The dog days of summer are here (woof, woof), but the STN Sports Books are still letting bettors fetch some cash, be it from baseball, golf, the World Cup or even this weekend’s big fight. 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…
Baseball Trades
The Major League Baseball picture is about to get much more clear — or at least less obstructed than an F1 viewing party on the Strip. The trade deadline is next week, and many teams are trying to determine if they are buyers or sellers. For competitive teams, their futures largely depend on who they could potentially pick up. Any team getting two-way star Shohei Ohtani would dramatically alter their World Series odds. The Cubs’ Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger — both potentially on the trading block — could move the needle for some squads, too. As opposed to previous years, many small market teams could be buyers.
“There’s a lot of big-name guys out there right now, and with so many teams in the hunt, we know the big market teams are willing to spend,” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos’ Race and Sports Book Director. “Are some of these smaller market teams willing to spend to compete with that? I think that’s the interesting kind of dynamic this year.” Baseball is about to have more trades than Fidelity Investments. Also interesting is a trend that’s emerging: post-break parity. “This year we had more of a lack of parity before the All-Star Break than after the break, where usually it’s the exact opposite,” Esposito said.
Major Win
At The Open Championship, some of the world’s best golfers seemed to be missing. That equaled good news for out-of-nowhere champion Brian Harman and the STN Sports Books. The win by Harman resulted in one of the most profitable golf tournaments of the year for the house.
“We did really good on all the possibilities, the matchups, the props, adjusting each round and the event as a whole,” Esposito said. “With the way it all worked out, it was really good for us.” Although guys like Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Scotty Scheffler were among the most best players before the tournament began, Harman caught fire and coasted to a six-stroke win.
Fight Night
…And you thought Barbie and Oppenheimer was a battle for the ages. On Saturday, Errol Spence Jr. squares off against Terence Crawford at T-Mobile Arena. The fight is more anticipated than a Las Vegas Whataburger opening. As of now, the public is siding with the favorite Crawford. About 57% of the tickets are on him vs. about 40% on Spence.
“I think it’s a little misleading. I still think that you’re going to see some Spence action show up before they get into the ring,” Esposito said. “When it comes to boxing, you usually see the majority of the larger bets come in within 24 hours of the fight. With prize fights, usually the day-of is when bets really start kind of rolling in, and it starts in the morning.” The way Esposito sees it, there’s tremendous value on the underdog Spence.
“Just looking at who he’s fought over the last couple of years and who Crawford has, I was kind of surprised there was such a big early push on Crawford,” Station’s top oddsmaker said. “That’s why I really think you’re going to see some late money show on Spence. I think there’s just too much value there as the price continues to creep up.”
Women’s World Cup
Judging from the kickoff times, it’s been ladies night in Australia and New Zealand. The Women’s World Cup is officially underway, but the start times have been more inconvenient than a Delta Airlines plane stalled on the tarmac in a heat wave. “It’s not surprising, but the handle has been best when the U.S. plays,” Esposito said. “As they move through, their games are definitely going to draw a lot of attention. That’s kind of been the highlight so far.” So, how do guests combat those midnight start times? The STN Sports App is open 24/7 and it never closes… just like that guy you know who’s always stuck in the friend zone.
Prepping For Pigskin
The Hall of Fame Game between Cleveland Browns and New York-via-East Rutherford Jets is slated for Aug. 3, which will officially mark the return of football, albeit preseason. To say that bettors are excited would be an understatement. “Despite the fact the starters will only a play a minimal amount, the fact that it is football and it is primetime, we’ll see a larger handle on that game than we will on probably 80% of the baseball games that day,” Esposito said. “It just screams volumes to the strength of football.” On the cusp of the NFL season, let us give you some words of wisdom: manage your bankroll,
Bets To Know
Mark your calendars! The Last Man Standing competitions in both the NFL and college football will be opening for business next week. Guests can sign up in person at any Station Casinos Sports Book, and the cost is $25 per entry. Each contestant that purchases four entries will receive a fifth free. While still active in the competition, guests must turn in weekly picks in person. Active participants are required to select one game against the spread for each entry. For reference, the Last Man Standing competition in the college field will win a guaranteed minimum of $100,000, and the NFL’s Last Man Standing will take home a guaranteed minimum of $150,000.
Weekly Winners
A great hit on a 7-teamer this Tuesday! Congrats to this bettor, cashing $1,355.31 from a $10 bet.
-SUN +145
-ANGELS +108
-PHILLIES -118
-NATIONALS -130
-GUARDIANS -1.5 -105
-D’BACKS -120
-REDS +129