Columnist Jeff Haney: IP posts 62 college football 'Games of the Year'

Jeff Haney's sports betting column appears Wednesday. Reach him at 259-4041 or [email protected]

Last August, in early-bird wagering at the Imperial Palace sports book, Virginia Tech opened as a 1-point underdog in its Nov. 13 game against Big East rival Miami. By kickoff, Tech was favored by 8 1/2 -- a swing of 9 1/2 points.

Texas, meanwhile, opened as a 9-point underdog last summer in its late-season clash with Texas A&M. At game time, the Longhorns were 2 1/2-point favorites -- and that sound you heard was "middle" bettors' tongues hitting the floor.

This summer, college football bettors have 62 more chances to find bargains like those, as the Imperial Palace recently unveiled its "Games of the Year" for the 2000 season.

The 62 games on the board -- three to six from each week of the college season -- represent a healthy increase over the 48 posted a year ago, and a marked jump from the handful of games the IP put up when it started offering the wagering opportunity a few seasons back.

"Part of that has to do with the fact that there's a pretty good slate of games this year," said Jackson Meeker, Imperial Palace sports book supervisor. "Our goal is to put up the best games we see each week, and there seem to be more of them this season."

Meeker acknowledged the dramatic line moves that occur in a few games each season can benefit bettors smart (or lucky) enough to have jumped on the correct side early.

But he said the situation doesn't cause too many frayed nerves on the other side of the betting counter.

"Sure, we do get exposed on a certain number of games," Meeker said. "But we adjust as the season goes along, too. Most of the time, the bettors don't know anything any sooner than we do."

Besides, as often as not the so-called smart money really ain't so smart. Last year, for instance, Virginia Tech went from a 3 1/2-point favorite in its Nov. 6 contest against West Virginia on the early-bird line to a 19-point favorite at game time.

Tech won by 2 -- meaning even some poor soul who saw fit to take the Mountaineers plus 3 1/2 in August cashed his ticket. Meeker said the "Games of the Year" wager is popular among professional bettors as well as recreational gamblers.

"We get some of both," he said. "You see wise guys making limit plays trying to move the lines. But you also see a lot of smaller bettors making plays or parlays of $100 or $200. They can add up, too."

The selection of games is heavy on the Big Ten Conference, with Michigan and Ohio State featured in seven games apiece, and Michigan State in six.

Michigan and Michigan State, both ranked in the top 10 in preseason polls, meet Oct. 21 in Ann Arbor. Michigan is favored by 10 1/2 points at the IP.

Ohio State, coming off a disappointing 6-6 season, is favored by 4 1/2 in its Sept. 23 home game against Penn State -- a revenge spot for the Buckeyes, who lost 23-10 last year at Happy Valley. The Buckeyes close the regular season by hosting Michigan on Nov. 18, a pick 'em game. Ohio State lost 24-17 as an 11-point underdog at Michigan last year.

Why the pungent Big Ten flavor? In addition to fielding top-notch football teams, those schools generate a lot of graduates -- who end up visiting Las

Vegas looking to place bets on their alma maters.

The Big 12 and Southeastern conferences are also well represented.

Five Notre Dame games made the board -- including the Irish's first four games, against Texas A&M (ND minus 3); Nebraska (ND plus 14); Purdue (ND minus 1); and Michigan State (ND plus 3).

That's a reflection of Notre Dame's brutal early-season schedule as well as the school's name value. Even if its popularity with the public has declined from its glory days, Notre Dame still generates interest among gamblers, Meeker said.

"Let's face it, if it had been Iowa State playing that same schedule, all four of those games wouldn't be on the board," he said. The final "Game of the Year" is the Dec. 2 Army-Navy game, scheduled to take place in Baltimore this year. Navy is favored by 3 points.

In last week's British Open, Woods was matched up against three golfers in proposition betting at Las Vegas sports books.

The Stardust, for example, matched Woods (at minus 165) against Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood (the entry was plus 145). In other words, gamblers who bet the entry took the lowest score of those three players against Woods' score.

It made no difference, as Woods cruised to an eight-stroke victory at St. Andrews.

The Regent Las Vegas offered a prop asking "Will Woods finish in the top 3?"

Early "No" money pushed the "No" from a plus 130 underdog to even money, with

"Yes" bettors laying 130. Of course, "Yes" was a runaway winner.

The next logical step for Las Vegas sports books may be to follow the lead of a British book and offer odds on Woods minus 3 or 4 strokes -- in effect, a golf tournament with a point spread.

The Regent has already opened Woods as an even-money favorite to win the PGA Championship (Aug. 17-20), by far the shortest price ever posted in a full-fledged golf tournament.

Second choice Ernie Els is a 12-1 shot in the event, to be held at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

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