Roberts Football Notes

Forget preseason NFL, baseball still the better bet

2016-08-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

All Michael Fulmer does is win every time out.

LAS VEGAS -- It sure was awesome seeing those NFL uniforms on the field for the first time over the weekend and the Rams back in Los Angeles.

There’s no denying the power pro football has over most of us, and seeing all those odds on the board made any of the games a major attraction at Vegas sportsbooks.

People just love betting football, but let’s be careful not to forget about baseball where the games are meaningful and just starting to get intense with only seven weeks to go until the postseason begins.

Even with the MLB teams that are out of contention there are still a few starting pitchers – such as Cincinnati’s Dan Straily (+10.7 units) – that are dealing as if they’re in a pennant race.

The sportsbooks have been waiting for the preseason to start to take away some of their daily risk on baseball. The more you bet from your bankroll on preseason games where there is a 20-cent split on the spread, fixed odds on parlay pay charts and choosing sides that are featuring second and third strong players deciding your fate, the more the books love it. They want baseball risk to be limited with its 10-cent lines, true parlay payouts and hot pitchers.

Don’t let the books off the hook just yet. Keep firing away in MLB action. I have friends who love betting the preseason and say they do well with it because of the QB rotations and coaching tendencies.

In the first week of action it looked like a bunch of randomness with exception to Denver’s sick defense shutting out the Bears, 22-0, and Mike Zimmer’s Vikings winning again in the preseason to make him 9-1 in exhibitions as a head coach.

With baseball we’ve got some pitchers that get after it every game and have been piling up lots of money for bettors that have simply been riding them each time out.

Baltimore’s Chris Tillman doesn’t have the metrics to be considered for the AL Cy Young Award, but all the guy does is win and he’s carried the Orioles on his back all year. The O’s have won 20 of his 25 starts for +15.6 units of profit and because he doesn’t have the metrics like a Clayton Kershaw or Cole Hamels, he’s relatively cheap each time out. No starter has earned more money than him.

Detroit has won 16 of Michael Fulmer’s 19 starts and he has the metrics to compare with the best, but yet he’s still underpriced by about 25 cents each time out. His pitcher rating the sportsbooks have been using on him is similar to Tampa Bay’s Drew Smyly. If you’ve been betting Fulmer every time out you’re up +15.4 units.

Read More Here....Gaming Today

Are the Browns really the worst team in NFL?

2016-08-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Robert Griffin III is doing all the right things in camp.

Are the Cleveland Browns really the worst team in the NFL?

If looking at odds board all along the Las Vegas strip, the answer is yes. And there's lots of recent history to support the notion.

The Browns haven't had a winning record since 2007 (10-6) and they haven't made the playoffs since losing a Wild Card game in 2002. They come off an awful 3-13 season finishing dead last in the AFC North for the fifth consecutive year.

So it's not hard to understand why the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has them listed as the longest shot to win the Super Bowl at 200/1 -- double the next longest odds -- and also the lowest season win total at 4.5 (Over -155) -- the next lowest is Tennessee and San Francisco at 5.5 victories.

The crew at the CG Technology sport book hub office inside M Resort also don't have a high rating on the 2016 version of the Browns. They posted the first 16 weeks of spreads for every team in April and the Browns weren't favored in any of them. Not even one home game. The smallest spread placed upon them is a Week 16 game where the Chargers are 2-point road favorites.

CG has the Browns as their lowest rated team, just a point worse than Tennessee who are 3.5-point favorites in a Week 6 matchup in Nashville. If going by last year's awful numbers, the rating is hard to argue against as their average score was 17-27. They couldn't stop the run or pass on defense and their offense was almost as bad.

But action for Week 1 has actually come in on the Browns.

"One of the biggest moves we've had in Week 1 has seen the Browns drop from +8.5 to +6.5 at Philadelphia," said CG Technology's VP of risk management Jason Simbal. "But I don't think those wagers on the Browns were necessarily because of bettors liking them as much as they don't like the Eagles. There's a lot of anti-Eagles sentiment with smart money. One (respected) bettor bet against the Eagles in 13 of their 16 games we have have posted. And it doesn't just stop there with weekly games.

Read More Here......VegasInsider.com

Head Coach NFL pre-season records heading into 2016

2016-08-09T12:32:00.002-07:00

Chip Kelly has gone 10-2 to the OVER in his 12 pre-season games as head coach.

PRESEASON RECORDS (1999-2015)

Team-Coach	SU	ATS	O/U
Arizona – Bruce Arians	6-6	7-4-1	6-6
Atlanta – Dan Quinn	2-2	2-2	3-1
Baltimore - John Harbaugh	20-12	19-13	17-15
Buffalo – Rex Ryan	13-15	13-15	19-9
Carolina - Ron Rivera	11-9	11-9	10-10
Chicago – John Fox	31-25	27-28-1	27-28-1
Cincinnati - Marvin Lewis	28-25	28-24-1	26-27
Cleveland – Hue Jackson	0-4	0-4	2-2
Dallas - Jason Garrett	8-13	6-14-1	8-12-1
Denver – Gary Kubiak	22-14	22-12-2	23-11-2
Detroit - Jim Caldwell	8-12	10-1	9-11
Green Bay - Mike McCarthy	20-20	20-20	26-14
Houston – Bill O’Brien	4-4	4-4	1-7
Indianapolis – Chuck Pagano	5-11	7-9	6-9
Jacksonville – Gus Bradley	4-8	6-6	3-9
Kansas City - Andy Reid*	32-36	30-34-4	39-27-2
Los Angeles - Jeff Fisher	38-42	37-41-2	38-28
Miami - Adam Gase	-	-	-
Minnesota – Mike Zimmer	8-1	7-2	4-5
New England - Bill Belichick*	46-39	42-36-7	31-33-1
New Orleans – Sean Payton	19-18	21-16	19-15-3
New York Giants - Ben McAdoo	-	-	-
New York Jets – Todd Bowles	3-1	3-1	2-2
Oakland – Jack Del Rio	22-18	21-17-2	22-18
Philadelphia - Doug Pederson	-	-	-
Pittsburgh - Mike Tomlin	21-17	16-21-1	15-22-1
San Diego – Mike McCoy	5-7	7-4-1	5-7
San Francisco – Chip Kelly	7-5	7-5	10-2
Seattle - Pete Carroll*	25-16	27-13-1	17-11
Tampa Bay - Dirk Koetter	-	-	-
Tennessee - Mike Mularkey	6-6	7-5	5-6-1
Washington - Jay Gruden	6-2	5-3	2-6

