Vegas Money Moves - Week 1
September 4, 2015
One of the biggest stories coming into the 2015 college football season is a loaded Ohio State championship team going for a repeat, and the enthusiasm to see how they do appears to be translating to the bet windows in Las Vegas as well.
“Our biggest risk of the weekend is with Ohio State,” said CG Technology VP of risk management Jason Simbal, who currently has them minus-14. “We’re going to need Virginia Tech pretty good. They just keep betting the Buckeyes.”
It’s not a surprise that the Buckeyes are garnishing lots of attention because they‘re always a popular team, but the fact that the game isn’t until Monday and it has more risk than any of the Friday or Saturday games is a big deal and a major statement of their popularity.
By game day when it’s isolated and 70 percent more action comes on the game, this is going to be a monster decision with every sports book executive rooting for the Hokies.
“This is going to be just like a big Monday Night NFL decision,” said the South Point’s Jimmy Vaccaro, who begins his 41st season booking games in Las Vegas. “It’s got everything you could possibly want from a big game with the champs first game out and revenge on their mind.”
Vaccaro said he expects the Ohio State money to keep rolling in.
“The smarts took +14 with Virginia Tech when we first posted it, but it’s been all Buckeyes since then, even after the suspensions. I think the number will run and close -15 or higher by kickoff.”
CG Tech books opened Ohio State -12 back in July and got as high as -14.5 towards the end of the month until four Buckeye players were suspended on July 30, which included wide-receiver Corey Smith and All-American defensive-end Joey Bosa. CG adjusted to -11, and the public has been betting them ever since back up to -14.
The good news for the books knowing they’ve got a monster to deal with on Monday is that they eliminated so much risk on Thursday by winning several key decisions. They won’t have that tidal wave of parlay liability, or as much, that rolls into each day.
“We held almost 65 percent of our (Thursday) parlay action,” said Simbal. “TCU not covering was very good us and South Carolina was also good too. We got a lot of late action on North Carolina that made it a big decision. Duke rolling also was good for us.”
Thursday was great for the house, but they've got to try and win a few of the Saturday games to negate the public parlay risk going into Monday. If they doesn’t win a few of the big games on Saturday, they're going to have four and five teamers waiting to cash on Monday with Ohio State.
“We took a really big money-line bet on Penn State (-500), so we’ll be rooting for Temple to win outright,” Simbal said of Saturday's games. “UCLA is turning out to be an interesting game because we’re getting lots of money on Virginia. We’re at -18.5 right now, the lowest in the city, and they’re still taking Virginia. We’re also going to need Wisconsin.”
Simbal opened Alabama -10.5 over Wisconsin in July and is currently sitting at -11, which is the lowest number in Las Vegas as most other books are sitting at -12.
“Tennessee is one of our most one-sided games of the day,“ said Simbal where the Vols are 21.5-point home favorites. “This is a game where both sharp and public money have been on the same side.“
CG Tech books opened Tennessee -19 back in early July. Simbal said Kentucky (-17) has also been one-sided action for its opener against UL Lafayette.
Floyd Mayweather is one of Simbal’s biggest customers at his M Resort book and loves betting football, but he hasn’t seen him yet.
“He’s training and getting ready for his fight, but I’m pretty sure we’ll see him for Week 1 of the NFL, which is the day after he fights.”
CG Tech has Mayweather -3000 for the Sept. 12 fight at the MGM Grand Graden Arena against Andre Berto (+1400).
September 4, 2015
One of the biggest stories coming into the 2015 college football season is a loaded Ohio State championship team going for a repeat, and the enthusiasm to see how they do appears to be translating to the bet windows in Las Vegas as well.
“Our biggest risk of the weekend is with Ohio State,” said CG Technology VP of risk management Jason Simbal, who currently has them minus-14. “We’re going to need Virginia Tech pretty good. They just keep betting the Buckeyes.”
It’s not a surprise that the Buckeyes are garnishing lots of attention because they‘re always a popular team, but the fact that the game isn’t until Monday and it has more risk than any of the Friday or Saturday games is a big deal and a major statement of their popularity.
By game day when it’s isolated and 70 percent more action comes on the game, this is going to be a monster decision with every sports book executive rooting for the Hokies.
“This is going to be just like a big Monday Night NFL decision,” said the South Point’s Jimmy Vaccaro, who begins his 41st season booking games in Las Vegas. “It’s got everything you could possibly want from a big game with the champs first game out and revenge on their mind.”
Vaccaro said he expects the Ohio State money to keep rolling in.
“The smarts took +14 with Virginia Tech when we first posted it, but it’s been all Buckeyes since then, even after the suspensions. I think the number will run and close -15 or higher by kickoff.”
CG Tech books opened Ohio State -12 back in July and got as high as -14.5 towards the end of the month until four Buckeye players were suspended on July 30, which included wide-receiver Corey Smith and All-American defensive-end Joey Bosa. CG adjusted to -11, and the public has been betting them ever since back up to -14.
The good news for the books knowing they’ve got a monster to deal with on Monday is that they eliminated so much risk on Thursday by winning several key decisions. They won’t have that tidal wave of parlay liability, or as much, that rolls into each day.
“We held almost 65 percent of our (Thursday) parlay action,” said Simbal. “TCU not covering was very good us and South Carolina was also good too. We got a lot of late action on North Carolina that made it a big decision. Duke rolling also was good for us.”
Thursday was great for the house, but they've got to try and win a few of the Saturday games to negate the public parlay risk going into Monday. If they doesn’t win a few of the big games on Saturday, they're going to have four and five teamers waiting to cash on Monday with Ohio State.
“We took a really big money-line bet on Penn State (-500), so we’ll be rooting for Temple to win outright,” Simbal said of Saturday's games. “UCLA is turning out to be an interesting game because we’re getting lots of money on Virginia. We’re at -18.5 right now, the lowest in the city, and they’re still taking Virginia. We’re also going to need Wisconsin.”
Simbal opened Alabama -10.5 over Wisconsin in July and is currently sitting at -11, which is the lowest number in Las Vegas as most other books are sitting at -12.
“Tennessee is one of our most one-sided games of the day,“ said Simbal where the Vols are 21.5-point home favorites. “This is a game where both sharp and public money have been on the same side.“
CG Tech books opened Tennessee -19 back in early July. Simbal said Kentucky (-17) has also been one-sided action for its opener against UL Lafayette.
Floyd Mayweather is one of Simbal’s biggest customers at his M Resort book and loves betting football, but he hasn’t seen him yet.
“He’s training and getting ready for his fight, but I’m pretty sure we’ll see him for Week 1 of the NFL, which is the day after he fights.”
CG Tech has Mayweather -3000 for the Sept. 12 fight at the MGM Grand Graden Arena against Andre Berto (+1400).
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