The NFL is back! The countdown to the regular season is on! We have one week until actual, meaningful football is here. We’re about to be weathering more football than an El Niño pattern.
“You could tell by the handle and the atmosphere and just the guests overall that it’s welcomed by everybody,” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos Race and Sports Book Director of preseason football, which has now ended. “
There’s a little bit more optimism with the Giants and Cowboys this year. I think the entire NFC North is wide open. There’s excitement about the Panthers a bit, and the Bengals seem to be kind of a vogue team this year.”
With all that in mind, let’s quickly review the past week in sports and peek at what’s ahead on the STN Sports App and the STN Sports Books…
NFL
The Los Angeles Rams were already the runaway favorites to win the Super Bowl this upcoming season, but their odds dropped again after signing future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald over the weekend.
“When we put the Super Bowl odds up after last year’s Super Bowl, they did not have Myles Garrett or Aaron Donald, and now they don’t just have one; they have both,” Esposito said. “You add those two guys to defense, which you can make a case with a little bit of their Achilles’ heel last year, especially on the back end, but now you’ve got two guys that can rush the passer and kind of change that. It’s the Rams, and then everybody else is kind of bunched up.”
The Rams have gotten more headlines than a Tupac Shakur trial. But we’ve seen super teams before, and they’re not always hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season. Sure, the Rams have the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford, but he’s not exactly young, and there’s very little veteran presence behind him, so that’s something to keep an eye on. Plus, they’re still in a division with the 49ers and Seahawks, who, oh by the way, won the Super Bowl last year.
College Ball
Coming into this college football season, the UNLV Rebels were thought to be one of a handful of Group of 5 teams who could get into the College Football Playoff. Then they played their first game, and the Rebels melted down like microwaved butter. Thankfully, the loss came earlier in the season, not late.
“Overall, the handle was really strong. UNLV figured to be a heavily bet team this year anyway, and a lot of people think they were a team that could possibly get into the playoff, and maybe they still can,” Esposito said, “but it was a bad loss for UNLV. There’s some added pressure on them. They’re not completely dead, but if they were to lose here, I think it’s a lost season.” Still, the loss was good news for the Book, who saw 74% of the bets on the Rebels on Saturday night.
“We had a really good day. There was a lot more parity overall, with some upsets early in the day. Getting North Carolina to win in Dublin, Ireland, when they were a nine-point underdog was a great way to start the day,” the oddsmaker said. Not only will there be eyes on North Carolina because of its legendary and controversial coach, but guests will also be glued to Southern California and Oklahoma games, as both teams have become very popular long-shot bets.
Esposito added, “Those are two vogue teams that have the most tickets outside the top five to win the National Championship.”
Last Man Standing
Time is running out. Signups for STN’s Last Man Standing contests, the popular NFL and college football winner-take-all competitions, are ongoing. Each entry costs $25, and guests must sign up in person at any Station Casinos Sports Book. Any contestant who purchases four entries will receive a fifth free.
While still active in the competition, guests must turn in their weekly picks in person and select one game against the spread for each entry. The winner of the Last Man Standing competition of the college variety will win a guaranteed minimum of $100,000 (with an aggregate payout), and the NFL’s Last Man Standing winner will take home a guaranteed minimum of $150,000 (with an aggregate payout).
Those wishing to participate in the college football competition must sign up by Saturday, Sept. 12; those wishing to participate in the NFL competition must sign up by Monday, Sept. 14.
Bets To Know
Between Week 1 Matchups, season-long futures and totals, and much more, the pro football menu has absolutely exploded. Place your bets as we head into next Wednesday.
Weekly Winners
$25 bet, $954.71 HIT! 💰 Congrats to this STN Sports soccer bettor for hitting this ticket at +3719 odds.
⚽ Benfica and Under 4.5 over Estoril Praia
⚽ Braga over Vitória SC
⚽ Over 1.5 Goals in FC Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano
⚽ Atalanta over Bologna
⚽ Arsenal over Aston Villa