By DANIEL BEHRINGER
LVSportsBiz.com
Who didn’t see that coming?
When the Vegas Golden Knights took to the ice last Tuesday with newly acquired forward Mark Stone, anticipation was high.
So was the betting line. From an opener of -190, the number at one of the local shops in Las Vegas soared to as high as -245 before settling at -230. The consensus in the betting world was -210 before the puck drop.
It has to be unsettling to see the Dallas Stars take a 1-0 lead in the game. (But that might have also been an opportunity for an in-game wager on the Knights at a more reasonable price.)
Regardless, the Knights, which had been outscored 45-30 during a brutal 3-9-1 slide, notched a 4-1 win, elating fans and bettors (particularly those on the puck line on around +125 and those adroit enough to catch a good in-game number).
By Wednesday, there was at least one intriguing college basketball game on the board — UNLV at UNR. Lots of plots and subplots in this game. For UNR, it was a chance to get back on track and maybe climb in the polls after a loss to San Diego State and a win (but no cover) against Fresno State. For UNLV, it was a chance to put in a credible showing after being beaten soundly by UNR in Las Vegas, 87-70, in January.
We played UNR in the first game in January and were happy to cash a ticket. But we were a little more cautious this time in a game where UNR was favored by 17 points and decided to just watch the outcome.
UNR stormed to a 46-28 first-half lead (and an easy cover on the first-half line). But the Runnin’ Rebels battled back in the second half. In fact, there turned out to be additional drama revolving around the betting line in the waning moments. With 15 seconds on the clock, the Wolfpack’s Corey Henson inexplicably fouled Amauri Hardy. Hardy sunk both free throws and the final score ended at 89-71 — a nail-biting, backdoor cover for UNLV bettors.
We believe UNR, ranked at No. 6 at one point, is going to be a very tough out in the NCAA tournament. Also, we really like coach Eric Musselman, sometimes seen in a plain Polo-style shirt for games instead of the sport coat-tie-flowery pocket handkerchief get-up favored by many coaches. (And we stick to our guns despite UNR losing to Utah State, 81-76, on Saturday, a game that stirred a ruckus when Utah State fans mobbed the court.)
By Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights were again back on the ice. It took a shootout, but the VGK defeated the Florida Panthers, 6-5, and Vegas bettors cashed tickets at around -190. And what a difference a week makes: The Knights lost a shootout, 3-2,9 to the Boston Bruins on Feb. 20, but this time caught the break they needed.
The Knights followed that up with a 3-0 blanking of the Anaheim (no longer Mighty) Ducks on Friday. This time bettors were cashing tickets that read around -185. And the VGK made it four in a row with a 3-0 whitewashing of the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday afternoon. We were out and about and heard a burst of applause when the Knights scored their first goal. (We were also briefly tempted by an in-game line of Vancouver +4.5 at -115 but passed.)
But basketball, both of the pro and college variety, is going to be luring plenty of fans and bettors to the books in the next few weeks. There is positioning and seeding in the NBA playoffs. The reigning champions Golden State Warriors again looked vulnerable after two road losses to Florida teams, and both the casual fan and the serious NBA aficionado want to see where the LeBron Lakers wind up.
The Warriors edged the 76ers, 120-117, on Saturday in a prime-time telecast but failed to cover -5. The Lakers lost to the lowly Phoenix Suns, 118-109, dimming their playoff hopes.
In the college ranks, you will be overwhelmed with bracket predictions and who’s in and who’s out and who’s on the bubble. Conference tournaments get underway March 4 and selection Sunday is March 17. In short, your bracket is due in about two weeks.
Just a quick sample of some of the action Saturday involving top-ranked teams:
— No. 1 Gonzaga, laying 9.5, used a 17-0 run in the second half to defeat archrival St. Mary’s, 69-55. We caught glimpses of the game and kicked ourselves for not betting on the Bulldogs or possibly the second-half line. (Gonzaga also administered a brutal 94-46 beatdown of St. Mary’s in early February.)
— No. 2 Virginia dominated Pitt, 73-49, and covered -18.
— No. 3 Duke, -15 vs. Miami, led at half-time, 47-19, before beating the Hurricanes, 87-57.
— No. 7 Tennessee, -3 vs. No. 4 Kentucky, throttled the Wildcats, 71-52.
And while it didn’t lead “Sports Center,” UNLV came back to defeat Boise State in overtime, 85-81, narrowly covering a -3 line.
Sure, we know exhibition (why don’t they call them preseason?) baseball games are on the board.
Yes, we know somebody apparently is betting on the American Alliance of Football games (including a game played Saturday in snow in Salt Lake City.)
But March Madness is going to be the story for the next few weeks.
Don’t say you didn’t see it coming.
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