- VegasInsider.com

Las Vegas bettors let down with Hall of Fame Game cancellation

2016-08-09T07:33:00.001-07:00

Did they think the players wouldn't notice? Get some real grass, please.

The NFL sure sputtered out of the gate Sunday by cancelling their Hall of Fame Game much to the dismay of several bettors in Las Vegas who were eagerly waiting any kind of sign football season was upon us.

Preseason or not, bettors were ready and the books all across town were filling up for a 5 p.m. PT kickoff, but at 4 p.m., ESPN’s Chris Berman dropped the news of cancellation on the pre-game show in a tone that sounded as if someone had passed. For football fans everywhere, that tone was kind of appropriate.

“When people in the book started hearing about the news of the field conditions causing the game to be cancelled, they were like, ‘wait, what?,’” said Westgate SuperBook VP Jay Kornegay. “There was a little confusion, some disbelief because this kind of thing doesn’t happen very often. Overall there was just some disappointment among the crowd.”

The Colts had been bet up from a pick ‘em to -3.5 against the Packers at a few books with the total bet down from 36.5 to 34, and the action, albeit smaller wagers because of lower limits, was solid at the SuperBook. All bets on the game were refunded.

“We had just as much wagered on it as the top baseball games of the day,” said Kornegay, who noted the alternative sports viewing at the time on MLB-TV with the Red Sox at Dodger Stadium also couldn’t be seen because of the local black out of Dodgers games, among the six teams MLB considers Las Vegas’ home teams.

Read More Here....Gaming Today

Watkins Glen Betting Notes: 2016 Cheez-It 355

2016-08-07T09:57:00.002-07:00

Tony Stewart might be best value on odds board in Las Vegas.

Carl Edwards won the pole Saturday at Watkins Glen International, and track history suggests he’s a strong contender to win Sunday’s Cheez-It 355, the second and final race this season on a road course.

Edwards also won the pole at Sonoma Raceway’s road course in June, then finished fourth.

Edwards, listed at 8-1 odds, was already a strong contender based on his own history on the seven-turn, 2.45-mile road course at which he has an 8.4 average finish in 11 starts. His best finish was third in 2009, but his consistency has been incredible with eight top-10 finishes.

Track history shows the pole winner has won nine times in 33 Cup races. Las Vegan Kyle Busch was the last to do it in 2008.

Starting from the top five has produced 21 of the 33 winners, which makes those starting behind Edwards worthy of a strong look at the betting window. Kyle Larson (30-1) starts second, followed by Sonoma winner Tony Stewart (18-1), Matt Kenseth (30-1) and race co-favorite Busch (6-1).

Among those, Busch is the driver to beat. He’s a two-time winner at Watkins Glen with a 10.5 average finish, and he practiced extremely well in both of Friday’s 85-minute sessions, with top-five speeds that included having the best 10-consecutive lap average.

STEWART ON A ROLL

When Stewart came back after missing the first eight races this season, he looked as if he was just going through the motions to close out his final season. He didn’t have any top-five finishes in his first seven races, but something clicked at Sonoma. He won his eighth career road race there and first victory anywhere since 2013.

The win gave him a career reboot, and he started looking like Stewart circa 2011 when he won the last of his three Cup titles. In his past four starts, he’s finished fifth at Kentucky, second at New Hampshire, 11th at Indianapolis and fifth last week at Pocono.

His five wins at Watkins Glen are a track record, and in four of them, he started within the top five. He’s the best value on the board at 18-1.

NEW SURFACE AND TIRE

Along with the track being repaved after last season’s race, there was a new Goodyear tire compound that never has been used in the series. It’s a much harder compound that barely wears out. Las Vegan Kurt Busch said during an interview halfway through the second practice Friday that he was still using the same set of tires that ran all 27 laps during the first session.

The effect will create all kinds of opportunities for teams to scrap four-tire changes during pit stops and gain a few seconds, and positions, by taking two tires while fueling up.

Read More Here........Las Vegas Review-Journal

Friday MLB Play of Day: Texas Rangers at Houton Astros - 8:10 pm ET

2016-08-05T08:44:00.001-07:00

Dallas Keuchel has had a rough go of it lately, especially against Texas.

Lefties square off at Minute Maid Park

Martin Perez (7-7, 4.22 ERA) doesn't like the road too much and Texas has gone 5-12 in their last 17 games overall, but I like what I saw out of Perez in his last start that helped me forget his miserable previous four starts. He allowed only one run to KC in seven innings. Texas has now won 10 of his past 13 starts.

The last time the Rangers (63-46) were in Texas in May, they swept. They won eight straight against the Astros until losing June 8. Overall, Texas is 9-1 against them in 2016. It's basically the differential between the Rangers being in first and the Astros 6.5 games back. One more note: the Rangers are 30-16 in the last 46 meetings at Minute Maid Park.

