The Cubs have compiled four consecutive 90-win seasons and return most of their team that went 95-68 last season. But Las Vegas oddsmakers expect Chicago to take a step back this season.
Todd Dewey
Reporter: Sports betting
Email: tdewey@reviewjournal.com
X: @tdewey33
Todd Dewey covers sports betting for the Review-Journal. Prior to taking over that beat in January 2017, he covered UNLV football, 51s baseball and a wide range of other events that come to Las Vegas. A native of Cambridge, Mass., and a graduate of the University of Central Florida, Dewey joined the Review-Journal in 1999 and was the 2013 Nevada Sportswriter of the Year.
As much as Americans love an underdog story, we also love tales of redemption, and several handicappers expect Virginia to redeem itself by winning the 2019 NCAA basketball championship.
The Westgate pushed up the sign-up date four months (from July 1) to accomodate those visiting Las Vegas for March Madness and other events.
Despite the Golden Knights’ winning record (35-26-5), a $100 bettor would be down $690 after placing a straight bet on Vegas in every game, according to Covers.com.
The betting public is all over 6-1 underdog Anthony Smith over heavy favorite Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 235 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
The Westgate sportsbook moved Philadelphia on Sunday from 14-1 to win the World Series to 12-1, where the number stayed Thursday when news broke of Bryce Harper’s deal.
Handicapper Micah Roberts said a case can be made for up to 20 drivers to win, including Ryan Blaney at 12-1, Aric Almirola and Erik Jones at 20-1, Denny Hamlin at 25-1, Daniel Suarez, Austin Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at 50-1 and Ryan Newman at 80-1.
Yorgos Lanthimos, who directed best picture nominee “The Favourite,” opened as a 50-1 long shot before a late flurry of money on him Sunday moved his odds to 6-1.
Will the Lakers make the playoffs? That proposition has generated six figures worth of wagers at the Westgate sportsbook since it reposted postseason odds on the Lakers over the NBA All-Star break.
Duke remained the plus 170 favorite at South Point sports book Thursday to win the 2019 NCAA title and was still the 2-1 favorite at William Hill.
The action on the Alliance of American Football at Las Vegas sportsbooks exceeded expectations in pregame and in-play wagering in the first week of its inaugural season.
A game that set a Super Bowl record for futility fell well short of setting a Nevada record for betting handle. The books won $10.7 million on the game, which was the lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever, for a 7.4 percent hold, or win percentage.
South Point bettor wins a 400-1 prop on a $250 bet when Greg Zuerlein misses 48-yard field goal with five seconds left in Rams’ 13-3 loss to Patriots in Super Bowl LIII.
One index prop that always gives the books a huge liability is for either team to finish with two points, which pays 10,000-1 odds.
A late flurry of money poured in on the Rams and Patriots before Super Bowl LIII, including at least three $1 million-plus wagers, giving bookmakers reason to believe the total amount wagered in the state could eclipse last year’s record of $158.6 million.
