By Daniel Behringer for LVSportsBiz.com
Sometime in late October, when Las Vegas daytime high temperatures dip perilously into the 60s and the afternoon chatter on sports-themed radio stations turns to college basketball, you know it’s over.
Baseball season, that is.
The World Series abruptly comes to an end, and fans and bettors put aside money lines, run lines, totals and in-game wagers for five months.
So it was on Tuesday night, with the Houston Astros leading the Series, 3-2, and taking an early 2-1 lead over the Washington Nationals at Minute Maid Park before a buzzing crowd of 43,384, it appeared to be over.
Except it wasn’t.
With in-game wager lines blinking and winking like a short-circuited Christmas tree, the Washington Nationals tied the game, then took leads of 3-2 and 5-2 before defeating the heavily favored Astros, 7-2. With Justin Verlander, still winless in World Series decisions, on the mound, Houston was a -175 favorite but came up empty in Game 6. A two-run double from the Nationals’ Anthony Rendon in the top of the ninth rewarded bettors who played over 7.5.
That sent the World Series to a decisive seventh game the following day.
Could Game 6 be matched for drama and unexpected events? With the Astros, priced at -140 this time, cruising behind Zack Greinke and leading, 2-0, the Nationals exploded for three runs in the top of the seventh to turn the game upside down — and pay in-game bettors who found enticing in-game betting lines on the upstart Nationals.
The Nationals tacked on another run in the top of the eighth, but there was obvious suspense heading to the ninth inning. Could the Nationals go on and win the World Series? And with a 4-2 game and the total at 7.5, would the total stay under or find a way to go over?
As everyone knows by the Nationals did close out the Astros, who were in the -210 range to win the Series. And over bettors saw another payday when the Nationals scored twice in the top of the ninth to make the final score 6-2.
The World Series is tough act to follow.
But if any sports team could generate more local excitement, it would be the Golden Knights. The VGK took to the ice on Halloween at T-Mobile Arena vs. the Montreal Canadians. Priced to the rafters at -240 to -250, the local team led 4-2 in the third period. And it looked like the local team was on its way to its ninth win before 18,035 fans, some masquerading in Halloween garb. Instead, in a ghoulish finish for VGK bettors, the Canadians tied it at 4, then scored early in overtime to win, 5-4.
Saturday brought another day of wall-to-wall sports betting opportunities. A few highlights:
— Georgia defeated Florida 24-17 in a key college football matchup. The Bulldogs, laying 6.5, also eked out a cover. The total came in under 47.5.
— Kentucky horoughbred Vino Rosso, at 9-2, out dueled McKinzie, the 5-2 favorite, down the stretch in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. We were out and about on Las Vegas Boulevard and heard spirited cheers from the race and sports book during the race.
— Jorge Masvidal triumphed over Nate Diaz in UFC 244’s main event in a fight stopped by the assigned doctor before the fourth round. Masvidal was about -185.
— Canelo Alvarez defeated Sergey Kovalev in an 11th-round knockout of their WBO light heavyweight title fight at MGM Grand Garden. Alvarez was the overwhelming favorite in the -450 range.
— The Vegas Golden Knights dropped their second straight game in overtime, losing 4-3 to the Winnipeg Jets. With goalie Marc-Andre Fleury out of the net because of the flu, Jets bettors cashed tickets in the +190 range. The Jets’ OT goal pushed the total over 6.5.
— The UNLV Rebels were thrashed by the Colorado State Rams, 37-17. Oddly, the line on the Rebels dropped from +9.5 to +7.5, and a computer simulation by a notable service predicted a close game. There might now be an informal betting line on whether or not fifth-year coach Tony Sanchez keeps his job. If so, “no” would be priced at around -450 with “yes” at +375. (We’ll tweak that informal opening line as wagers roll in.)
The weekend concluded with what many considered the marquee NFL matchup, the New England Patriots -3 vs. the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football. The Ravens won handily, 37-20 sending the total over 44.5.
Earlier in the day, the soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders defeated the Detroit Lions, 31-24, covering -2.5 and topping the total of 51.5. And the Miami Dolphins, +3.5 vs. the New York Jets, won outright, 28-16. That doomed bettors who had played the Dolphins as high as +600 to go winless for the season although the number had recently come down to +350.
And for diehard baseball fans going through withdrawal after the conclusion of the World Series? Pitchers and catchers report as early as Feb. 10.
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What’s next?
— Monday Night Football, often a potential reprieve for disgruntled and unsuccessful NFL bettors, has the Dallas Cowboys around -6.5 vs. the New York Giants. The total is 48.5.
— The Vegas Golden Knights will seek to get back in the win column Tuesday at the Columbus Blue Jackets.
— The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels men’s basketball team opens Tuesday at home vs. Fort Wayne, one of a slew of games on college basketball’s opening day that includes Kansas vs. Duke and Michigan State vs. Kentucky.
— UFC 163 goes Saturday from CSKA Arena in Moscow.
— The UNLV Rebels football team next hosts Hawaii on Nov. 16.
— Our play this week is in college football. No. 135 Illinois +13.
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