Houston has lost its last three games started by Dallas Keuchel (6-11, 4.92), including his last start at Detroit where he gave up seven runs. Houston (56-52) is 2-8 in their last 10 and and have lost its last three. Oh yeah, Keuchel has lost all three starts against Texas this year.

Let's go with the Rangers to win in a high scoring game. The top play here is Texas (+156) and a secondary play is on the OVER (8.5).

Updated Las Vegas World Series odds to win (8/3/16)

2016-08-04T07:43:00.001-07:00

Detroit Tigers are rolling and look like decent value at 20/1 odds to win World Series.

Below is a list of the current future odds to win the 2016 World Series. The Chicago Cubs are the current favorites to win the 2016 World Series (7/2) at William Hill’s 106 Nevada Sports Books and on the Mobile Sports app.

@WILLIAMHILLUS ODDS TO WIN 2016 WORLD SERIES	Opening Odds (11/3/15)	Odds on (6/28/16)	Current odds (8/3/16)
NEW YORK METS	10/1	18/1	22/1
CHICAGO CUBS	10/1	+280	7/2
KANSAS CITY ROYALS	10/1	22/1	100/1
LOS ANGELES DODGERS	10/1	15/1	10/1
TORONTO BLUE JAYS	10/1	18/1	17/2
ST LOUIS CARDINALS	12/1	16/1	20/1
HOUSTON ASTROS	12/1	20/1	20/1
PITTSBURGH PIRATES	12/1	75/1	100/1
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS	12/1	5/1	5/1
TEXAS RANGERS	12/1	5/1	11/2
WASHINGTON NATIONALS	12/1	8/1	15/2
NEW YORK YANKEES	15/1	70/1	500/1
LOS ANGELES ANGELS	25/1	300/1	500/1
BOSTON RED SOX	25/1	12/1	12/1
SEATTLE MARINERS	25/1	28/1	75/1
MINNESOTA TWINS	25/1	2500/1	5000/1
CLEVELAND INDIANS	25/1	10/1	11/2
BALTIMORE ORIOLES	25/1	12/1	15/1
DETROIT TIGERS	25/1	30/1	20/1
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS	40/1	250/1	1500/1
TAMPA BAY RAYS	40/1	250/1	5000/1
CHICAGO WHITE SOX	40/1	28/1	125/1
CINCINNATI REDS	50/1	2500/1	5000/1
SAN DIEGO PADRES	50/1	1500/1	5000/1
OAKLAND ATHLETICS	50/1	500/1	1500/1
MIAMI MARLINS	75/1	30/1	18/1
MILWAUKEE BREWERS	75/1	1000/1	3000/1
ATLANTA BRAVES	100/1	5000/1	9999/1
COLORADO ROCKIES	150/1	75/1	100/1
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES	250/1	300/1	500/1

William Hill sports books offer new college football contest

2016-08-03T12:54:00.001-07:00

William Hill has 106 sports books in Nevada/

Pro and College Contests are now available at over 100 William Hill Sports Books across Nevada
LAS VEGAS (August 3, 2016) – With the 2016 football season just over a month away, William Hill Sports Book has opened registration for a pair of contests - the popular Pro Pick‘em and the all-new College Pick ‘em.

Back for another season, the Pro Pick ‘em contest is just $25 to enter and offers $300,000 in cash prizes. For each of the 17 weeks of the Pro Football Regular Season, players will pick the winner of the Sunday and Monday games (Saturday games for Week 16), with a $10,000 weekly cash prize paid to the entry with the most winners. The entry with the most wins at season’s end will collect a $20,000 Grand Prize. The contest also offers a $100,000 bonus to the contest’s season winner if they finish with 200 or more wins.

New for 2016, the College Pick’em – Nevada’s only college football handicapping contest – costs $500 to play, with a maximum of 3 entries allowed. Offering 100% payback, players choose seven games against the spread from a menu of 25 designated weekly games. At the end of the season, the top finisher will collect 70% of the final prize pool and is eligible for an additional $25,000 cash bonus if they finish with 49 wins or more. The entry with the second most wins throughout the season will collect 20% and the entry with the third most wins will collect the remaining 10% of the prize pool.

“Our contests are a reflection of William Hill’s commitment to offer the best product to our sports betting customers in Nevada,” said William Hill Director of Marketing Michael Grodsky. “The College Pick’em contest was a popular request from our patrons and we look forward to an exciting inaugural season.”

The Pro Pick ‘em contest begins on Sunday, September 11th and lasts through the conclusion of the regular season on January 1st. The College Pick ‘em contest lasts 10 weeks, starting on Friday, September 9th and running through November 12.

The deadline to enter the Pro Pick’em contest is 8am on Sunday, September 11th. The deadline for the College Pick’em contest is 8am on Saturday, September 10th. Players may register their entries at any of the full-service William Hill books throughout Nevada. Weekly contest picks can be submitted at any William Hill full-service or kiosk location. For full contest rules and a list of William Hill Nevada Sports Book locations, please visit www.williamhill.us.

Las Vegas Sports Book Notes: It's go-time for the books

2016-08-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Mirage sports book is always entertaining for ticket writers.

It is go time for Las Vegas sportsbooks with the calendar turning to August, which is a kind of alert bell signifying there are only four weeks to get all final football season preparations done.

There’s a check list many book directors go through to ensure they maximize earning potential in the final business quarter while also having procedures in place to stay in compliance with internal and state controls.

Is the book clean and ready to go with suitable TV’s? Are all the marketing campaigns and promotions already set in motion? Has the staff been given a refresher course on gaming regulations and has all the necessary hiring been done to properly accommodate longer business hours and more tickets written? The list is much longer, but you get the idea.

