Beyond the Bets

Head Scratcher: Is Atlantis Casino or Cantor Gaming more ‘off’ in projecting the Packers’ 2013 season?

May 10, 2013

Depending on your perspective, the Green Bay Packers either have a highly inflated win total for the 2013 NFL season, or they’re vastly underrated in Cantor Gaming’s point spreads for every week.

Why? Allow us to explain.

NFL

Atlantis Casino becomes 1st Nevada-based sportsbook to release NFL regular season win totals

May 9, 2013

We’ve been waiting to see which Las Vegas sportsbook would be the first to post NFL regular season win totals, but expected Cantor Gaming or MGM to set the market, possibly as early as next week.

Instead, Reno-based Atlantis Casino released numbers on Thursday afternoon.

NFL

BTB’s projected NFL win totals: Pats, 49ers among teams expected to have league’s best record

May 9, 2013

Las Vegas sportsbooks are expected to release NFL win totals within the next week or two.

In the meantime, here are our projections for all 32 teams.

College Football

Your Big 12 Conference favorite in 2013 is … Texas? Longhorns aiming for 1st title since Colt McCoy era

May 8, 2013

In the first 2013 Big 12 Conference futures odds (released by The Greek), Texas is the 2-to-1 favorite. Can third-year quarterback David Ash make the same kind of leaps that both Vince Young and Colt McCoy did in their junior seasons?

College football

College football conference odds: Alabama favored to win SEC West; New-look ACC is up for grabs

May 7, 2013

Johnny Manziel might become the story of the 2013 college football season, but in the eyes of oddsmakers, his Texas A&M Aggies will be an afterthought in the race for an SEC championship.

TheGreek.com released early conference odds today, and Alabama—the front runner to win the BCS title—is listed as a 1/2 favorite to claim a second straight SEC West crown. Close behind is LSU (+300), followed by Texas A&M (+350).

2013 NBA Playoffs

Bulls’ win at Miami as 12-point underdogs is biggest NBA Playoffs upset we’ve seen since (at least) 2003

May 7, 2013

The Miami Heat were -3000 favorites to win their second-round series against the banged-up Chicago Bulls before Monday night, so it’s a vast understatement to say that the Bulls’ Game 1 victory came as a bit of a shock.

Even more eye-opening? It was the biggest single-game upset we’ve seen in the NBA Playoffs since (at least) 2003.

NFL

NFL Divisional Odds: Broncos big favorites to repeat in AFC West; Can Falcons hold off Saints?

May 6, 2013

The LVH SuperBook in Las Vegas became the first to release NFL Division odds on Monday, and listed Denver as a 1/6 favorite to win the AFC West. The Chiefs and Chargers have the next best chance at 7/1, while the Raiders are 20/1 long shots.

Other divisional favorites include the Giants, Packers, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots and Texans.

Horse racing

Can Derby winner Orb capture first Triple Crown since 1978? It’s not as far fetched as you might think

May 6, 2013

Before the Kentucky Derby, the odds of there being a Triple Crown winner was set at 6.5-to-1.

But after Orb, the favorite, captured the first leg on Saturday, it suddenly looks like we might be on the verge of seeing the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

2013 Kentucky Derby Payouts

2013 Kentucky Derby Payouts: Exacta pays $981.60; Trifecta & Superfecta yield big returns

May 4, 2013

Payouts for the 2013 Kentucky Derby have been announced, and Orb—which closed as a co-favorite at 6-to-1 odds—yielded a return of $12.80 for the many who backed him late and shortened the odds.

Read on for the full list of 2013 Kentucky Derby payouts.

139th Kentucky Derby

2013 Kentucky Derby: Here’s the scene from MGM Mirage’s sportsbook during the race