Vegas handicappers, celeb picks for Super Bowl 50
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10:17 AM ET
The Super Bowl is the biggest American betting event of the year, and everyone has an opinion on which team will win -- and cover -- the game.
Below, Chalk gathers responses from professional handicappers, celebrities, Vegas bookmakers and more on how they see the game playing out.
All lines courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, unless otherwise noted. Logo represents team picked to cover the spread.
Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos (in Santa Clara, California)
Spread: Opened Carolina -4; now Carolina -5.5
Total: Opened at 45 points; now 45.5
Public Consensus pick: 72 percent picked Carolina
John Avello, Wynn Las Vegas executive director of race & sports
"Although Peyton Manning's overall ability may only be 70 percent of what it once was, the experience factor is still at 100 percent. I'm trusting Nationwide will be on his side."
Against the spread (ATS) pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 24, Panthers 20
Nick Bogdanovich, william hill U.S. director of trading
"Denver puts up a much better fight than what bettors think, as Peyton will keep the Broncos in the game. In the end, this season's MVP, Cam Newton, will do just enough for the Panthers to win the Lombardi Trophy."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 23, Broncos 20
Mark Dufty, Jerry's Nugget race & sports book director
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"I think Denver's defense can go down as one of the top 10 in NFL history, and Phillips will have his best game plan for Cam and the red-hot Panthers"
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 23, Panthers 20
Oscar Goodman, former Las Vegas mayor, mob lawyer and Bombay Sapphire Gin spokesman
"I've already bet Carolina -4, but I'm a mercenary when it comes to betting. The line has gone too far now, so I'm going to bet on the Broncos, and hopefully I'll get +6.5. Then I'll watch the game with enough drinks until I'm seeing 44 players on the field and hope for the score to fall in the middle."
Score: Panthers 28, Broncos 23
Jay Kornegay, Westgate Las Vegas VP of race & sports operations
"The Broncos will get off to a good start and put some doubt into the Panthers. The Broncos' defense forces the Panthers into two critical turnovers, as they are not comfortable playing from behind."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 24, Panthers 20
Robin Leach, famous host of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," current blogger at vegasluxe.com
"My friend Olivia Newton John was invited by Cartier to pick out jewelry to wear when she was named Woman of the Year two weeks ago. Olivia picked out her ensembles, and Cartier added its trademark panther bracelet to top off "the look". The next night, the Carolina Pantherswon, and ONJ now says it's an omen for them to go all the way. ONJ is betting them to win, so I follow her lead. Six just sounds reasonable!"
ATS pick: Carolina
Score: Panthers 27, Broncos 21
Ed Malinowski, Stratosphere
"I see this game closing at Carolina -4.5, so there is value with taking the six points that are currently out there for Denver. Denver's defense should be able to keep it close, but I think Cam will do something special to get the win."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 24, Broncos 20
Art Manteris, Station Casinos VP of race & sports book operations
"[This is] the best defense Carolina has played all year, the most pressure they've faced all year, and Carolina is away from home, where they crush everyone."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 27, Panthers 17
Tony Miller, Golden Nugget race & sports book director
"Giving Wade Phillips two weeks to prepare for Newton is the key. Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware will alter the explosive offense of the Panthers."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos, 24, Panthers 21
Vince Neil, Motley Crue lead singer and former owner of Las Vegas Outlaws (arena football)
"Newton is on a roll, and even though Denver has a great defense, they won't stop his momentum."
ATS pick: Carolina
Score: Panthers 35, Broncos 17
Marc Nelson, Aliante Casino race & sports book director
"This will be a relatively defensive game in my opinion. Manning will keep the Broncos in the game with his brain and not necessarily his arm. Newton's athletic ability will ultimately pull out the win by the slimmest of margins."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 21, Broncos 20
Tony Nevill, Treasure Island race & sports book director
"[I'm] guessing that the second half will be wide open and that a late field goal will win it for the Broncos. Great offenses and defenses should make for another great game."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 24, Panthers 23
Luke Rockhold, UFC middleweight champion
"Superman will come and he will shine. I just think that the Panthers are too much right now. They have everything: the top offense in the league, and the defense is awesome. They've been killing teams and taking over games, and I expect nothing less in this next matchup."
ATS pick: Panthers roll -- no score given
Jay Rood, MGM Resorts International VP of race & sports
"Broncos lead a very low-scoring affair into the fourth quarter 13-6, when Carolina puts up 10 unanswered points to win on the last drive with no time on the clock, 16-13. Long shot Jerricho Cotchery named the MVP."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 16, Broncos 13
James S. (aka Rounding Again), 2015 SuperContest champion at Westgate Las Vegas
"Denver's defense humbles Cam, but the Panthers' defensive line dominates the trenches allowing Luke Kuechly to roam the field as he tackles his way to the MVP."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 20, Broncos 16
Bob Scucci, Boyd Gaming director of race & sports book operations
"The Broncos defense can slow the game down and they'll be running the ball, so I can see a low-scoring game, but I think the Panthers come back and win it in the end."
ATS pick: Broncos
Score: Panthers 23, Broncos 21
Jason Simbal, CG Technology VP of race & sports
"I think the Broncos can keep it close defensively and am counting on Manning to manage the game intelligently and avoid mistakes. I think the Panthers take the lead late and hang on, not to mention that Panthers by one to four [points] and under looks like it will be the best case for us out here in Vegas."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 20, Broncos 16
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10:17 AM ET
Dave TuleyESPN Staff Writer
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The Super Bowl is the biggest American betting event of the year, and everyone has an opinion on which team will win -- and cover -- the game.