A JOB THAT'S FUN
If looking for employment on the Strip or at local properties, try writing bet tickets for one of the sportsbooks during football season. I’d estimate 50 percent of the seasonal labor increases have been put in motion already, but there’s still more hiring to be done all over town. In addition to competitive hourly wages, there’s also a percentage of tips that come your way based on hours worked. Write a few tickets, keep up with all the scores, enjoy the fast-paced environment with roaring crowds and then make some money on top of it.

Most of the openings are part-time, but if thinking further down the road the book might be a place where you want to make a career, this is where you start. Get your foot in the door anywhere. Absorb all the info you can, and most importantly, listen.

If you have a great attitude, can follow rules and balance your drawer, you’ll move up the ladder quickly. Every book supervisor, manager, director and VP currently in town went through the exact same process.

Read More Sports Book Notes Here....Gaming Today

Olympic wagering available in Las Vegas first time since 1998

2016-07-29T15:57:00.003-07:00

William Hill went all out with Olympic props.

For the first time since 1998, bettors in Las Vegas can now wager on the Olympics thanks to a Nevada Gaming Regulation change last year.

And if looking to bet on the most obscure of events, the largest wagering menu in the state is offered at William Hill's 106 sports books. They've got 96 betting options for the Brazil summer games scheduled to begin Aug. 5.

"The action has been better than I thought it would be at this juncture," said William Hill's top oddsmaker Nick Bogdanovich.

"I'm expecting once the television coverage starts with people getting more involved in the stories and hype coming from ESPN, NBC and the radio, we're going to get a 'see and react' type of deal from bettors. And now it's more convenient than ever for people to make a wager as events are happening with the mobile phone app offering everything we have on the board."

The last time Nevada betting on the Olympics took place was in the 1998 winter games, and action was large for the final hockey games where Dominik Hasek and the Czech Republic won the the gold. The games were late at night, but the books were still full with dozens of fans rooting their bets in while others just watched because they had the Olympic spirit.

Soon after, Senator John McCain questioned why Nevada didn't take action on its two college basketball teams, but did for all others. McCain was campaigning for prohibiting wagers on college athletics. Nevada lawmakers quickly reacted and made a change allowing UNLV and Nevada-Reno to be on the board, but they also threw in Olympics in the amended verbiage as a prohibited event with other amateur events such as high school athletics.

The topic of Olympic wagering didn't come before the state again until 2014 when the South Point, William Hill and a few other sports book operators campaigned for a change, since most of the athletes are professional anyway, and last year it was approved.

Read More Here......Complete list of William Hill props on VegasInsider.com

Drew Brees favored to have most 2016 passing yards

2016-07-28T16:45:00.001-07:00

2016-17 NFL REGULAR SEASON PROPS RELEASED

Oddsmakers at William Hill have released 35 new props (sheets attached) for this upcoming 2016-17 Pro Football Regular Season. The props are available at all of William Hill’s 106 Nevada Sports Books and on the Mobile Sports app.

Below are six charts showing six of the thirty-five Pro Football Regular Season props that William Hill has made available for wagering at the 106 Nevada Sports Books and on the Mobile Sports app.

Most Regular Season Passing Yards in 2016-17:

PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER @WILLIAMHILLUS	Current Odds (7/28/16)
DREW BREES	4/1
CARSON PALMER	8/1
ANDREW LUCK	6/1
PHILIP RIVERS	8/1
ELI MANNING	10/1
AARON RODGERS	12/1
MATT RYAN	12/1
MATTHEW STAFFORD	15/1
BEN ROETHLISBERGER	7/1
BLAKE BORTLES	15/1
RYAN TANNEHILL	25/1
RUSSELL WILSON	40/1
TONY ROMO	15/1
CAM NEWTON	40/1
JAMEIS WINSTON	20/1
KURT COUSINS	20/1
DEREK CARR	25/1
JOE FLACCO	40/1
ANDY DALTON	40/1
FIELD	9/2

Most Regular Season Rushing Yards in 2016-17:

PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER @WILLIAMHILLUS	Current Odds (7/28/16)
ADRIAN PETERSON	9/2
TODD GURLEY	5/1
DOUG MARTIN	10/1
LESEAN MCCOY	12/1
DEMARCO MURRAY	12/1
EDDIE LACY	12/1
LATAVIUS MURRAY	12/1
EZEKIEL ELLIOTT	15/1
THOMAS RAWLS	15/1
JAMAAL CHARLES	18/1
JUSTIN FORSETT	20/1
CHRIS IVORY	20/1
MATT FORTE	22/1
DEVONTA FREEMAN	22/1
JONATHAN STEWART	30/1
RYAN MATTHEWS	35/1
JEREMY HILL	25/1
CJ ANDERSON	40/1
LAMAR MILLER	30/1
FIELD	4/1

Most Regular Season Receiving Yards in 2016-17:

PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER @WILLIAMHILLUS	Current Odds (7/28/16)
JULIO JONES	5/1
ANTONIO BROWN	5/1
ODELL BECKHAM JR	5/1
DEMARYIUS THOMAS	12/1
AJ GREEN	10/1
ALLEN ROBINSON	8/1
BRANDON MARSHALL	12/1
DEZ BRYANT	15/1
TY HILTON	12/1
ALSHON JEFFERY	20/1
RANDALL COBB	20/1
AMARI COOPER	15/1
SAMMY WATKINS	30/1
KEENAN ALLEN	25/1
MIKE EVANS	30/1
LARRY FITZGERALD	40/1
BRANDIN COOKS	25/1
ROB GRONKOWSKI	50/1
JARVIS LANDRY	50/1
FIELD	5/1

More Passing Yards 2016-17 Regular Season: Russell Wilson vs Cam Newton

PASSING YARDS: WILSON vs NEWTON @WILLIAMHILLUS	CURRENT ODDS @WILLIAMHILLUS
RUSSELL WILSON	-110
CAM NEWTON	-110

More Receiving Yards 2016-17 Regular Season: Julio Jones vs Antonio Brown

RECEIVING YARDS: JONES vs BROWN @WILLIAMHILLUS	CURRENT ODDS @WILLIAMHILLUS
JULIO JONES	-110
ANTONIO BROWN	-110

Highest Individual Passing Touchdowns Total in 2016-17 Regular Season

INDIVIDUAL PASSING TD TOTAL @WILLIAMHILLUS	CURRENT ODDS @WILLIAMHILLUS
OVER 38.5	-110
UNDER 38.5	-110

Las Vegas Sports Book Notes: Football Two Sunday's Away

2016-07-26T11:16:00.002-07:00

South Point hot dogs might be best value in town.

