Super Bowl prop bets have $1.2M in play early at Westgate sportsbook
Las Vegas sportsbooks have yet to take a $1 million wager on Super Bowl LIII. But the Westgate has already taken $1.2 million in prop bets.
The Westgate took more than $400,000 in prop action from mostly sharp bettors on Thursday night, when it released more than 1,000 ways to wager on Sunday’s Rams-Patriots game in Atlanta.
The betting public has since helped quickly push the prop wagering handle to seven figures.
“It’s amazing how much public money is already into this pool,” Westgate sportsbook manager Ed Salmons said Monday. “It’s not even the weekend, when the public really starts, and they’re already going crazy.”
Salmons estimates that about 80 percent of the Super Bowl betting handle will pour into the books Thursday through Sunday.
The Pros and Joes have moved the numbers on a plethora of props.
The public is betting over on Tom Brady’s passing yards (298½ after opening at 282½), completions (26½) and attempts (38½).
“They’re betting Brady over on everything,” Salmons said. “There’s no stopping them on Brady.”
The public also is betting on James White to score a touchdown (+145) and go over most of his individual props and they’re also backing Rob Gronkowski to go over four receptions (after it opened at 3½) and 56½ receiving yards (after it opened at 49½).
“Pretty much what you saw the last two years in the Super Bowl is what the public remembers and that’s how they’re betting it,” Salmons said.
The public also loves to bet that there will be a 2-point conversion attempt, so the sharps bet no, which is now minus 120 after opening at minus 170.
Will the game be tied after 0-0? The public always bets yes, which is at minus 130 despite $8,000 in sharp wagers on no.
“The wiseguys and the public are complete opposites,” Salmons said.
The public also has driven down the price on under 2½ players to have a pass attempt from minus 130 to minus 110.
“It’s the lowest number ever at under. It’s usually (minus) 250,” Salmons said. “We have ($6,000) on the over, nothing on the under. The public loves that prop.”
Under the total number of kickoff returns opened at 6 (minus 120) but is down to 5½ (minus 180).
“That’s all professional money,” Salmons said.
The odds that Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein’s first kickoff is a touchback are at minus 360 after opening at minus 300. The odds on the same prop for Stephen Gostkowski are at minus 150 after opening at minus 220.
The wiseguys also are wagering that Sony Michel’s longest reception will be under ½ yard and that Chris Hogan won’t score a touchdown (-250).
Pro bettors also pounded under five Rams to have a rushing attempt, moving the price from minus 110 to minus 240; and under 3½ Rams to score, which is at plus 120 after opening at plus 170.
Todd Gurley’s rushing yards opened at 66½, went down to 59½ and is back up to 63½.
“We’ll probably close the number higher than the one we opened,” Salmons said. “It’s a balancing act. If no wiseguys will bet Brady under his passing yards, we’ll keep bumping it up and see how high we can go before the so-called sharp guys will bet under.”
Expecting $6 billion handle
Americans will wager $6 billion on the Super Bowl, according to a new survey released Monday by the American Gaming Association.
The survey found that 22.7 million American adults plan to bet on Sunday’s game, including 1.8 million who plan to bet illegally through a bookie and millions more likely to bet illegally through offshore online books.
NHL trend
Seven NHL teams have gone over in the first period this season at a clip of at least 60 percent. In a trend first brought to our attention by our friends at VSiN, the Lightning have a 39-10 (79.6) over-under record in the first period and the Blackhawks are 40-11 (78.4 percent).
The Sharks are 36-16 (69.2), Blue Jackets 33-15 (68.8), Penguins 30-18 (62.5), Devils 29-19 (60.4) and the Wild are 30-20 (60.0).
More betting: Follow at reviewjournal.com/betting and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
