Monday, March 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
They don't call it March Madness for nothing.
The popularity of the NCAA Tournament is soaring in local sports books again this year. As the field dwindles, the lines seem to grow.
"The true meaning of March Madness is happening in the race and sports book," said Joe Lupo, book manager at the Stardust. "It's packed in here from morning to night, and the betting action has been nonstop. Players are lining up to bet everything."
Losses by South Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest haven't slowed the wagering, either. Tennessee-Chattanooga? If they're still alive, they're getting action.
"It's been a great tournament, with tremendous interest. The handle continues to rise each year," said Vince Magliulo, sports book manager at Caesars Palace. "There are still great matchups coming up and some marquee teams left. The overall balance of the teams remaining should generate plenty of action."
At the Las Vegas Hilton Superbook, lines were 10-15 people deep at every window Sunday afternoon, after the final pairings were determined for the round of 16, which begins Thursday.
"It's been packed in here all day," said Chuck Esposito, assistant sports manager at the Superbook. "There has been a lot of enthusiasm. It's still a wide-open field. We've taken a lot of action on the big underdogs -- those teams getting double-digit points have been hard to pass up. With the top seeds -- Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina and Kansas -- all alive, it's looking good for an awfully exciting finish."
The Hilton also was pleased with its March Mania College Basketball Tournament Contest, where players pick every tournament game against the point spread.
"The front-runner went 26-6 in the first two rounds, which is exceptionally good against the spread," Esposito said. "We had close to the number of entries we had last year and it has gone pretty well."
One Sweet 16 matchup attracting a lot of early action is the UCLA-Iowa State game. The Bruins, who handily defeated Charleston Southern and Xavier in the opening rounds, opened as 4 1/2 -point favorites at the Stardust against the Cyclones, who beat Illinois State Thursday and upset Cincinnati by one point Saturday.
UCLA already has moved to a 5 1/2 -point pick, and Lupo expects even more money to come in on the No. 2 seed in the West.
"They're a popular West Coast team and they've played well," Lupo said. "We'll probably see a lot more money on them.
"Also, the Stanford-Utah game will likely be heavily bet. Utah is the WAC favorite and had heavy betting in the first two games, and Stanford looked really good in the upset of Wake Forest. Those two games kind of stand out."
Lupo said players fared well in the first weekend.
"They've done well in the NIT and the NCAA. It has been a good tournament for the public," he said.
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