The South Point has come up with a fresh idea to make visiting its property a must throughout the NFL season. Of course the lure is cash, a whole bunch of it.

How does winning a weekly progressive jackpot that begins at $250,000 sound?

Beginning with Week 1 and running through Week 17, $10 is all it takes to enter the contest. If no one correctly picks all 17 options, half the cash taken in will be added to the following week’s jackpot. To win the big cash it’s going to take some skill, but also a lot of luck.

There will be 17 options to choose from on the card with pointspreads and a few totals between the Sunday and Monday games. You can enter as many times as you like. Hit all 17 and you win the Jackpot. Simple, right? Yes, it will be difficult to hit, but there aren’t many betting options in town where $10 can win you more than $250,000.

Anticipate the pot increasing about $20,000 per week. And also figure the Jackpot being won about three to four times during the season, which would make the South Point’s Progressive a huge overlay, meaning they’re going to pay out way more than they’re making off it.

In addition to being able to play for the jackpot, you can also enter under their umbrella of sportsbooks at the Rampart in Summerlin and Riverside in Laughlin.

So when making that route out to turn in all your contest entries around town, be sure to include in a stop at one of the South Point’s books to take a crack at this.

Almost football time

We’re two Sundays away from the first exhibition game and while the Hall of Fame preseason matchup never features a great brand, it’s still pro football. And we’ve been patiently waiting for any kind of hint that football is really back. CG Technology sportsbooks posted Green Bay as a 2.5-point favorite over Indianapolis in this year’s game in Canton.

After Aaron Rodgers runs the offense for two series, the Packers will give former UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley the reigns and then take long looks at Marquise Williams and Joe Callahan. The Colts will have a healthy Andrew Luck for a few series then let new back-up Scott Tolzien take over and eventually give way to Stephen Morris.

No matter what angle someone throws your way, there is no solid handicapping method, so tread lightly. But it’s real football action so a bet or two has to happen, right? I always like to believe the defenses are far more advanced than the offenses early on so I’m usually looking to bet UNDER the total in early preseason games. CG has this total at 35.5.

Read More Here.....Gaming Today

Tuesday MLB Bet of the Day: Reds at Giants

2016-07-26T11:11:00.001-07:00

Matt Cain struggling a reason to side with OVER tonight.

The Giants have lost eight of nine games since the All-star break and heading into Tuesday's action, their once comfortable lead in the NL West has shrunk to only 2.5 games over the Dodgers. They'll try to shake the funk tonight at AT&T Park behind Matt Cain who is a -130 favorite over Cincinnati and left-hander Corey Reed.

The good news for the Giants (58-41) is that the last time Cain (1-6, 5.88 ERA) was favored, they won (June 13 at Milwaukee). The bad news is that Cain couldn't make it out of third inning Wednesday at Fenway Park as he served up three homers and allowed five runs. There's a lot more bad news with Cain, such as allowing lefties to .352 off him and Cincinnati has a couple of hot lefties hitting with Jay Bruce belting his 22nd and 23rd home runs in last night's 7-5 win and Joey Votto extending his hit streak to 10 games. Bruce's 77 RBIs are tied for the NL lead.

A wager on San Francisco in its current form behind Cain doesn't sound attractive at all, especially with the Reds playing well lately winning six of its last eight games. Taking a price with Cain is one thing, but laying it is borderline crazy. But the Reds are no bargain taking +120, either.

Yes, Cincinnati (39-60) is playing well but Reed (0-4, 6.75) has had some issues with the biggest being the team has lost all six of his starts. Five of those starts have gone OVER the total with him being a big part of the reason coupled with a Reds bullpen closing out his games, a bullpen with a 5.34 ERA that is historically one of the worst ever.

Tonight's total is set at a low of 8 (OV -125) at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook with the majority of other books using 8.5 (UN -120).

The total looks like the best angle to play in this one. Let's go OVER 8 runs and hope these two starters do what they have been doing consistently all season -- allowing lots of hits.

MLB Weekend Series Prices and Selections

2016-07-22T11:35:00.001-07:00

Angels have lost eight straight to Houston, but are on 6-game win streak.

The Aliante sports book in Las Vegas has posted odds on the 11 baseball series that begin Friday night, so let's jump right in and see where the best value might be presented based on recent trends and pitchers scheduled to start.

Phillies (+240) at Pirates (-300)
Rotation: Eflin/Cole, Nola/Glasnow, Velasquez/Taillon
Notes: The Pirates are only three games out of a wild card spot and have to take advantage of teams like Philly if they want postseason play for the fourth straight year. They've won 11 of the past 14 meetings including a sweep at PNC Park in June.
Series pick: Pirates

Padres (+320) at Nationals (-400)
Rotation: Perdoma/Roark, Jackson/Scherzer, Friedrich/undecided
Notes: These teams split a four-game series in San Diego last month with all four games going OVER the total. Washington should get a quick leg up on the series Friday behind Tanner Roark. The Nats have won eight of his last nine starts, including the last four. The Padres have lost seven of their last 10 at Nationals Park.
Series pick: Nationals

Diamondbacks (+105) at Reds (-125)
Rotation: Bradley/Straily, Ray/Sampson, Godley/Finnegan
Notes: Arizona has lost 15 of its last 19 games while the Reds have won four of six during their current homestand, winning series against Milwaukee and Atlanta. The only positive for Arizona this weekend is being on the road where they are 23-20 (+8.6 units). Still, the D'Backs have packed it in. Arizona's best shot at a win will be Saturday behind Robbie Ray.
Series pick: Reds

Read More Here.....All Series Price and Selections on TheLinemakers.com

2016 PGA Championship odds to win from Las Vegas

2016-07-21T09:23:00.001-07:00

Jason Day and Rory McIlroy have won the past two PGA Championships.

