To bet or not to bet?

Tim Graham

Monday, March 25, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

If the State Gaming Control Board plays by the rules, sports books will be able to post numbers for the six regular-season games the Oakland Athletics will play at Cashman Field next week.

But that might be a big if.

It was announced Wednesday that the A's will play the Toronto Blue Jays April 1 and 3 and the Detroit Tigers April 4-7 here due to ongoing renovations at Oakland Coliseum.

State gaming regulation 22.120, paragraph D, states that any sports governing body, in this case Major League Baseball, wishing to prohibit wagering of an event held in Nevada must submit to the Control Board a written request 30 days before the event or series of events. The Control Board must then approve the request before it is mandated.

According to gaming insiders, however, board chairman Bill Bible has waived the 30-day deadline and will consider any request to prohibit wagering. He is doing so because the deal to move Oakland's first two series was struck on short notice.

That leaves sports book directors wondering: Who's calling the shots, the Control Board or baseball?

"We're allowed to book the games that are played in preseason (at Cashman) and these aren't college teams, so I don't know why not (regular-season games wouldn't be posted)," Arizona Charlie's race and sports book director Mary Sapp said.

If wagering is permitted, it will offer a rare opportunity for fans to lay money on a regular-season contest they also can see in person.

"It'll be great for the books because people bet on games and go out and watch them," Sapp said. "There's quite a bit of static about it. It'll be a fun time for everybody, a good way to start the season."

Mirage sports book director Jimmy Vaccaro is excited baseball is coming to Las Vegas, but doesn't think it will significantly increase his handle.

"I don't think the betting interest will be as big as people think it will be," Vaccaro said. "I don't think by having (the major-league teams) in town it will make a substantial difference in the betting line. There will not be lines of people betting on these games. Trust me.

"We should just be happy that the Oakland A's are coming here and not as a minor-league squad. But our business is gambling, so we will post numbers."

Which will be difficult, considering Cashman can be a hitter's paradise. Because regular-season major-league games have never been played here, the numbers may fluctuate.

Playing at Cashman "makes it tough, but it's just as tough for the bettor," Vaccaro said. "We'd be guessing together.

"We probably won't (post totals) the first day. It'll be trial and error, but naturally you adjust up before you adjust down, that's for sure."

While most books will offer the standard if wagering is allowed, the Imperial Palace plans to post the numbers they are known for.

"We'll definitely have a lot of propositions for those games," sports book manager Jay Kornegay said.

He listed possibilities as over-unders for total innings pitched by each starter, number of home runs in a game and total bases for star players.