Jeff Haney

Story Archive

With justiﬁed swagger, Jerry’s Nugget offers best parlay bets: Monday, Aug. 3, 2009; Veterans of Las Vegas sports betting know the same wager can yield varying, sometimes significantly different, payouts depending on where it’s placed.
In big college football games, how important is revenge factor?: Thursday, July 30, 2009; Even bettors who downplay or entirely discount the significance of “revenge” in handicapping a football game might be tempted to reexamine their philosophy come Sept. 26.
Here’s an NFL pick that really goes against the grain: So-called experts often claim to be contrarian, but marketplace shows this bet is; Tuesday, July 28, 2009; Although I’m far from enlightened, I’m reminded of that paradox every football season in Las Vegas with the onset of those “handicapping contests” sponsored by one sports book or another.
Not on the Strip, but closer: Relocated book shop turned down casino’s offer; Saturday, July 25, 2009; As the Las Vegas area’s most prestigious independently owned bookstore, as a fixture on the Las Vegas betting scene, and as a gathering place for gamblers and their kindred spirits, the Gambler’s Book Shop has not missed a beat since moving from its longtime previous home at 630 S. 11th St.
Oddly, marquee fight’s catch weight still unknown: Friday, July 24, 2009; When it was revealed this week that Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao will fight Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand, it was hard not to notice one particular aspect of the announcement.
NFL preseason betting lines posted: Thursday, July 23, 2009
Bowie Tupou: Unafraid of other heavyweights: Boxer eyes climb up ranks with quiet confidence; Wednesday, July 22, 2009; Count Bowie Tupou, the unbeaten Las Vegas heavyweight, among those who are underwhelmed by the current state of his weight class, once upon a time boxing’s marquee division.
Finally, it's fight night for UFC 100: Jeff Haney breaks down the betting possibilities; Saturday, July 11, 2009; The line that really jumps off the betting board is the price of 2-1 on Brock Lesnar winning in the first round — by far the shortest odds in the round proposition, according to the Venetian sports book on the Strip.
Three solid bets for NFL season, backed by math, not a hunch: Thursday, July 9, 2009; The Baltimore Ravens exceeded expectations last season, winning 11 regular-season games to smash the over/under of 6 victories attached to them by oddsmakers. In the NFL playoffs, they advanced to the AFC championship game before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who went on to win the Super Bowl.
Odds show Florida expected to have another big season: Monday, July 6, 2009; The Florida Gators, listed at odds of 2-1 to repeat as the winner of college football’s championship game, are likely to be favored by double digits in the point spread of each of their regular-season games this season.
Though considered the best measure of skill, network and public say nay to HORSE event: Thursday, July 2, 2009; It’s possible the $50,000-entry HORSE, or mixed-games, tournament at the World Series of Poker is slipping in popularity.
Sports book picks for fee rarely bring much return: Tuesday, June 30, 2009; Each year during the lead-up to football season I receive requests from bettors, wary of being scammed, for recommendations regarding which sports handicappers they should “follow” or which sports betting services are worth a subscription fee.
Poker’s HORSE a serious game: Friday, June 26, 2009; If the annual $10,000-entry no-limit Texas hold ’em championship tournament at the World Series of Poker retains the No. 1 spot on poker’s liturgical calendar, the $50,000 HORSE (mixed games) event can make a claim for the “1a” slot.
Some pay for Duke’s abuse: She’s among the poker notables analyzing players’ hands, and asking tough questions; Wednesday, June 24, 2009; Stylish sunglasses snug atop his World Series of Poker Academy ball cap, a guy wearing a Packers jersey was trying to justify his decision to re-raise, from out of position, with a fairly weak hand.
Sneak peek at NFL: Early betting lines set up early story lines for football regular-season games; Tuesday, June 23, 2009; Football bettors looking to take an early stand on any number of NFL games this season have a couple of attractive options in Las Vegas.
Mike Caro: 'Mad genius' of poker: Genuine thinker, poker philosopher, real character offering up free tips to help players raise their game; Friday, June 19, 2009; Long before “the Unabomber,” “the Professor,” “the Mouth” and a dozen other cutesy poker nicknames largely derived from TV shows, there was “the Mad Genius.” He contributed the section on draw-poker strategy to Doyle Brunson’s original “Super/System” book and later published his own influential “Book of Tells.”
In the red at Bethpage Black: Rainy weather could help golfers finish under par at this year’s U.S. Open; Wednesday, June 17, 2009; When Bethpage State Park hosted the U.S. Open in 2002, Tiger Woods was the only player in the field of 156 to break par, winning the tournament with a 3-under 277.
