Super Bowl betting should set new mark

The Atlanta Falcons' inaugural Super Bowl appearance may mean less money will be wagered on this weekend's game, but local sports book operators still are predicting a record handle.

Jay Kornegay, director of the Imperial Palace race and sports book, said he expects wagering on Sunday's game between the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons to surpass last year's record $77.2 million.

But Kornegay also said that if the Minnesota Vikings were representing the NFC rather than the Falcons, last year's record easily would have been broken.

"Last year's was a record and we're hoping to reach into the low 80s this year," Kornegay said. "I know that we would have reached that total, statewide, if the Vikings would have been in it. The Vikings are very popular, especially with the local guy -- Randall Cunningham -- doing well.

"The Falcons definitely threw a wrench into this, but whenever you receive a new team into the Super Bowl, you tend to get a little more interest, too. On the other hand, the Falcons aren't really from a very big market ... so we really don't know what to expect."

Not that this year's NFL championship game isn't without its intrigue.

Kornegay said the public comments made last week by Falcons head coach Dan Reeves about his strained relationship with Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan and Denver quarterback John Elway may fuel interest in the game.

"I don't want to take anything away from this Super Bowl because it does have a few interesting stories behind the scenes with Reeves and Shanahan," Kornegay said. "We're just going to have to wait and see."

Nevada's 133 legal sports books took in a record $77.2 million in Super Bowl bets last year but won only 0.6 percent, or $472,033, of the total wagered on the game. The year before, the state's sports books held 10.1 percent, or $7.1 million, of the $70.9 million bet on Super Bowl XXXI.

The Broncos are a 7-point favorite to beat the Falcons on Sunday, although Kornegay said he sees the line moving to 7 1/2 points before the 3:15 p.m. kickoff.

"We opened at seven and we're still at seven, but I would think in the next couple of days we'll probably be at seven and a half," Kornegay said.

"There are only a couple places in town that opened at eight or eight and a half and it was quickly snatched up and has pretty much been a solid seven throughout the whole week."

Only about 15 percent of the expected Super Bowl handle has been wagered so far, Kornegay said, with the majority of the money coming in on the favored Broncos.

"Eighty percent of the money comes in Super Bowl weekend, so we're only approaching 15 percent," he said. "It always slowly builds as we get closer and closer to the weekend.

"I'd say it's running about 2-to-1 Denver money," Kornegay said, "but it's all small, it's an accumulation of bets. There hasn't been any big bets yet -- those all will come this weekend."

Unlike regular-season NFL games, the line for the Super Bowl isn't affected as much by professional bettors as it is by the casual fan, Kornegay said.

"The public money rules the Super Bowl -- and that's the only time the public money will overcome the wise-guy money," he said. "When they come in on Super Bowl weekend, most of the out-of-towners and tourists don't really care what the number is, they'll lay it or take it.

"To the (average bettor), there is no difference between seven, seven and a half, eight or nine -- it's all the same to them. To the wise guys, however, there is quite a bit of difference between a seven and a seven and a half."

In an attempt to foster additional wagering on Super Bowl XXXIII, the Imperial Palace has added some new proposition bets -- even tying the game in with this weekend's PGA Tour stop in Phoenix, an English professional soccer league match and NCAA basketball and NHL hockey games.

One of the more unusual prop bets is whether Denver's Ed McCaffrey will have more receiving yards or Phil Mickelson more strokes in the fourth round of the Phoenix Open; McCaffrey is plus-105 while Mickelson is minus-135.

Fans can also wager whether Arsenal of English Premier League Soccer will have more goals in its game Saturday against Chelsea than Atlanta receiver Terance Mathis will have touchdown receptions Sunday; Mathis is listed at plus 160 while Arsenal is minus 200.

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