By Dan Behringer for LVSportsBiz.com
“RAAAI-ders!”
The chant from the locals race and sportsbook in western Las Vegas was audible to anyone nearby.
The refrain, along with scattered applause, came Sunday after the Las Vegas Raiders had upended the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, 40-32 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
The win moved the newly transplanted Raiders to 3-2. It was the Chiefs’ first loss of the season and dropped them to 4-1. It also stopped a Chiefs winning streak of 13 games that extended to last November. It was the Raiders’ first win at Kansas City since Oct. 28, 2012.
It was also the first win for Raiders QB Derek Carr at Arrowhead Stadium, according to Field Level Media, and snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Raiders there. He passed for 347 yards and had three touchdowns.
“I’ve taken a lot of sad walks up that ramp,” Carr told reporters. “But not today. I’m going to enjoy this one.”
Added Raiders coach Jon Gruden: “I give Derek a lot of credit; he’s been through a lot here as a Raider. This was certainly a big win for him, and hopefully, we got a lot more big wins to come.”
The Raiders were +10.5 by kickoff and +425 on the money line. The final score blew through the total of 54.5. A black-chip bet on the Raiders money line parlayed with the over paid $902.27.
Die-hard Raider fans may wish to note: There’s a rematch with the Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Nov. 22. Though the Raiders next game is on Sunday Night Football on Oct. 25 when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Elsewhere:
— Confident the Las Vegas Aces would show up for a win-or-go-home Game 3 in the WNBA Finals, we had a ticket that said Aces +8. The Aces made it close for the first quarter of the best-of-five series. The Seattle Storm were leading, but it was only 23-21.
Then the Storm gathered their energy and blew out the doors, the windows, the hood, the trunk and the moon roof, easily outscoring the Aces in all three remaining quarters.
By the time the confetti was fluttering around the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, the scoreboard read Storm 92, Aces 59.
The Storm outscored the Aces 289-230 combined in the three games and covered each time. It’s a trend even a casual sports bettor might have noted.
— Friday turned out to be a gourmet feast for stay-at-home sports bettors. The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees were locked in a taut thriller in Game 5 of the ALDS. The Rays won, 2-1, on a late-inning dinger, with players tumbling out of the dugout to celebrate and bettors who could have had the Rays as high as +140 tap dancing as well.
A little later, the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat played out a similar drama. After 48 minutes, the 7.5-point underdog Heat won Game 5 outright, 111-108. They paid around +280 on the money line.
On Sunday, however the Lakers ended the suspense, routing the Heat, 106-93, in Game to win the NBA crown. They were 5-point favorites in the game.
— Points lit up college football scoreboards like a newly wired pinball machine Saturday in several games. Texas-Oklahoma went to four overtimes before the Sooners won, 53-45 (the total was 72.5). Missouri upset LSU, 45-41 (the total a mere 53). Texas A&M shocked Florida, 41-38 (the total was 59.5). Alabama outlasted Ole Miss, 63-48 (the total closed at 71.5.) You probably noticed several others.
— Martin Laird rattled home a 23-footer for birdie on the second playoff hole to win the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas on Sunday. He fended off Matthew Wolff and Austin Cook for the title and his first win in seven years. All three finished regulation at 23-under.
Laird was catching a sweet price of about 225-1.
— Don’t forget the Masters. In a world turned upside down by the coronavirus, pro golfers are scheduled to tee off Nov. 12 at the Augusta National Golf Club in August, Georgia.