Oscar Goodman’s custom parlay disputed at Westgate SuperBook
It was 10:30 a.m. Friday, a fine time to debate a Las Vegas sportsbook director about what is and isn’t allowed on his betting lines.
Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and Westgate SuperBook vice president Jay Kornegay went back and forth on Goodman’s proposed annual Super Bowl wager.
Goodman held an oversized martini, while Kornegay held his composure, as Goodman attempted to parlay a proposition bet and the Bengals to cover the 4-point spread.
Without being too technical, this doesn’t work.
Westgate doesn’t allow parlays for most proposition, or correlated, bets. You can’t bet the total number of sacks, the total number of lost fumbles and total number of interceptions on the same ticket. You can bet them separately. This is typically the policy at most sportsbooks across the state.
“We allow some parlays, where others don’t allow at all,” Kornegay said. “I don’t think anyone will allow the parlay Oscar was hoping to place.”
Goodman wanted to place $100 on Cincinnati at plus-4, paired with the Bengals’ Joe Mixon to win the game’s MVP award at 25-to-1. Kornegay deftly and diplomatically explained that the only way he and Goodman could book that the bet was with each other “over there,” pointing to an area at the side of the betting counter.
“What kinda place you runnin’ here?” Goodman asked, many times. Kornegay offered the onetime “mob lawyer” to try the wager at the cage anyway. So Goodman, with a showgirl at his side, called the bet to SuperBook staffer Andrew Dupont, who ran the numbers. No go.
Goodman shifted to a straight bet on Mixon for $100, a far greater risk/reward prop than simply taking the Bengals to cover. But Goodman really wants this bet. As the ex-attorney said, with characteristic courtroom flourish, “This is personal.”
Four to fear
“Fantasy” producer and acclaimed choreographer and director Anita Mann mentioned the other day she’s been a Los Angeles Rams fan since she was a kid. She added, “I actually choreographed the Fearsome Foursome.”
Wha-a?
This is real. In Rams’ lore, the Fearsome Foursome was the defensive line of Rosey Grier, Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Merlin Olsen. Grier, now 89, has a remarkable life story, as one of Robert F. Kennedy’s bodyguards in Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign who was providing security for Ethel Kennedy the night RFK was shot at the Ambassador Hotel. Grier was one of those who subdued the shooter, Sirhan Sirhan.
Offsetting his NFL career, Grier was also a great singer who released several singles on various labels throughout the ’60s. He also appeared on network-TV variety shows, including ABC’s weekly music show, “Shindig.”
For a telecast on Jan. 20, 1965, Grier sang “I Who Have Nothing” solo. He then brought his teammates out as his dance troupe for, “Since You’ve Been Gone,” covering the Clyde McPhatter hit.
Mann was one of the backing dancers lining the stage. She also directed the group, helping the linemen sort out some of the intricate dance moves of the day. We have groovers, indeed. These guys were actually good.
“The fun part was teaching Merlin Olsen The Monkey,” Mann said. Find her in the striped shirt and bow in her, in the YouTube clip by searching “Rosey Grier Shindig.” It’s the first match on Google, as it should be.
Good for a laugh
The new L.A. Comedy Club’s Dragon Room hosted the premiere of its new venue at The Strat, just next to McCall’s Heartland Grill on the casino floor. The space has better sight lines, improved sound, more thoughtful design and a greater capacity (seating 270) than the old club on the retail mezzanine.
Veteran stand-ups Ralph Guerra, Bret Ernst, Butch Bradley (with guitar accompaniment from Amir “Amiracle” Kalil) and JC Currais performed during the VIP/media show. Solid sets from the club that has shown great pandemic perseverance, as the first comedy haven to open on the Strip during COVID back in November 2020. Club producer Joaquin Trujillo was mentally and physically spent, but the work was worth it. This place has a future.
Masking out
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas had pulled down all of its “masks required” signs within 15 minutes of Gov. Steve Sisolak’s announcement Thursday dropping the mandate.
Golden moment
Sammy Hagar dropped in to The Golden Tiki on Thursday night, pitching his Beach Bar Cocktails and hanging for a bit with club managing partner Branden Powers. Hagar is set to be honored with a shrunken head at the club when he returns his residency rock show/party/free-for-all at The Strat Theater from March 23-26.
I’m an idea guy
Can someone nudge Luke Bryan for a pop-up set at DawgHouse Saloon at Resorts World? That’s all.
“I tried my hardest … #Adele explains her 11th-hour announcement postponing her #Vegas residency. A low-scale show was not in the plans. #RJNow @reviewjournal https://t.co/Nk45TQajQU
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) February 11, 2022
Why, we ask
Graham Norton is an expert interviewer with a massively successful BBC talk show. But we felt a missed opportunity for a follow-up in his interview with Adele last week. The superstar went on about supply-chain concerns, saying, “There were delays with pieces of the show, some things weren’t arriving until the day of the show, so therefore I would never be able to see them or approve them.” She also added, “Manpower was down,” because of the show’s aggressive COVID testing and sidelined crew members.
All right. But why drop the entire residency schedule? It seems some of the later dates in March and April could have held while operation issues were worked out (this might have required the headliner to remain in L.A. and Las Vegas rather than fly to London to attend the Brit Awards). The postponed shows could then shift to later in the year, mid-October through the end of December being open. Splitting the run, in other words, seemed a viable option.
Cool Hang Alert
Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse at the Flamingo has opened The Count Room, a throwback live-performance concept starring column fave The Moonshiners. The band plays its “prohibition pop” of refashioned swing and jazz tunes in the restaurant’s hideaway room from 8-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. This idea was a long time coming, but a good call, aesthetically, culinarily and musically.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