Bet here, not there, for a reasonable house edge: Tuesday, June 16, 2009; Bettors in Las Vegas can wager on the Chicago Cubs to win this year’s World Series at odds of 7-5 at any Harrah’s property.
WSOP props odds offer insight into tournament: Friday, June 12, 2009; Sanctioned betting on the outcome of the World Series of Poker, now in full swing at the Rio, is not permitted under Nevada gaming regulations, though a lively market exists in other jurisdictions.
With Cotto up next, Clottey ﬁghts for recognition: Thursday, June 11, 2009; When Miguel Cotto enters the ring for Saturday night’s WBO welterweight title fight, it will be the fourth time since 2005 Cotto has fought at Madison Square Garden on the weekend of New York’s Puerto Rican Day parade.
In one month, casinos lost money on basketball bets: Tuesday, June 9, 2009; The state’s recently released gaming revenue report for April indicated a drop in the amount casinos won in sports betting contributed to an overall decline in winnings.
Losers lovable on prop bet: History indicates big value in betting at least one NFL team to finish with 13 losses; Friday, June 5, 2009; In the NFL’s 2003 regular season, four teams lost 12 games: the Chargers, Raiders, Giants and Cardinals.
No team had more than 12 regular-season losses.
Poker veteran has seen it all: Wednesday, June 3, 2009; The bustle of the World Series of Poker was only 5.7 miles away, but it might as well have been in a different galaxy.
To ﬁnd value in prop bets, toss out favorites: Monday, June 1, 2009; The proposition asking which players will lead the NFL in categories such as rushing yards, passing yards and receiving yards during the regular season is presented as a straightforward sports bet, one of myriad football wagering opportunities available in Las Vegas this time of year.
Let baseline total be your guide: It’s a good calculation to know for bettors on over/unders in NBA Finals; Saturday, May 30, 2009; Two distinct trends have emerged in over/under wagering in the NBA’s conference finals series.
Poker series FAQ, 2009 edition: WSOP green felt and beyond: Ethics, sexism, television schedules, verbal abuse, more; Thursday, May 28, 2009; The 2009 World Series officially began Tuesday at the Rio when registration opened and play began in cash games and satellites. After a tournament for casino employees Wednesday, the first major event — a $40,000-entry no-limit Texas hold ’em tournament — begins today.
Jack Kerouac: Fantasy baseball, ‘Beat’ style: Wednesday, May 27, 2009; News item: Throughout his life Jack Kerouac was obsessed with a fantasy baseball game he created (The New York Times, May 15).
Betting options abound on Man U-Barcelona soccer match: Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Mine That Bird a Triple Crown long shot? Yes, but...: Friday, May 15, 2009; At first glance, Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird appears to command little respect.
Detroit Lions bet fun, not proﬁtable: Wednesday, May 13, 2009; Oddsmakers are not going out of their way to pile on the Detroit Lions during the NFL’s offseason.
Joint awes as a ﬁght forum: Monday, May 11, 2009; After all the talk about the pristine sightlines at the new Joint at the Hard Rock, here are a couple of practical examples from the undercard of Saturday night’s world championship boxing show:
It's 'Bad Chad' - again: Dawson retains IBF/IBO light heavyweight title with second consecutive win over Tarver; Saturday, May 9, 2009; Deja vu? Different night, same outcome. Chad Dawson is still the IBF/IBO light heavyweight champion after defeating Antonio Tarver by unanimous decision.
Second time is Tarver’s charm: Boxer has had success in rematches, but Dawson is a heavy favorite; Saturday, May 9, 2009; After Chad Dawson won a clear 12-round unanimous decision against Antonio Tarver in October at the Palms (the judges had it 118-109 and 117-110 twice), some boxing observers were surprised Tarver opted to exercise his rematch clause.
Hurlers ripe for getting rocked: Statistic that compares strikeouts and walks suggests it’s wise to bet against the starting pitchers on this list; Wednesday, May 6, 2009; Since the publication a few years ago of the handicapping manual “Betting Baseball: A New Approach,” I have followed a statistical category that author Michael Murray calls “command rate,” a tool to analyze starting pitchers.
Comparisons fly like his ﬁsts: After his knockout of Hatton, Pacquiao mentioned in same breaths as Armstrong, Ali; Monday, May 4, 2009; The term “pound for pound” draws derision from some boxing insiders — perhaps because it lends itself to a subjective rather than a coolly logical analysis of the fight game, or perhaps because it is seen as the province of the pundits, the hoi polloi, the fans.