LAS VEGAS -- Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson have been posted as 8-to-1 co-favorites in Las Vegas to win the PGA Championship (July 28 at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey). This will be the final major of 2016 with first-time major winners capturing the first three. The last time all four majors had first-time winners was 2003.

MORE: British Open winners & losers | Watch McIlroy break a club

Day won the PGA Championship last season for his first career major and comes into the event ranked No. 1 in the world. He's won three tournaments this season. McIlroy won his fourth and last major in the 2014 PGA Championship and owns one win and two third-places over 15 events this season. Johnson is the world's second-ranked player and has two wins this season, including his first career major victory at the U.S. Open.

Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook assistant manager Jeff Sherman set the odds for all 155 golfers entered — the only Las Vegas book to offer a price on everyone — and said this year's PGA should be wide open.

"There's a deep talent pool with the top 120 golfers in the world invited and it wouldn't be a surprise to see one of the longer shots win, which has me thinking the best wagering strategy this week is to key on individual golfer matchups rather than playing odds to win," Sherman said. "I could actually see someone like Emiliano Grillo at 125-to-1 odds have a good shot at winning."

Grillo finished 12th in the British Open and the Argentian had a season-best runner-up three weeks prior in the ISPS HANDA Global Cup.

Read More Here........complete listing of odds on TheLinemakers.com

Las Vegas posts USA to win 41.5 Gold Medals in Brazil

2016-07-19T12:30:00.002-07:00

ADDITIONAL OLYMPICS PROPS ADDED

William Hill has added 9 more categories to their Summer Olympics wagering menu. In addition to wagering on Handball, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Rugby 7’s, Water Polo, Race Walking, Tennis, Soccer, Track & Field, Triathlon, and Basketball, bettors can now wager on the Country to Win the Most Olympic Gold Medals and Gold Medal Totals (Over/Under) on eight countries.

Country to Win Most Gold Medals:

COUNTRY TO WIN MOST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS @WILLIAMHILLUS	CURRENT ODDS @WILLIAMHILLUS
UNITED STATES	-500
CHINA	5/2
GREAT BRITIAN	20/1
RUSSIA	50/1
GERMANY	60/1
AUSTRALIA	60/1
FRANCE	75/1
JAPAN	75/1
SOUTH KOREA	100/1
FIELD	50/1

Total Gold Medals: USA

TOTAL GOLD MEDALS: USA @WILLIAMHILLUS	CURRENT ODDS @WILLIAMHILLUS
OVER 41.5	-110
UNDER 41.5	-110

Total Gold Medals: China

TOTAL GOLD MEDALS: CHINA @WILLIAMHILLUS	CURRENT ODDS @WILLIAMHILLUS
OVER 34	-110
UNDER 34	-110

Total Gold Medals: Great Britain

TOTAL GOLD MEDALS: GREAT BRITAIN @WILLIAMHILLUS	CURRENT ODDS @WILLIAMHILLUS
OVER 18.5	-110
UNDER 18.5	-110

Total Gold Medals: Russia

TOTAL GOLD MEDALS: RUSSIA@WILLIAMHILLUS	CURRENT ODDS @WILLIAMHILLUS
OVER 15.5	-110
UNDER 15.5	-110

Odds to win 2017 Barclay's Premier League Championship

2016-07-19T12:10:00.003-07:00

Manchester United is seeing some good action to win title in 2017.

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK
ODDS TO WIN 2017 BARCLAY'S PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE
(opening odds from May in parenthesis if any changes)

MANCHESTER CITY (7/4) 5/2
MANCHESTER UNITED (9/2) 3/1
ARSENAL 6/1
CHELSEA (13/2) 6/1
TOTTENHAM (7/1) 8/1
LIVERPOOL 8/1
LEICESTER CITY (20/1) 25/1
WEST HAM 60/1
SOUTHAMPTON 100/1
EVERTON 100/1

STOKE CITY (300/1) 500/1
CRYSTAL PALACE 500/1
SWANSEA CITY 500/1
SUNDERLAND (500/1) 1000/1
BOURNEMOUTH 1000/1
MIDDLESBROUGH (1000/1) 500/1
WATFORD 1000/1
BURNLEY 1000/1
HULL CITY 1000/1
WEST BROM 1000/1

Friday Night MLB Bet of Day: Mets need to take advantage of Phillies

2016-07-15T10:22:00.002-07:00

Bartolo Colon allowed two runs or less in eight of past nine starts.

Mets at Phillies - 7:05 pm PT
Line: Mets -125, total: 9

The Mets may be six games out of first-place in the NL East, but being 47-41 at the break might be exactly where they want to be. They were 47-42 at this stage last season and then went 43-30 down the stretch to win the division and eventually made the World Series. To kick off the Mets second-half run, Bartolo Colon is a -125 road favorite against the Phillies (39-47) and Jeremy Hellickson.