Below, Chalk gathers responses from professional handicappers, celebrities, Vegas bookmakers and more on how they see the game playing out.
All lines courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, unless otherwise noted. Logo represents team picked to cover the spread.
Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos (in Santa Clara, California)Spread: Opened Carolina -4; now Carolina -5.5
Total: Opened at 45 points; now 45.5
Public Consensus pick: 72 percent picked Carolina
John Avello, Wynn Las Vegas executive director of race & sports
"Although Peyton Manning's overall ability may only be 70 percent of what it once was, the experience factor is still at 100 percent. I'm trusting Nationwide will be on his side."Against the spread (ATS) pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 24, Panthers 20
Nick Bogdanovich, william hill U.S. director of trading
"Denver puts up a much better fight than what bettors think, as Peyton will keep the Broncos in the game. In the end, this season's MVP, Cam Newton, will do just enough for the Panthers to win the Lombardi Trophy."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 23, Broncos 20
Mark Dufty, Jerry's Nugget race & sports book director
EDITOR'S PICKS
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"I think Denver's defense can go down as one of the top 10 in NFL history, and Phillips will have his best game plan for Cam and the red-hot Panthers"
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 23, Panthers 20
Oscar Goodman, former Las Vegas mayor, mob lawyer and Bombay Sapphire Gin spokesman
"I've already bet Carolina -4, but I'm a mercenary when it comes to betting. The line has gone too far now, so I'm going to bet on the Broncos, and hopefully I'll get +6.5. Then I'll watch the game with enough drinks until I'm seeing 44 players on the field and hope for the score to fall in the middle."
Score: Panthers 28, Broncos 23
Jay Kornegay, Westgate Las Vegas VP of race & sports operations
"The Broncos will get off to a good start and put some doubt into the Panthers. The Broncos' defense forces the Panthers into two critical turnovers, as they are not comfortable playing from behind."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 24, Panthers 20
Robin Leach, famous host of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," current blogger at vegasluxe.com
"My friend Olivia Newton John was invited by Cartier to pick out jewelry to wear when she was named Woman of the Year two weeks ago. Olivia picked out her ensembles, and Cartier added its trademark panther bracelet to top off "the look". The next night, the Carolina Pantherswon, and ONJ now says it's an omen for them to go all the way. ONJ is betting them to win, so I follow her lead. Six just sounds reasonable!"ATS pick: Carolina
Score: Panthers 27, Broncos 21
Ed Malinowski, Stratosphere
"I see this game closing at Carolina -4.5, so there is value with taking the six points that are currently out there for Denver. Denver's defense should be able to keep it close, but I think Cam will do something special to get the win."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 24, Broncos 20
Art Manteris, Station Casinos VP of race & sports book operations
"[This is] the best defense Carolina has played all year, the most pressure they've faced all year, and Carolina is away from home, where they crush everyone."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 27, Panthers 17
Tony Miller, Golden Nugget race & sports book director
"Giving Wade Phillips two weeks to prepare for Newton is the key. Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware will alter the explosive offense of the Panthers."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos, 24, Panthers 21
Vince Neil, Motley Crue lead singer and former owner of Las Vegas Outlaws (arena football)
"Newton is on a roll, and even though Denver has a great defense, they won't stop his momentum."ATS pick: Carolina
Score: Panthers 35, Broncos 17
Marc Nelson, Aliante Casino race & sports book director
"This will be a relatively defensive game in my opinion. Manning will keep the Broncos in the game with his brain and not necessarily his arm. Newton's athletic ability will ultimately pull out the win by the slimmest of margins."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 21, Broncos 20
Tony Nevill, Treasure Island race & sports book director
"[I'm] guessing that the second half will be wide open and that a late field goal will win it for the Broncos. Great offenses and defenses should make for another great game."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Broncos 24, Panthers 23
Luke Rockhold, UFC middleweight champion
"Superman will come and he will shine. I just think that the Panthers are too much right now. They have everything: the top offense in the league, and the defense is awesome. They've been killing teams and taking over games, and I expect nothing less in this next matchup."ATS pick: Panthers roll -- no score given
Jay Rood, MGM Resorts International VP of race & sports
"Broncos lead a very low-scoring affair into the fourth quarter 13-6, when Carolina puts up 10 unanswered points to win on the last drive with no time on the clock, 16-13. Long shot Jerricho Cotchery named the MVP."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 16, Broncos 13
James S. (aka Rounding Again), 2015 SuperContest champion at Westgate Las Vegas
"Denver's defense humbles Cam, but the Panthers' defensive line dominates the trenches allowing Luke Kuechly to roam the field as he tackles his way to the MVP."ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 20, Broncos 16
Bob Scucci, Boyd Gaming director of race & sports book operations
"The Broncos defense can slow the game down and they'll be running the ball, so I can see a low-scoring game, but I think the Panthers come back and win it in the end."ATS pick: Broncos
Score: Panthers 23, Broncos 21
Jason Simbal, CG Technology VP of race & sports
"I think the Broncos can keep it close defensively and am counting on Manning to manage the game intelligently and avoid mistakes. I think the Panthers take the lead late and hang on, not to mention that Panthers by one to four [points] and under looks like it will be the best case for us out here in Vegas."
ATS pick: Denver
Score: Panthers 20, Broncos 16