Review-Journal sports betting columnist Todd Dewey, handicapper Bernie Fratto and CG Technology sports book vice president Matt Holt preview Super Bowl LII.
Betting
William Hill sports book reported taking a $1 million money-line wager on Philadelphia on its mobile app Monday afternoon.
When the smorgasbord of Super Bowl LII prop bets were posted at Las Vegas sports books Thursday, professional sports bettor Frank Carulli scoured the numbers like a hawk stalking its prey.
In an annual Las Vegas tradition, some of the city’s sharpest sports bettors waited in line at the Westgate sports book Thursday night to take the first crack at wagering on more than 400 Super Bowl LII prop bets.
A line of sharp bettors quickly pounced on what they perceived as vulnerable numbers as others in the Westgate sports book simply looked up in wonder at the extensive buffet of wagering options on Super Bowl LII prop bets.
There are 948 Super Bowl LII prop betting options at William Hill sports books, which is up from 814 last year.
If, as expected, a federal ban on sports betting is lifted in the coming months, the NBA wants sports books to pay the league 1 percent of the money wagered on its games as an “integrity fee.”
Last year’s Super Bowl was a prop bettor’s paradise as several popular wagers cashed, including the overtime prop at 7-1 for the first time in Super Bowl history.
Several Las Vegas sports books on Monday posted the first wave of the ever-popular Super Bowl prop bets, which Westgate sports book director Jay Kornegay estimates make up more than half of the Super Bowl betting handle.
The Westgate sports book opened the Patriots as 5½-point favorites over Philadelphia, with a total of 47½.
The Eagles are 3-point home underdogs to the Vikings, and handicapper Micah Roberts (Sportsline.com) said the line is out of whack for the second straight week.
The extent of the injury remains unclear, as Tom Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick were tight-lipped about it Friday. Asked if Brady would be a game-time decision for Sunday’s game, Belichick replied, “Today is Friday.”
The biggest bet South Point oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro ever took was a $2.4 million money-line wager from billionaire investor Carl Icahn in 1995.
Review-Journal sports betting columnist Todd Dewey, handicapper Kelly Stewart and CG Technology sports book vice president Matt Holt preview the NFL’s conference championship games.
Proposition bets for the AFC and NFC championship games from the Westgate sports book.