Colon (7-4, 3.33 ERA) didn't have his best outing last time out, but still was able to pick up the 9-7 win against the Nationals. In 4.2 innings of work, the Nats hit him harder than anyone this season tagging him for 10 hits, six runs and three homers. The outing halted an eight game run where the hefty 43-year old had allowed two runs of less while the Mets went 6-2 behind him, including outdueling Jake Arrieta July 2 in a 4-3 win against the Cubs.

Hellickson (6-6, 3.92) is currently on the best run of his season allowing one earned run in each of his past three starts -- all Philly wins. The Phillies had lost his six prior starts. He's faced the Mets twice this season and the Phils won both games, including a 5-4 win April 20 against Colon.

The Mets lost three straight before the break, but now it's go time. They're going to have to win series and games like this the rest of the way if they want postseason action again. Losing to Philly right out of the gate wouldn't be the message they want to send to their fans or themselves.

Let's go with the Mets to win and get their roll started. They should be a very profitable team over the next three weeks.

Mickelson shoots 1st round 63 at British Open, now favored in Vegas

2016-07-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

Phil Mickelson's British Open odds have dropped to 4/1 after 1st round.

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPER BOOK

UPDATED ODDS TO WIN

2016 BRITISH OPEN following 1st rd

Jason DAY 7/1 (opening odds) 30/1 (current odds after 1st round)

Rory McILROY 8/1 12/1
Jordan SPIETH 8/1 20/1
Dustin JOHNSON 12/1 20/1
Adam SCOTT 20/1 20/1
Rickie FOWLER 25/1 25/1
Justin ROSE 25/1 20/1
Sergio GARCIA 25/1 15/1
Branden GRACE 25/1 50/1
Danny WILLETT 30/1 100/1
Louis OOSTHUIZEN 30/1 100/1
Henrik STENSON 30/1 15/1
Phil MICKELSON 40/1 4/1
Hideki MATSUYAMA 40/1 150/1
Shane LOWRY 40/1 1000/1
Bubba WATSON 50/1 60/1
Zach JOHNSON 50/1 20/1
Brandt SNEDEKER 50/1 200/1
Paul CASEY 50/1 1000/1
Lee WESTWOOD 50/1 80/1
Martin KAYMER 50/1 12/1
Patrick REED 50/1 15/1
Matt KUCHAR 60/1 100/1
Jim FURYK 60/1 500/1
Matthew FITZPATRICK 60/1 500/1
Charl SCHWARTZEL 60/1 150/1
Marc LEISHMAN 60/1 500/1
Justin THOMAS 80/1 50/1

Second-half MLB projections: What team makes that epic run to playoffs?

2016-07-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Indians are considered favorites to win the American League.

LAS VEGAS — The first-half of the season is in the rear view mirror and the second half of the season starts Friday, so its a perfect time to speculate what might happen the rest of the way. What teams currently leading the division will falter down the stretch like the the Angels and Nationals did in 2015 and what teams will make an incredible second half surge to a playoff birth like the Mets, Cubs, Rangers and Blue Jays did last year? We have a few ideas so let's glance through each division.

AL EAST (Westgate World Series odds: TOR 12/1, BOS 12/1, BAL 12/1, NYY 100/1, TB 1,000/1)
The opening odds to win division at MGM Resorts showed the AL East was expected to be the most competitive division and at the halfway point it's the only division with its second-place team being less than 5.5 games back. Baltimore has a two-game lead over the Red Sox and Blue Jays and 7.5-game lead over the Yankees.

The Orioles were 4-to-1 to win the division when the season started behind co-favorites Boston and Toronto at 2-to-1. The Red Sox bats have been incredible with an MLB-leading .292 average and 5.6 runs a game, but the pitching is horrendous, allowing 4.9 runs a game. The Blue Jays bats have woken up lately and they have a good enough rotation to be able to win the division for the second consecutive year. The Orioles have some bats too, but even with Chris Tillman working wonders every five days, their rotation ranks No. 28 with a 5.15 ERA. Look for Toronto to edge out Boston for the division crown and Boston to play in the wild card game.

Read More Here........all projected division winners on TheLinemakers.com

Las Vegas Sports Book Notes: Football Contests for all Budgets

2016-07-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

Check out GVR and all Station properties for Free GridIron Glory contest.

It's mid-July in Las Vegas with the devil's breath of 107 degrees screaming daily which makes taking a walk down the strip in the day almost unbearable. But for those that do dare, it's worth the while if looking for unique things offered on the sports book boards that have never been seen, or seen so soon before.

Almost everyone has their season win totals posted for the NFL and college football season. The best NFL games of the year are already posted at the Westgate SuperBook and the most interesting college games of the year have been posted at the South Point and Golden Nugget. There's Heisman odds, MLB Cy Young and MVP odds, NFL division odds and Nevada approval for accepting Olympic wagers now allows us to bet 1-to-10 on USA men's and women's basketball each to win the Gold in Brazil.

We'll be taking a look at Las Vegas happenings weekly all the way through football season, but first let's start out with the football contests around town that fit just about anyone's budget.

How does free sound?

Station Casinos and Boyd Gaming are giving away over $1.25 million between them for free just for turning in selections weekly. There's also a few $25 contests and then a couple high-end tournaments offered at the Golden Nugget and Westgate.

Everyone knows about the Westgate's world renowned SuperContest with its $1,500 entry fee that saw a record 1,727 contestants enter last year, but some may not be aware that there's a high-end contest downtown at the Golden Nugget called the Friday Football Showdownwith an entry fee of $2,000. Last season there were 87 contestants with the winner taking 60 percent of the pool that translated into $117,000.

The major difference between the two high-end contests is that the Showdown is played like a football season with eight weeks determining who the top seven handicappers are after making seven selections using side and totals of college and NFL games. Those seven contestants advancing win $3,000. Weeks 9 and 10 is a wild card round with the non-qualified contestants all making nine selections each week which determines the final seed of the eight player bracket. The wild card winner faces the No. 1 seed, No. 2 faces No. 7 and so on. The winners of the quarterfinals get $2,000 for advancing.

