Post by Makers on Jan 10, 2016 8:02:05 GMT -5
Vegas Money Moves - WC
There’s one decision during Wild Card weekend that stands out like a sore thumb at Las Vegas sports books and of course it happens to be the biggest favorite among the four games.
“The Vikings are going to be key for us,” said South Point sports book director Bert Osborne, "because we’re loaded with action on the Seattle side, not so much on straight bets because we took some large money at +6 with Minnesota, but from parlays and teasers. We’re seeing our parlays being bet at about an 8-to-1 ratio on the Seahawks.”
There’s a variety of numbers to choose from around town with a low of Seattle -4.5 at MGM Resorts to a high of -5.5 The Wynn. The South Point, Station Casinos and CG Technologies are all at -5.
“We are going to be rooting hard for the Vikings,” said CG Technology VP of risk management Jason Simbal. “We’ve taken both sharp and public action with Seattle so it will be a big decision
Another angle Simbal has a rooting interest in with Minnesota is conference and Super Bowl futures. CG books don’t want Seattle to win it all because of risk while one of their biggest wins would come from another NFC team.
“We win really big to the Panthers in futures so ideally we want them to avoid Seattle next week and play either Green Bay or Washington.”
Seattle comes in having covered five of its past six games and that kind of momentum always sits well with the betting public, as does the playoff pedigree differential between both teams. They also watched Seattle win 38-7 at Minnesota last month.
The difference this time around is that the Vikings have covered its last four games and freezing temperatures with a wind chill at minus degrees could make it a grittier grind out game than witnessed in their last meeting.
“Our best scenario for the weekend so far is for the Texans and Bengals to win outright,” said Station Casinos sports book director Jason McCormick. “The NFC games are still unclear for us. We’ve got lots of parlay risk on Seattle, but the straight money is on the Vikings.”
The books would love to get the Wild Card weekend started Saturday with an early upset in the first game where the Chiefs are a consensus 3-point favorite (-120) at Houston.
“We’re balanced on straight bets between two different numbers, but the Chiefs are being bet at a 5-to-2 ratio on the parlays“, said Osborne.
Osborne’s book is the only one in the city that uses flat numbers and he has seen large action laying -3 with the Chiefs and large action the other way with the Texans +3.5.
Saturday’s late game is a rubber match between bitter division rivals with the Steelers as 3-point road favorites at Cincinnati. The two teams split the two meetings during the regular season.
The Bengals have lost in this round the past four seasons and coach Marvin Lewis is 0-6 in Wild Card games over his 12 years with the Bengals -- not one cover, either.
“Were even with straight bets on the Steelers and Bengals,” said Osborne, “but the Steelers are getting most of the play on parlays.”
There's a 90 percent chance of rain at Cincinnati Saturday night and a 100 percent chance of rain Sunday afternoon at Washington (Landover) where the Packers and Redskins are Pick 'em.
“Surprisingly, the public likes the Redskins,” said Osborne. “We’re even on straight bets, but parlays are at about a 3-to-2 ratio in favor of the Redskins.”
Green Bay has traditionally been a popular choice with the betting public, but after seeing them lose and fail to cover its final two games while the Redskins come in on a roll of winning and covering its last four games, the Redskins have found plenty of supporters this week.
If Seattle, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Washington all cover for the public, it's going to be a massive blow to the sports books with lots of parlay payouts. If the books can get two of those sides not to cover, they should come away with a winning weekend, especially if Minnesota covers.
There’s one decision during Wild Card weekend that stands out like a sore thumb at Las Vegas sports books and of course it happens to be the biggest favorite among the four games.
“The Vikings are going to be key for us,” said South Point sports book director Bert Osborne, "because we’re loaded with action on the Seattle side, not so much on straight bets because we took some large money at +6 with Minnesota, but from parlays and teasers. We’re seeing our parlays being bet at about an 8-to-1 ratio on the Seahawks.”
There’s a variety of numbers to choose from around town with a low of Seattle -4.5 at MGM Resorts to a high of -5.5 The Wynn. The South Point, Station Casinos and CG Technologies are all at -5.
“We are going to be rooting hard for the Vikings,” said CG Technology VP of risk management Jason Simbal. “We’ve taken both sharp and public action with Seattle so it will be a big decision
Another angle Simbal has a rooting interest in with Minnesota is conference and Super Bowl futures. CG books don’t want Seattle to win it all because of risk while one of their biggest wins would come from another NFC team.
“We win really big to the Panthers in futures so ideally we want them to avoid Seattle next week and play either Green Bay or Washington.”
Seattle comes in having covered five of its past six games and that kind of momentum always sits well with the betting public, as does the playoff pedigree differential between both teams. They also watched Seattle win 38-7 at Minnesota last month.
The difference this time around is that the Vikings have covered its last four games and freezing temperatures with a wind chill at minus degrees could make it a grittier grind out game than witnessed in their last meeting.
“Our best scenario for the weekend so far is for the Texans and Bengals to win outright,” said Station Casinos sports book director Jason McCormick. “The NFC games are still unclear for us. We’ve got lots of parlay risk on Seattle, but the straight money is on the Vikings.”
The books would love to get the Wild Card weekend started Saturday with an early upset in the first game where the Chiefs are a consensus 3-point favorite (-120) at Houston.
“We’re balanced on straight bets between two different numbers, but the Chiefs are being bet at a 5-to-2 ratio on the parlays“, said Osborne.
Osborne’s book is the only one in the city that uses flat numbers and he has seen large action laying -3 with the Chiefs and large action the other way with the Texans +3.5.
Saturday’s late game is a rubber match between bitter division rivals with the Steelers as 3-point road favorites at Cincinnati. The two teams split the two meetings during the regular season.
The Bengals have lost in this round the past four seasons and coach Marvin Lewis is 0-6 in Wild Card games over his 12 years with the Bengals -- not one cover, either.
“Were even with straight bets on the Steelers and Bengals,” said Osborne, “but the Steelers are getting most of the play on parlays.”
There's a 90 percent chance of rain at Cincinnati Saturday night and a 100 percent chance of rain Sunday afternoon at Washington (Landover) where the Packers and Redskins are Pick 'em.
“Surprisingly, the public likes the Redskins,” said Osborne. “We’re even on straight bets, but parlays are at about a 3-to-2 ratio in favor of the Redskins.”
Green Bay has traditionally been a popular choice with the betting public, but after seeing them lose and fail to cover its final two games while the Redskins come in on a roll of winning and covering its last four games, the Redskins have found plenty of supporters this week.
If Seattle, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Washington all cover for the public, it's going to be a massive blow to the sports books with lots of parlay payouts. If the books can get two of those sides not to cover, they should come away with a winning weekend, especially if Minnesota covers.