Bettors stand in line Sunday to place wagers on Super Bowl XLI at The Mirage. The state's sports books expect a record handle on the game, possibly surpassing $100 million. Photo by Craig L. Moran. Indianapolis linebacker Rocky Boiman stands amid confetti Sunday after the Colts defeated the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game and advanced to the Super Bowl. Photo by Associated Press Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher holds up the George Halas Trophy on Sunday after the Bears defeated the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game in Chicago. Photo by Associated Press

In a Super Bowl matchup made in heaven for Las Vegas sports books, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will challenge the Chicago Bears and their monstrous defense.

The Colts are 7-point favorites over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, which will be played Feb. 4 in Miami.

"I think this will be as good as you can get," MGM Mirage sports book director Robert Walker said after opening the line Sunday night. "I'm kind of excited to see Manning against the Bears' defense.

"This is the kind of matchup where we'll do record business."

The attraction of Manning, arguably the NFL's highest-profile quarterback, facing a storied, major-market franchise such as Chicago should increase fan interest and wagering.

A record $94.5 million was wagered in Nevada on last year's Super Bowl, and the state's 176 sports books won $8.8 million, according to figures from the Gaming Control Board.

The betting handle increased for the fifth consecutive year, up from $71.5 million in 2002. It could top $100 million this year.

"Everybody knows Peyton Manning, and now you've got Manning in a Super Bowl, so that's huge. It's a huge, huge matchup as far as intrigue," said Sunset Station sports book director Micah Roberts, adding that it's a "good possibility" the Bears and Colts will generate $100 million in wagers in the state.

MGM Mirage and Station Casinos both opened Indianapolis as a 6 1/2-point favorite, but the line quickly moved to 7 after early action showed up on the Colts.

"Nobody wanted any part of the Bears at 6 1/2," Walker said. "It looks like 7 is the right number. It will take a lot of money to get us off 7. We haven't taken any big bets at all."

But with two weeks of hype on the horizon, there is plenty of time for major wagers.

The total is 49, and within days, there will be hundreds of proposition bets posted.

Indianapolis advanced with a 38-34 victory over New England in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. Manning led the Colts back from a 21-6 halftime deficit. The Colts closed as 3 1/2-point home favorites and drew most of the betting action.

"It's unbelievable how much money we took on that game," Walker said. "I guess everybody was under the impression this was Indianapolis' best chance to win. It's now or never, and that's what I thought, too."

The betting public was not so enamored with the Bears, who closed as 2 1/2-point home favorites in a 39-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game. The Saints were the obvious sentimental choice.

The Bears and Colts are opposites in many ways. Manning is a polished, premier quarterback, but Indianapolis has a soft defense. Chicago's Rex Grossman is an inconsistent quarterback, but his team's defense, led by linebacker Brian Urlacher, is blue-collar tough.

"I personally side with the team that is better on defense," Vegas Sports Authority handicapper Jim Kruger said. "The Bears don't appear to be that talented on offense, but they just keep winning.

"I think one of the key factors John Q. Public will look at is, how can you take the Bears against Manning? Grossman does not look like a quarterback who can lead a team to a Super Bowl. I also think the public will overlook Indianapolis' defensive shortcomings."

Kruger said his early opinion is to take the Bears plus-7, and he also sees the scoring going under the total of 49.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were 4-point favorites when they defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in last year's Super Bowl.

Walker said the sports books probably will be rooting for the Colts to win but fail to cover the point spread.

"I think the Colts will win the game, but I think it will be an exciting game," he said.

The money wagered by the public generally dwarfs what professional bettors play on the Super Bowl, and the prevailing opinion is that the public will put its faith in Manning and lay the points with Indianapolis.

"The Colts have a lot of respect with the betting public because of Manning," Roberts said.

"This is the biggest game of the year, and the public is what makes the line move. It's not about the wiseguys or anything else. It's public money that makes the game and determines where it goes."