Bookmakers were looking forward to a solid weekend after bettors had a solid close to the NFL season to start 2012, which included a ton of parlays that cashed. BetOnline had a client last weekend risk $188.00 on a 13-teamer and won $111,000.00 (GB +6, GB Over 42, Chi +1.5, Jets +3, Jax -3.5, Texans +1 (push, would have won $150K), Texans Over 39, Saints -7, Saints Over 55, Eagles -370, 49ers -580, NE -505, NE Over 50). Tim Tebow was not the only one praying on Sunday as the bookmakers were one-sided with Steelers action and despite the late "sharp" buy-back on the Broncos, needed Denver to save the day. Not only did the Broncos cover, they won outright which killed all the teaser and money-line wagers on Pittsburgh. It may sound odd, but hearing the sportsbook are rooting for the Packers to win the Super Bowl. With them looking so dominant all season, the public was not willing to bet on them at such low odds and have put their money on the Saints, Giants and even Broncos. Even though the Packers were a public team for betting during the season, when it came to Super Bowl futures the books will actually be rooting FOR Green Bay.

Were you rooting for LSU or Alabama last night?

"We needed Alabama big and the under."
-Oddsmakers from BetOnline

"Suprisingly we needed Alabama, we had significant LSU money on sides."
-Phill Gray the Line Management Supervisor from Sports Interaction

"Needed LSU. We opened LSU -1.5 and the money has moved it the other way. Not in a great spot either way because of all the parlay card liability built up for the past three weeks on the cards. It puts us in a position we don’t like to be in, having to pay parlays at 6-1, 10-1, 20-1 and 40-1 onto both teams but more so on Alabama."
-Jimmy Vaccaro from Lucky's Race and Sports Book

How did the first weekend of NFL playoffs treat you?

“Denver salvaged the weekend for us. Everything was live going into that game from the three previous games. It was a triple header for us: Denver and Tebow knocked out the point spread bets, the money lines and the teasers.”
-Jimmy Vaccaro from Lucky's Race and Sports Book

“Wildcard Weekend was profitable, especially the Steelers-Broncos game. That game blew up a lot of teasers.”
-Oddsmakers from BetOnline

“The Bronco game saved the weekend for us.  It killed a bunch of teasers as well as parlays.”
-Chris Andrews from Cal Neva

Any exposure on Super Bowl futures you are concerned about?

“The Giants on both the conference and SB would hurt.”
-Phill Gray the Line Management Supervisor from Sports Interaction

“Our biggest exposure is on the Broncos and Giants.”
-Chris Andrews from Cal Neva

“This is really the best position I’ve ever seen a book with eight teams remaining. Denver is the only loser. We have seven teams and they have one. Our group did a great job booking the futures. I’m really happy with our position.”
-Jimmy Vaccaro from Lucky's Race and Sports Book

“Packers will be our biggest winner, followed by the Ravens. Saints and Giants will be our biggest losers. We’ll lose on the Broncos also. Packers by far is the biggest decision. Five times greater than our next biggest decision.”
-Oddsmakers from BetOnline

With college football season completed and the NFL winding down, how did the season go overall?

“After a disastrous start we rebounded the second half for some very impressive gains in both college and NFL. Bowl season we have held our own, but there has been a lack of upsets this year, which traditionally turns the balance for us.”
-Phill Gray the Line Management Supervisor from Sports Interaction

“You always get speed bumps along the way. Some years you get one or two but this year we had a about three bad weekends. Too many favorites were winning early in the pros and too many of the college top 10s were covering big.”
-Jimmy Vaccaro from Lucky's Race and Sports Book

“I would characterize football season as 'fair' and certainly nothing great.  Started bad, then we had a nice run, the finish has been less than terrific. The bowls mostly sucked.  I know it was a pretty even split between favorites/dogs, and over/under, but it seems like the public had all the right ones when they counted.”
-Chris Andrews from Cal Neva

With basketball in full swing, how has hoops been so far?

“Pro and college performing well, NCAA spreads we are doing exceptionally well, and totals are in the black, unheard of for this time of year.”
-Phill Gray the Line Management Supervisor from Sports Interaction

 Sports Betting - Is It Fixed? Pregame's own Johnny Detroit discusses with Vegas Runner the past situations where sports betting was fixed and also discuss the inevitable question of "Is Sports Betting Fixed?"


BCS Recap Las Vegas, Nevada (January 9, 2012) - from RJ Bell of Pregame.com:

Alabama makes it 5 straight favorites to win AND cover BCS Title games.

The point spread has NEVER mattered in the history of the BCS title game
(every favorite that won has covered; every underdog that's covered has won the game)

Alabama vs. LSU over/under total closed at 41.5
The lowest in BCS Title game history
and still went UNDER by over 20 points.

Sportsbooks offered 20 to 1 odds on NO touchdown being scored ($100 won $2,000)

Blowouts the norm:
In BCS Title game history, only 2 of 14 spread losers
have been within even 10 points of covering.

Las Vegas Contributors:

-Chris Andrews from Cal Neva: Las Vegas bookmaker at Cal Neva working directly with legendary oddsmaker Nick Bogdanovich. Cal Neva has 35 locations throughout Nevada, including the Las Vegas strip, Henderson, Mesquite, Reno, Sparks, Carson City, South Lake Tahoe, Jackpot, and Gardnerville. You can catch Chris on ESPN945.com and follow him on twitter at @andrewssports.

-Jimmy Vaccaro from Lucky's Race and Sports Book: Legendary Las Vegas bookmaker and Director of Sports Operations and Public Relations. Lucky’s Race & Sports Book has 17 locations, including the Riviera Hotel & Casino, Fitzgeralds Casino & Hotel, Plaza Hotel & Casino and Terrible's Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in Reno, John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks, Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall and River Palms Resort Casino in Laughlin. Follow Jimmy V and Lucky’s on twitter at @JimmyVaccaro and @betatluckys.

Offshore Contributors:

-Oddsmakers from BetOnline: BetOnline operates out of Panama City, Panama, which has been referred to as "the banking capital of Latin America". Panama is a reliable and secure business environment, providing a solid infrastructure, cutting-edge Internet bandwidth and a government that strictly regulates and monitors offshore gaming activity. @DaveMasonBOL

-Phill Gray the Line Management Supervisor from Sports Interaction: Sports Interaction, the first online sportsbook licensed and regulated in North America, has been the No 1 choice in the online gambling market for more than ten years. Sports Interaction is overseen and regulated by the Kanhawake Gaming Commission