It wasn’t long ago that Las Vegas officials wouldn’t even think of applying to host NCAA championships because the state was prohibited from doing so because of its legalized sports betting.
Baseball
The Golden Knights’ three-year start not only measures up well compared to other NHL expansion teams but also among the most successful in pro sports.
A BetMGM bettor turned $10 into $152,341.28 after hitting an 11-team multi-sport parlay with nine college football picks, an NBA play and a baseball play.
The BetMGM bettor hit a five-team money-line parlay Tuesday of the Nets (13-1), Suns (+310), Blazers (+145), Heat (+135) and Pacers (Even).
The William Hill bettor hit an $88, 12-team money-line parlay that paid $43,082.23 and a $180, 12-team money-line round robin that paid $53,424.52.
Even without NFL preseason games, the month still shapes up as the biggest August ever with the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball back on the betting board.
Four sportsbooks posted spreads and totals on the first three days of the NBA restart, and the Westgate put a line on the reported MLB opener.
Experts said whether Las Vegas eventually gets an NBA or Major League Baseball franchise will be determined by a number of factors.
Will fans feel safe enough to brave the masses and attend a sporting event fresh off a global pandemic?
Commissioners from the Group of Five, including Craig Thompson of the Mountain West, sent NCAA president Mark Emmert a letter asking for relief of membership requirements.
The coronavirus pandemic prompted the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame to delay its ceremony by a year. The class includes six members.
The consensus opinion of 10 Las Vegas oddsmakers is that the NBA will be the first major U.S. sports league to play a game, with the consensus over-under date July 1.
Publisher Norman Jacobs said he wanted to provide the service to help fill the void while the season is delayed because of the new coronavirus outbreak.
UNLV, like other college athletic programs, is waiting to see how long the shutdown lasts.
The NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer are closing access to locker rooms and clubhouses to all non-essential personnel in response to the coronavirus crisis.
