William Hill only sportsbook with Super Bowl line at Patriots -3
Three different Las Vegas sportsbooks made the Patriots 3-point favorites over the Rams over the weekend in Super Bowl LIII. But on Monday, William Hill was the only book still at 3.
Every other book has New England as a 2½-point favorite in Sunday’s game in Atlanta. The total is at 56½ or 57, with the Stratosphere the only book at 57½.
William Hill initially moved the line Friday to 3 flat (-110), meaning bettors could wager $110 to make $100 on either team. But heavy action on the Rams resulted in the book moving the line to New England -3 (even) and Los Angeles +3 (-120), meaning bettors have to wager $120 to win $100 on the underdog.
“Once we went to 3 flat, Rams money just kept coming in,” William Hill sports book director Nick Bogdanovich said. “I don’t know if it was sharp. Everyone in the world plays the Super Bowl and we were the only 3 flat in town.
“At 2½, it was all Patriots money. At 3 flat, it was all Rams. The Rams at plus 3 (minus) 120 is much more even.”
Boyd Gaming and Station Casinos were at Patriots -3 (even) over the weekend before lowering the line Monday to New England -2½ (-120) and L.A. +2½ (even), meaning Rams bettors can wager $100 to win $100.
Several other books are still at 2½ flat, including the Westgate, despite taking a ton of money on the Pats.
“Right now, it’s an avalanche of Patriots money,” Westgate sportsbook manager Ed Salmons said. “That’s just so odd because the public bet against the Patriots ridiculously hard in the Chiefs game and Chargers game. I’m not sure why, other than they think it’s impossible for the Patriots to lose two straight Super Bowls.”
Salmons said 80 percent of straight bets are on New England and that money-line wagers are on the Patriots by a 10-1 margin.
“That’s really shocking because history has taught us that we always write ‘dog money in the Super Bowl. That hasn’t happened yet,” Salmons said. “The real public hasn’t shown up as hard as they’re going to. I still think this game’s going to go back to 2 and 1½.”
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Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
