Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

NFR: Please no wagering

All bets are off (well, at least the legal ones) on the National Finals Rodeo.

A plan to make gambling on the NFR legal in Las Vegas that was announced earlier this week lasted about as long as a successful bull ride -- roughly eight seconds.

The Leroy's Race and Sports Book chain planned to book NFR events this year as part of its popular Megasports pari-mutuel program. But when Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association officials learned of the proposal, they kindly asked Leroy's to cease and desist.

Leroy's kindly agreed. That means when the NFR begins its 10-day run at the Thomas & Mack Center at 6:45 p.m. tonight, the only safe bet is that the arena will be jammed to the rafters.

"When the PRCA was considering moving the NFR to Las Vegas from Oklahoma City ... the PRCA was warned about gambling, and that the NFR could be hurt more by the move to Las Vegas than helped by it," said PRCA director of communications Steve Fleming about the integrity concerns wrought by gambling.

Fleming said Benny Binion, the late Las Vegas resort owner who helped spearhead the NFR's move to Las Vegas, and other city officials thus agreed that if the PRCA would move its Super Bowl to town, there would be no wagering.

"So when the commissioner (Lew Cryer) requested (Leroy's) withdraw it (the betting proposal), they were more than happy to do it," Fleming said.

Steve Holden, the director of marketing for Leroy's, said the betting parlor only was trying to create additional interest in the NFR by establishing a betting line.

"We thought it would be a good stimulation for a new product," said Holden, adding that the opportunity to bet on other novelty Megasports offerings (such as auto racing) has been a huge hit with fans.

"But we know that the rodeo brings $200 million into the city and that a lot of people have worked hard in bringing it here. We're here for the long haul, just like they are."

Another thing you can figuratively bet on is that the world's best cowboys and cowgirls are ready to rope and ride in the richest rodeo ever.

This year's NFR will offer an unprecedented $3.4 million in prize money. The top 15 on the season money list in each of seven events -- bareback riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, team roping, bull riding and barrel racing -- qualify for the lucrative finals.

But like an Army-Navy football game, what has happened prior to the NFR essentially is irrelevant in regard to the big event.

With tens of thousands of dollars at stake in each of the 10 go-rounds and another huge bonus available to the composite winners -- referred to as NFR average -- the individual leaderships are likely to change hands several times during the NFR's 10-day run.

In 1993 for instance, champion Ty Murray pocketed $124,821 during his 10 days in Las Vegas, which is thousands more than all but one cowboy -- all-around leader Dan Mortensen of Manhattan, Mont., -- has accumulated prior to this year's NFR.

The 28-year-old Mortensen enters the NFR with a commanding lead in the world saddle bronc riding standings with $144,029 -- nearly $50,000 more than second-ranked Robert Etbauer of Goodwell, Okla.

Mortensen qualified for the NFR only in saddle bronc. But the $9,000 he earned riding bulls during the regular season also qualifies him for the all-around title.

His closest pursuer in the race for the all-around buckle is Texas calf roper Cody Ohl. Ohl, whose also competes in steer roping, has $113,414 in all-around earnings.

Two-time defending all-around champion Joe Beaver of Huntsville, Texas is third with $97,297. But Beaver is the only NFR qualifier in two events (calf and team roping) and thus has a chance to overtake Mortensen and win his third straight all-around title.

In the marquee event of bull riding, only $12,000 separates championship leader Wayde Joyal and the 15th and final NFL qualifier.

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