Read More Here......VegasInsider.com

What's next for the Fertitta Brothers after UFC sale?

2016-07-12T07:26:00.001-07:00

Lorenzo, Dana and Frank made a great team with UFC.

LAS VEGAS -- You have to admire the brilliance of brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta who bought a once struggling UFC for $2 million in 2000 and sold it Monday for $4 billion to Hollywood talent agency WME-IMG.

That’s an amazing 200,000 percent return on investment, and if you’ve been around Las Vegas for the past two decades you’ve seen their genius in action several times as they grew Station Casinos from the hole-in-the-wall Bingo Palace on Sahara Avenue into a giant as the premiere locals chain of casinos with 19 properties.

The brothers’ magic touch in both cases was marketing and giving the public what they wanted. For gamblers at their casinos, they listened to everything that would make visits more regular and comfortable. They analyzed the situation and realized the gamblers wanted to be appreciated – not just those with big money on the blackjack tables, but also the nickel slot players who played daily.

They introduced a players club and rewards program that soon everyone in town followed after seeing the success and rise Station was having. Revenues soared and the brothers re-invested in the company by building more casinos.

They dominated their locals market and followed the same plan with the UFC. They were able to market globally with the UFC and found people wanted more, everywhere – Ireland, Brazil, Germany, Poland and Russia. They brought in longtime friend and Bishop Gorman high school buddy Dana White to run the UFC because of his energy and no nonsense attitude. The trio created a market when there was none. When the UFC was at its highest peak of value, they got out at the right time, while still holding a minority ownership.

Read More Here.........Gaming Today

National League MLB All-Star Game Woes Continue?

2016-07-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas Bryce Harper will try to win his first All-Star Game

The American League comes into Tuesday's Major League Baseball All-Star Star Game on three-game win streak, but it's the National League who come in as the short -115 favorite. The AL has rolled to a 15-4-1 record in its last 20 All-Star Games, but it's the NL who lead 43-41 all-time since the first Midsummer classic in 1933.

You're best bet for wagering on the game is to drop your regular bankroll at least 20 percent of what you normally bet for a real game. It's an exhibition and while each side wants to win to give home field to their league's World Series participant, I know the players don't care as much about winning as they do daily with their own clubs.

Read More Here.....Free selections on Sporting News

Thursday MLB Bet of Day: Jays have lost last eight at home behind Dickey

2016-06-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

Indians can tie franchise record with 13th straight win tonight.

LAS VEGAS -- We've got a couple streaks going in opposite directions when the Indians begin a four-game series tonight at Toronto. Cleveland (47-30, +10.8 units of profit) has won 12 straight and its last lost was when the Cavaliers were down 3-2 in the NBA Finals. Should they win tonight they'll tie a franchise record 13-game win streak set in 1951 and 1942. Another Indians win would also mean that the Blue Jays (43-37, -3.1) will have lost nine straight at home behind knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.

Despite the lengthy win streak by Cleveland, Toronto still comes in as the -135 favorite to win the series. Carlos Carrasco (3-2, 2.73 ERA) opens the series tonight against Dickey (5-8, 4.23) as a -115 favorite. On Friday, Marcus Stroman will face Josh Tomlin. Saturday will see Marco Estrada against Trevor Bauer and the finale on Sunday will have J.A. Happ against Corey Kluber.

During the 12-game win streak, Cleveland's starters have gone 9-0 with a 1.91 ERA and have been able to cruise in most of the games as the offense has outscored the opposition by a 75-25 combined score.

Carrasco's last start came Saturday at Detroit where he pitched a complete-game, 6-0 shutout. The Indians have won seven of his nine starts this season and he's allowed only seven runs in five road starts (1.95 ERA).

On the other side we have Dickey who the Blue Jays have lost 11 of 16 games behind with all five wins coming on the road, including his last start at Chicago where he gave up four runs in 5.1 innings, but beat the White Sox, 10-8. His home ERA is at a Rocky 5.36.

This is a big moment for Toronto who ended a 2-6 run by winning the past two days at Colorado, but between the Indians win streak where the starters have dominated and Carrasco being a major factor in two of those 12 wins, it's hard to find any reason to support Dickey and his poor home luck at home.

Let's go with the Indians to win again tonight and also take +115 to win the series.

Tuesday MLB Bet of the Day: Greinke, Eickhoff square off again

2016-06-28T10:44:00.001-07:00

Arizona is 12-4 behind Zack Greinke this season....all 4 losses at home.

LAS VEGAS -- There's no place like home, unless you're the Diamondbacks, who have posted a 13-26 mark at Chase Field, including last night's 8-0 lackluster loss to the Phillies. But tonight the odds are in Arizona's favor to buck the trend as Zack Greinke (10-3, 3.61 ERA) is a -180 favorite against Jerad Eickhoff (5-9, 3.36) in the second of a three-game set.

Arizona (36-43, -5.59 units of profit) had just just come off a 10-game road trip where they posted franchise best 7-3 record boosting them to a 23-17 road mark. Four of those wins came in a sweep at Philadelphia, including a 4-1 Greinke win 10 days ago against Eickhoff. It was Greinke's seventh straight win and in his next start Thursday at Coors Field, he got a no-decision in the Diamondbacks 8-7 win.

During Arizona's eight game win streak behind Greinke, he has a 2.18 ERA and opponents are hitting just .191 against him with a .224 on-base percentage. However, the home and away disparity exists with Greinke as well who is 5-3 with a 5.06 ERA at home and is 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA on the road. Arizona is 12-4 behind Greinke this season with all four losses coming at Chase Field.

Read More Here....selection on TheLinemakers.com