Sports bettors are known for blowing smoke when it comes to exaggerating wins and downplaying losses. But blowing smoke is not permitted at the Westgate anymore.
Basketball
March is a star search. It’s about buzzer-beating shots, comebacks, giant killers and teases. A short time after two No. 5 seeds were chopped down, top-seeded North Carolina was clinging to a one-point halftime lead. And then Arizona was blown out. Welcome to the NCAA Tournament.
It’s not really a stunner, but it’s a great story. Makai Mason, a little sophomore guard, lifted little Yale to its first-ever NCAA Tournament win in its first appearance since 1962.
Betting on the NCAA Tournament in Las Vegas is a supersized version of the Super Bowl. Instead of one big game, this is an unpredictable 67-game tournament staged over three weeks. A total of 32 games tip off Thursday and Friday with another wild 48 hours to follow.
Another No. 1 seed bites the dust, and the loss could be costly for San Diego State. But the bettors who backed Fresno State at 8-1 odds to win the Mountain West tournament are cashing tickets.
It will be a big night in the Pac-12. Arizona is a 1½-point favorite over top-seeded Oregon in the opener at 6:15 p.m. San Diego State, the No. 1 seed in the Mountain West, will get tested by UNR in the first semifinal at 6 p.m.
Bookmakers always hope for upsets, and this March, it’s not just wishful thinking. There certainly are going to be shockers, and there probably will be a No. 2 or a No. 3 seed go down. What we are witnessing now is a preview of the real madness.
Sometimes, the so-called square bettors are sharper than the oddsmakers. Fresno State’s no-sweat cover in a victory over UNLV, which did get a spirited effort out of Patrick McCaw, served as an example that the public is not always wrong.
Several times a hero in March, Steve Alford is a goat this time. The UCLA coach leaned back in his chair, rolled his eyes and watched his team get rocked by rival Southern California for the third time this season.
After four months of changes at the top, the votes are in and the Oscar for the best college basketball team goes to Kansas. The acceptance speech will be made by coach Bill Self.
A year ago, it was unanimous. Kentucky coach John Calipari was king of the hill in college basketball. Calipari had compiled an NBA farm team that was capable of running the table and inspired a proposition bet on an undefeated season.
If a slow start trips up the Cleveland Cavaliers, overreactions will be sure to follow. But the NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint, and LeBron James might not be fit to run either right now.
The San Antonio Spurs were the biggest winners in NBA free agency. LaMarcus Aldridge, a 6-foot-11-inch power forward, is an All-Star coming off arguably his best season with Portland. He averaged 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds while shooting 35 percent from 3-point range.
No matter what changes LeBron James influences, the Cleveland Cavaliers are a better bet to win next year’s NBA championship than the Golden State Warriors are to repeat. The Westgate Las Vegas sports book opened Cleveland as the 9-4 favorite to win the 2015-16 title, with Golden State second at 5-1.
At the drive-thru window, it’s not always wise to super-size the drink and fries. Sometimes, it’s smarter to go smaller. In this case, the Golden State Warriors shoved aside the 7-footer and went with Andre Iguodala.
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