By Alan Snel and Dan Behringer of LVSportsBiz.com
LVSportsBiz.com asked Las Vegas sports betting man Jay Kornegay of the famed SuperBook in Vegas about wagers for today’s historic first NFL game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for tonight’s Monday Night Football.
We also have LVSportsBiz.com sports betting columnist Dan Behringer’s take on the big game. Let’s get to it.
LVSportsBiz.com: How big a wagered game will the Raiders’ first game in Las Vegas be?
Jay Kornegay: Based on the interest, it was shaping up to be very typical betting patterns heading into today. This changed as the action on the game has picked up dramatically this morning and it continues this afternoon. You definitely can see/feel the spike of interest today.
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LVSB: How many people are coming to Las Vegas just to be in the SuperBook for Monday Night Football? What will the atmosphere be like?
JK: Unfortunately, you can notice the impact of our current state and the limitations we can operate in. We’re still operating at 50% capacity but we won’t come close to that tonight. With the bars reopening, there are plenty of options to watch the game tonight. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy for all the bars in Las Vegas.
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LVSB: How many wagers will there be on the Raiders game Monday? And how much will be wagered?
JK: The action has picked up dramatically today and we expect that to continue all the way to kickoff. The Raiders had success a few years ago and made the playoffs. They were the biggest bet game each week during the second half of the season based on their success. When the Raider start winning on a consistent basis (and they will soon), they will be the biggest game each and every weekend. I hope to see that this year!
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LVSB: What special activities or features will there be at the Book?
JK: With limitations of 50% capacity in the book and other venues limited to 50 people, we’re still operating with our hands tied. We did open up some other venues (limited to 50 guests) for the first two weekends and those will be open for tonight’s game.
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LVSB: What kind of anticipation do you feel for this game? is it like a Super Bowl?
JK: This is a historic day and game for Las Vegas. The citizens of our great city are very proud to have their own NFL team and you can feel the excitement in the air. I grew up as a Broncos fan and I’m thrilled to see the Raiders in our home town.
LVSB columnist Dan Behringer adds his take — enjoy his thoughts.
The line has moved on the total in the New Orleans Saints at the Las Vegas Raiders Monday Night Football extravaganza. It has dropped from 51.5 to 48.5 in the last week. Saints are generally still -5.5 for the game, which is being carried on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes with additional coverage on ESPN2. In short, if you’re out and about, it’ll be on practically every TV monitor in casinos, bars and even some restrooms.
— The Dallas Stars struck first in the Stanley Cup Final, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-1. The rested Stars, who defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals in five games, had been getting little respect. They were as high as +170 on the series and +140 in Game 1. The adjusted series odds now show the Stars at -109 and the Lightning at -106, according to Vegas Insider. Game 2 is Monday.
— You had to shelve the RWT (Ride the Winners Theory) on Saturday and trot out the ZT (ZigZag Theory) in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals in the NBA. After the Celtics lost the first two games and engaged in some yelling and screaming among team members, it was a perfect spot to back them in Game 3. We were on the halftime line at Celtics -2.5, but the first quarter line at around -2 and the game at -3 were all winners as the Celtics beat the Heat 117-106. Game 4 is Monday.
— The No. 1 seeded Las Vegas Aces were upset Sunday by the Connecticut Sun in Game 1 of WBNA Semifinals. The Aces, -6 vs. the Sun, fell 87-62 and were outscored in all four quarters. In fact, they scored only 10 points in the first quarter. Game 2 is Tuesday.
— No. 1 ranked Clemson was -49 vs. Citadel in early college football betting. But the line moved to -50.5. The Tigers led 49-0 at halftime but took their foot off the gas in the second half. The final score: 49-0. (They did cover the first-half line at around -36.)
— No. 23 Appalachian State, frequently a popular play in college football, opened at -3.5 vs. Marshall but was bet all the way to -5.5 by kickoff. CBS SportsLine projected a 29-19 victory for the favorite. The Thundering Herd, however, stunned the Mountaineers and won outright, 17-7.
— The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets 105-103 on Sunday on a last-second shot by Anthony Davis. But they had their five-game playoffs winning streak ATS stopped. In Game 1 vs. the Nuggets, the Lakers covered -7 and the total went over — a popular “square” parlay. Game 3 is Tuesday.
— The Yankees’ 10-game winning streak came to an abrupt end on Sunday with a 10-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Boston backers earned +180 on their tickets.
— Our early pick last week was the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens at -6.5. The line moved to -7.5, but the Ravens beat the Houston Texans, 33-16. Our record here is now 4-2.