LeBron James’ mission is to lift a pedestrian supporting cast of Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA championship by conquering a superior Golden State Warriors team led by two of the world’s best perimeter shooters. Golden State opened as a minus-270 favorite to win the series and has been bet down to minus-240.
One loss is not enough to put a scare into the Golden State Warriors. But the fear of losing Stephen Curry to a serious injury threatened to change a series in the blink of an eye.
John Avello, Wynn Las Vegas sports book director, is so convinced about the Chicago Cubs’ future that he is predicting they will win a World Series in the next five years, and he was inspired to post a proposition on it.
A majority of bettors backed the Chicago Bulls in their must-win spot against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who dominated in a 94-73 win. Favorite bettors also got burned with the Los Angeles Clippers, who blew a 19-point lead with 14 minutes left in a 119-107 loss to the Houston Rockets.
After rolling an ankle, LeBron James overcame the pain. That was the easy part. His toughest challenge was to find a way to win the game while his supporting cast was collapsing and his coach was rendered clueless.
A one-game suspension for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady makes a significant statement, because it’s the Pittsburgh-New England showcase game to kick off the season, and forcing Brady to miss it would be a big deal. The line on the game is now off the board at most Las Vegas books.
The Westgate Las Vegas posted NFL regular-season win totals Sunday, one day after the conclusion of the draft. With quarterback Peyton Manning returning for another season, the Denver Broncos’ total opened at 10, and the first sharp bet drove the “over” price from minus-120 to minus-140.
The biggest betting event in boxing history never came close to matching the hype. But for Las Vegas bookmakers and those who bet on Floyd Mayweather Jr. — and the sharp money was on the favorite — it might as well be remembered as a classic.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao finally trade punches tonight at the MGM Grand Garden. The wagering handle in Nevada is expected to approach $75 million, a heavyweight figure that is an educated and realistic estimate.
