western Conference Finals are both low. “I think part of that is a product of who the four teams left are,” Esposito said. “With so much at stake now, I think teams will play a little bit of a different style.”
Lakers Dilemma
Denver. Denver. Denver. Denver. Not only are the Station Sports Books desperate for the Nuggets to best the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, so is the sports gaming industry. “For a non-Vegas team to put the whole industry in the same position is a little bit of an anomaly,” Esposito said. There’s a real chance the Books in Vegas — Station included — could get beat harder than a turntable at this weekend’s Electric Daisy Carnival. The Lakers are underdogs against No. 1 seeded Denver in the series, so Vegas certainly thinks the L.A. anxiety might be over relatively soon (and Denver’s win on Tuesday certainly helped.) Still, the industry needs the Lakers to malfunction like a Ball Arena shot clock. To little surprise, the Eastern Conference Finals isn’t getting the same kind of action as its Western Conference counterpart.
NFL – Week 1
It’s never too early to think about the pigskin. The NFL schedule was released last Thursday, and Week 1 spreads were quickly posted to Station Sports Book. Since the season doesn’t begin until September, there’s been little movement in the lines — barring an injury to a significant player, the lines aren’t really expected to shift until late August/early September. There are many intriguing games on the Week 1 slate, but Esposito is curious about one in particular: the Monday Night Football game of Bills at Jets, which opened as a pick ‘em. “We’re anxious to see which way the bettors ultimately push us on this game,” he said.
PGA Championship
This is major. Literally. The PGA Championship, one of the PGA’s four majors, takes place this weekend, and bettors are already making their voices heard in the form of their wallets. While the brunt of the betting will happen later in the week and the weekend, there’s already been action on Jason Day and Xander Schauffele, both of whom have double-digit odds. The STN Sports App also has an embarrassing abundance of prop bets, match-up bets, and index bets tied to the event. Like a bread baker in the back of the house of Sonoma Cellar, we’re here for all your needs.
Giddy Up
Let’s be honest, there are chophouses in the city that can’t compete with Preakness Stakes. The second leg of the Triple Crown takes place on Saturday, and all eyes will be on Kentucky Derby winner Mage. If the thoroughbred can pull off another win, things get more interesting than a white t-shirt in the Dip Du Rouge Cabana’s pool. “If Mage can do that, it changes the whole atmosphere at the Belmont Stakes because you have a horse now that could maybe be that special horse,” Esposito said. Although the Preakness is a huge race, it generates about half the handle of the Derby, which still isn’t too shabby. Mage is expected to get the most action from bettors in the lead-up to the race, and hopefully, there won’t be late scratches, ala the Derby. At Churchill Downs earlier this month, a few of those horses were more unavailable than a cell phone at a Garth Brooks show. “It’s a fun race day, especially when you do have the Derby winner racing,” Esposito said. “Now you have maybe an opportunity that if Mage does win, it really sets up a fun Belmont Day.”
Bets To Know
In addition to NHL and NBA playoffs, the PGA Championship, and the Preakness, this weekend’s sports slate includes a UFC card, a huge boxing match involving former pound-for-pound king Vasyl Lomachenko (he’s a heavy underdog!), baseball and the Indianapolis 500 time trials. With so much happening this weekend in sports, we’ll be busier than a free downtown Deadmau5 show. And it’s all available to bet on the STN Sports App.
Weekly Winners
6-teamer for $25 won $4,166 on May 16! Nice hit from this Vegas local:
-RED SOX +139
-RAYS +142
-BREWERS +164
-RANGERS -105
-WHITE SOX +106
-ROYALS +173