Columnist Sal DeFilippo: Bettors faithful to all that Jazz

Sal DeFilippo

Monday, June 2, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Local bettors are hoping the Utah Jazz can blow the horns off the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals.

The defending champion Bulls opened as prohibitive favorites to win the series and bettors instantly began hammering cash on the Jazz.

"At the end of the regular season, we had the Jazz at 5-to-1 to win it all," said Stardust race and sports book supervisor Bob Scucci. "When we opened the series betting for the finals, Utah was a 6-to-1 underdog, and that was just to win the last series. I think bettors don't see the Jazz as a better team, but see them as a better value betting-wise."

Chicago opened at --900 at the Stardust, but has been bet down to a --475 favorite. The Jazz will return +325 if it wins the series.

The same influx of Utah money was felt at the three Coast Casinos books -- the Gold Coast, the Barbary Coast and The Orleans.

"I think a lot of people are shoring up future bets," said Bert Osborne, sports books director for the three betting houses. "Plus, there is the injury to (Scottie) Pippen. But I think people are just assuring themselves of making some money."

Osborne's reference is to bettors who wagered months ago the Bulls would win the NBA title, and who are betting smaller sums -- often called hedge bets -- to assure a profit.

Bettors also took the points in Game 1 Sunday night. Chicago opened an 8 1/2 -point favorite in most books.

The Jazz proved to be the right choice as Chicago won Game 1 84-82 at the United Center on Michael Jordan's buzzer-beater.

* WINGING IT: In the Stanley Cup finals, the Philadelphia Flyers were slight favorites before losing the opening game at home to the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings since have become almost a 2-1 favorite to take the Cup. Game 2, also in Philadelphia, is Tuesday night. "Before the series started we had a lot of Flyers money," said the Stardust's Bob Scucci. "But since Game 1, we've had very little action." The Flyers are --165 to win Tuesday.

* FAST ACTION: Sports books that took action on Sunday's "World's Fastest Man" race between Canadian Donovan Bailey and American Michael Johnson made a killing. At the Stardust, Johnson opened a 2-to-1 favorite when the SkyDome head-to-head race was organized in February. Money poured in on Johnson, who closed at --260. "We got a lot more money on that race than we ever expected," Scucci said. "We had heard that the line in some books in England had Johnson at about --150. Even though he was a bigger favorite here, we had a lot on Johnson." Three hours before the race, Bailey issued a statement complaining about the track configuration, and saying he would run "under mental duress." He finished the 150-meter race in 14.99 seconds. Johnson, meanwhile, was trailing when he pulled up, grabbing his leg in the final 50 meters. He didn't finish, and Bailey didn't think he was injured and call him a coward.