Las Vegas is still basking in the glow of the Super Bowl, but does that feeling even top the NBA All-Star Game final? Even Snoop Dogg doesn’t get that high (but Green Valley Ranch’s new High Limit Room does).
The STN Sports Books closed with the total set at 365.5, but the game soared over that laughable line as 397 points were scored. “We did see a lot of over money on it. It’s one of these where you frequently hear, ‘How much can I bet on the over?’” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos’ Race and Sports Book Director. “It clearly went over, which doesn’t surprise me. We’ve seen it so many times. The NBA and NFL All-Star games are more of a showcase, whereas it’s the exact opposite in baseball and hockey.”
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 STN Sports Books…
Cait the Great
Iowa seems to be the center of the college basketball universe right now, and it’s all because of Caitlin Clark. Last week, the Hawkeyes guard became the NCAA women’s all-time scoring leader after hitting a three-pointer from the freaking logo. All hail the GOAT!
While it was all but known that Clark would break the record, the fashion in which she did it was more of a mystery than the KFC chicken recipe. STN Sports Books actually offered a bet on the type of shot that Cait The Great would hit to set the record. A three-pointer was the odds-on favorite. “We’re going to be looking to do more of that,” Esposito said, noting that Caitlin is less than 100 points from breaking “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s all-time college scoring record.
“We’ll be putting up her over and unders for individual games, and we probably do another bet when she’s within striking distance of Pete’s record — whether she’ll break it with a free throw, two-pointer or three pointer.” STN Spots Books actually saw a lot of action on that Caitlin-centric prop bet.
“We never just put a prop up to put a prop up. We always try to put something up that we think is competitive and is going to make our side think about it a little bit and make the guests think about it as well,” Esposito said. “They are compelling, fun bets.”
Women Hoopin’
Who run the world? Girls. Handle and wagering on women’s college games has grown significantly over the past few years — betting is up more than 40% at STN Books.
“There’s been an emergence of really top female basketball players. The tournament’s been great, but that’s filtered over into individual games,” Esposito said. “Some of it is a little bit of a byproduct of how well the Aces play, and it’s kind of really put that sport on the map a little bit. But we are seeing a huge uptick in handle and more guests even asking about it. Five years ago, we were maybe putting up a bet on who’d win the women’s championship, whereas now you’re seeing games put up on a nightly basis.”
Chicks dig the long ball. Arguably the most interesting and fun part of the NBA All Star weekend was the Sabrina Ionescu vs. Stephen Curry three-point contest.
“That contest drew a really good handle,” Esposito said. “I think the NBA will do more of that stuff, too. I could see that being a standard kind of thing that they do, which is kind of fun, and we’ll most definitely have props on it.”
Men’s Outlook
Like last year, there seems to a be a slew of teams that can cut down the nets at the end of the men’s NCAA Final Four. Will Purdue’s offense boil and get hot? Maybe Tennessee will Volunteer to win it all? Houston could blast off. Does UConn repeat? There’s more variety than a Costco sample counter.
“Two teams in the middle of the Top 25 that I thought going into the season could be kind of scary and good where Dayton and Creighton,” Esposito said. “Florida Atlantic, of course, is in the Top 25 and they are a team that has seen success in the past. St. Mary’s has come on a lot lately. To me, Dayton, Creighton, and St. Mary’s are three teams that can make a little bit of noise in the tournament.”
NFL Draft
Those NASCAR drivers at the Daytona 500 don’t even draft like the STN Sports Books. Although the most recent NFL season is now behind us, that doesn’t mean football isn’t top of mind. STN Sports Books are on the verge of posting a multitude of NFL Draft props.
“That seems to be all the chatter, so we’re really diving into that,” Esposito said. A lot of the prop bets will depend on what happens at the NFL Combine, but oddsmakers are already eyeing a bevy of fun, irresistible bets. Heck, six quarterbacks could go in the first round.
“We’ll have a better gauge after the combine and pro days,” Esposito said. “What if Bo Nix or JJ McCarthy really shine or really tank? It could affect their stock pretty dramatically.” Selecting an effective quarterback in the first round is a taller task than building a border wall.
Bets To Know
As we move away from football momentarily, College Hoops is clearly in full swing. Look for odds on every college basketball game (and if you don’t see it, tweet us! @stnsportsapp) to start getting excited for the big tournament in March.
Weekly Winners
Coming off a (relatively) slower sports schedule weekend, this bettor managed to turn a $5 6-team parlay into a nice little $242 payday across men’s college hoops. All games played February 20:
-Villanova -6.5
-Central Michigan -1.5
-Davidson -6.5
-Florida St. -3.5
-Buffalo -2
-Duquesne -9