February 6th New Orleans Times-Picayune
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. - Out west, in point-spread country, the director of the Sports Book at the Mirage in Las Vegas was awaiting the hum of the last-minute Superbowl rush. More than 80 percent of the action is wagered the last two days.
"By the time the betting windows close all over the state, " said Jay Rood, "we're expecting between $85 million and $90 million will be legally wagered in Nevada." As most of the betting public knows, oddsmakers established the Colts as a 3½-point favorite over the Saints,a line that quickly jumped as high as 6 points before finally settling at 5.
"You've got two interesting factors in this game, " Rood said. "You've got the first-time angle with the Saints, and you've got a couple of high-scoring teams, which is the reason the over-under figure is 57 points, highest in Super Bowl history."
That figure is a tribute to the points generated by the arms of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, who happened to be the 1-2 finishers in this season's MVP balloting.
The Colts owe their favoritism, as Rood puts it, to Manning's "body of work, " also the feeling that Indy is the "steadier" team with more big-game experience.
Over at the Las Vegas Hilton Sports Book, director Jay Kornegay is intrigued by a feeling the Colts, despite their continued success, have as he put it, "no national fan base in the eyes of the betting public."
"The Colts are considered plain vanilla, " Kornegay said. "On the other hand, when the Patriots were in this game, they somehow carried the image of the villain, mainly because of how Coach Bill Belichick was perceived. Say what you want, but this has something to do with how the little man out there, who doesn't bet on anything but a Super Bowl, will put his money down. When it comes to a Super Bowl, a large chunk of people bet with their hearts.
"In this game, I think the Saints, based on sentimental appeal, will attract those kinds of bettors. That's why I'm saying you've got a lot of folks out there who might think the Colts are the better team, but they're rooting for the Saints, and they'll vote for them with their money."
Will this affect the current betting line?
"Perhaps, " Kornegay said. "In the last two days, you usually get 85 percent of the total money bet on a Super Bowl. My guess is they'll be more tickets written on the Saints, but slightly more money wagered on the Colts."
Meanwhile, at the Wynn Las Vegas Sports Book, Director John Avello was discussing the spread and what might have been.
"Had the Vikings beat the Saints, my feeling is the Colts would have opened slightly less than a 3-point favorite, " he said. "I base this on how the Saints-Vikings game went, all the turnovers. As for the Colts and Saints, you look at two teams, with guys like Drew Brees and Peyton Manning at the key position, and you realize what a difference two quarterbacks mean to their teams when you're talking about the betting line.
"If the Colts lost Manning right now, I'm guessing the Saints might be close to a double-digit favorite. If the Saints suddenly lost Brees, it might be the Colts by two touchdowns."
Then there's the growing popularity of the "Proposition Bet" on Super Bowl Sunday.
Art Manteris, vice president of Sports Gaming for Station Casinos in Vegas, suggests there'll be clocking the singer of the "National Anthem."
The over-under is 2½ minutes. Bet under, you lose. Bet over, you win. Sounds like a fairy tale.
Want more?
What will be greater, total yards gained by Reggie Bush, or the totals of the Lakers' Lamar Odom against Portland, when you add points, assists and rebounds?
You can wager on which of the two Kardashian sisters, Bush's girlfriend, Kim, or the one married to Odom, will get more face time during the game.
Then there's something for Pierre Thomas fans to consider:
If you think Pierre will score the game's first touchdown, bet $100 and your return is $800.
If Pierre comes through, find someone who still thinks the Who Dats will lose, and bet the $800 you just won.
That's what Buddy D would do.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. - Out west, in point-spread country, the director of the Sports Book at the Mirage in Las Vegas was awaiting the hum of the last-minute Superbowl rush. More than 80 percent of the action is wagered the last two days.
"By the time the betting windows close all over the state, " said Jay Rood, "we're expecting between $85 million and $90 million will be legally wagered in Nevada." As most of the betting public knows, oddsmakers established the Colts as a 3½-point favorite over the Saints,a line that quickly jumped as high as 6 points before finally settling at 5.
"You've got two interesting factors in this game, " Rood said. "You've got the first-time angle with the Saints, and you've got a couple of high-scoring teams, which is the reason the over-under figure is 57 points, highest in Super Bowl history."
That figure is a tribute to the points generated by the arms of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, who happened to be the 1-2 finishers in this season's MVP balloting.
The Colts owe their favoritism, as Rood puts it, to Manning's "body of work, " also the feeling that Indy is the "steadier" team with more big-game experience.
Over at the Las Vegas Hilton Sports Book, director Jay Kornegay is intrigued by a feeling the Colts, despite their continued success, have as he put it, "no national fan base in the eyes of the betting public."
"The Colts are considered plain vanilla, " Kornegay said. "On the other hand, when the Patriots were in this game, they somehow carried the image of the villain, mainly because of how Coach Bill Belichick was perceived. Say what you want, but this has something to do with how the little man out there, who doesn't bet on anything but a Super Bowl, will put his money down. When it comes to a Super Bowl, a large chunk of people bet with their hearts.
"In this game, I think the Saints, based on sentimental appeal, will attract those kinds of bettors. That's why I'm saying you've got a lot of folks out there who might think the Colts are the better team, but they're rooting for the Saints, and they'll vote for them with their money."
Will this affect the current betting line?
"Perhaps, " Kornegay said. "In the last two days, you usually get 85 percent of the total money bet on a Super Bowl. My guess is they'll be more tickets written on the Saints, but slightly more money wagered on the Colts."
Meanwhile, at the Wynn Las Vegas Sports Book, Director John Avello was discussing the spread and what might have been.
"Had the Vikings beat the Saints, my feeling is the Colts would have opened slightly less than a 3-point favorite, " he said. "I base this on how the Saints-Vikings game went, all the turnovers. As for the Colts and Saints, you look at two teams, with guys like Drew Brees and Peyton Manning at the key position, and you realize what a difference two quarterbacks mean to their teams when you're talking about the betting line.
"If the Colts lost Manning right now, I'm guessing the Saints might be close to a double-digit favorite. If the Saints suddenly lost Brees, it might be the Colts by two touchdowns."
Then there's the growing popularity of the "Proposition Bet" on Super Bowl Sunday.
Art Manteris, vice president of Sports Gaming for Station Casinos in Vegas, suggests there'll be clocking the singer of the "National Anthem."
The over-under is 2½ minutes. Bet under, you lose. Bet over, you win. Sounds like a fairy tale.
Want more?
What will be greater, total yards gained by Reggie Bush, or the totals of the Lakers' Lamar Odom against Portland, when you add points, assists and rebounds?
You can wager on which of the two Kardashian sisters, Bush's girlfriend, Kim, or the one married to Odom, will get more face time during the game.
Then there's something for Pierre Thomas fans to consider:
If you think Pierre will score the game's first touchdown, bet $100 and your return is $800.
If Pierre comes through, find someone who still thinks the Who Dats will lose, and bet the $800 you just won.
That's what Buddy D would do.