'Pac-Man' KOs Hatton in second round: Pound-for-pound king proves more dominant than De La Hoya fight; Saturday, May 2, 2009; After months of promoting "The Battle of East and West," pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao stopped the megafight in a matter of moments. Pacquiao dropped Ricky Hatton twice in the first round, and quickly finished the the IBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight champ off in the final second of the second round. A vicious left hand left "The Hitman" on the canvas for several minutes while Pacquiao quietly celebrated in his corner.
Take Five: The day of the big fight has finally arrived: Saturday, May 2, 2009; The fight is being promoted as “The Battle of East and West,” in honor of Manny Pacquiao’s Filipino heritage and Ricky Hatton’s British background, and in a nod to Rudyard Kipling’s 1889 poem “The Ballad of East and West.” Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, quoted the final lines in announcing the match: “But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth/When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth.” Top Rank boss Bob Arum, also a fan of Kipling’s work, recalled he used a similar title when promoting the 1979 heavyweight championship fight between John Tate and Gerrie Coetzee in South Africa.
Pacquiao vs. Hatton: Of ﬁghters and swine flu: Friday, May 1, 2009; The promotion for Saturday’s junior welterweight fight between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton took a turn for the kinder and gentler Thursday as the biggest bout of the year to date drew closer. Rival trainers Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr., who have been at each other’s throats practically since the fight was announced, each made a valiant effort to compliment the opposing camp. The most heated words of the day, in fact, came from Bernard Hopkins, in a vicious diatribe against ... pigs.
Breaking down big bout’s bets: Thursday, April 30, 2009; When betting the “exact result propositions” on some major boxing matches, it’s easy to dismiss one or two of the options on the board and focus on the remaining props.
Researcher: It’s best to shut up and fight: Wednesday, April 29, 2009; All too often in a competitive event -- whether it’s a poker tournament, the Madden NFL video game or a professional prizefight -- trash talking tends to backfire, according to a doctoral dissertation by Ben Conmy, a recent transplant to Las Vegas.
Catch Pacquiao, Hatton while you can: Tuesday, April 28, 2009; Saturday’s Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight at the MGM Grand is expected to be one of the last opportunities for fans to see either man in action regardless of who wins. The two, both 30 years old, have expressed a desire to leave boxing at or near the top of their game, likely within a couple of fights of this week’s junior welterweight showdown at the Grand Garden Arena. Both have a variety of options outside the sport.
Betting lines posted for NFL team season wins: Monday, April 27, 2009
Rebel boxers’ struggle beyond the ropes: Friday, April 24, 2009; The future of the UNLV boxing program could be in jeopardy because of a lack of funding, according to Frank Slaughter, a volunteer coach for UNLV since the team’s inception in 1998.
Hatton’s ﬁghting chance against Pacquiao: Thursday, April 23, 2009; Lem Banker, the dean of professional sports betting in Las Vegas, has witnessed just about every major boxing match since the middle of the last century.
Pro sports betting, too, a game of inches: Tuesday, April 21, 2009; In a 1988 installment of the CBS News program “48 Hours” that explored the Las Vegas scene, Dan Rather interviewed Michael “Roxy” Roxborough, the influential sports oddsmaker.
Early NFL betting lines at Hilton set up action: Friday, April 17, 2009; The Tennessee Titans will have the first crack at the defending Super Bowl champions, going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers as a 5-point underdog.
Oscar De La Hoya’s Vegas 10-count: Wednesday, April 15, 2009; Oscar De La Hoya announced his retirement from boxing at an emotional news conference Tuesday in Los Angeles, but reverberations were felt in Las Vegas, where De La Hoya competed in some of his most memorable fights.
Supermen need a Lex Luthor: Monday, April 13, 2009; The two fighters who won the co-features on this weekend’s boxing card at Mandalay Bay have plenty in common.
Williams defeats Wright: Arreola makes quick work of McCline; Saturday, April 11, 2009; Winky Wright had the crowd on his side. But Paul Williams had speed and energy. In the end, Williams' activity won out as he scored a 12-round, unanimous decision victory over Wright Saturday night at Mandalay Bay. "My 12th round felt like my first, and that was due to my hard training. Running seven miles a day helped my breathing, " Williams said. "I expected him to throw good shots and he did. We went 12 hard rounds and I anticipated it would be a tough fight.
Fighters promise active, offensive bout: Though both claim to be avoided by most boxers, they will stand toe to toe; Friday, April 10, 2009; Winky Wright, once a mainstay atop the rankings of boxing’s best fighters pound-for-pound, returns to the ring to face Paul Williams in a matchup of talented southpaws with unorthodox styles.