Columnist Jeff Haney: Hockey bettor shoots, scores with fast start

Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2000 | 10:33 a.m.

Jeff Haney's sports betting column appears Wednesday. Reach him at 259-4041 or haney@lasvegassun.com

NHL bettors looking for some guidance with their picks would do well to check out the "Hockey Zone" section of ThePrescription.com website.

There they'll find the daily selections of "Herr Hockeymeister" -- also known as longtime Las Vegas hockey handicapper Bobby Bryde.

Bryde is off to a scorching start in the early going -- his record since the beginning of the NHL season stands at 15-2-1 heading into Tuesday night's action.

All picks are free to access and are posted daily well before game time.

"I'm not selling anything, I don't have any 800 or 900 numbers, I have no ulterior motives," Bryde said. "I just want people to win."

More impressive -- and profitable -- is the fact that Bryde has played a mix of underdogs and small favorites.

"You can never win (long-term) betting favorites in hockey," Bryde said. "I think any (handicapper) who gives out high-priced favorites is doing the public a disservice."

Of course, not even Nostradamus would be able to maintain an 88 percent clip for very long. But Bryde says he plans to enjoy the hot streak while it lasts.

"This is my best start in three years," he said. "I really don't know what the difference is this season -- I know the main thing I'm always looking for is value in the line."

Although he does not operate a handicapping service, Bryde says he does back every selection he posts (plus others) with his own money.

"Every play that goes up there, I'm also betting it myself," he said.

In the past few seasons, most Nevada books have adopted the pick line for most NHL games. This is a straight money line, like the one used in baseball betting.

A 20-cent split line (for example: Canadiens minus 1/2 goal, plus 120 vs. Oilers plus 1/2 goal, minus 140) is preferred by some sharp hockey bettors. Among the properties offering this line is locals-oriented Station Casinos.

Hensgen is taking the Rams as one of his five pro football selections in the Hilton "SuperContest" this week. (Contestants choose five pro games against the spread; top prize is approximately $114,000).

After six weeks, Hensgen's record in the contest is 19-11 (63.3 percent), four games behind the current leader (23-7). He went 2-3 last week.

"The season is like a 17-round boxing match," Hensgen said. "Train to go the distance, expect to take a few licks as well as to deliver a few, and don't try for -- or expose yourself to -- a knockout early on."

Hensgen will also be playing Indianapolis, a 5 1/2-point favorite at Seattle this Sunday.

Check out Hensgen's website at www.thegame-nfl.com and follow his progress at the Hilton under "The Game."

Accordingly, fans of the European standouts can find a couple of overlays in the Breeders' Cup futures book at Bally's and Paris.

When the Coral betting shop in Great Britain released its Breeders' Cup odds last week, it made 3-year-old Giant's Causeway, who has been tearing it up overseas, a 4-1 shot in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

British racing loyalists see the Classic shaping up as a battle royal among Giant's Causeway, Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus (2-1 at Bally's, 7-2 at Coral) and highly touted Lemon Drop Kid (2-1 at Bally's, 9-4 at Coral).

Here on the Strip, Giant's Causeway, a Storm Cat colt, was still up at 10-1 when Coral released its numbers.

In the Sprint, Euro star Nuclear Debate, the Nunthorpe Stakes winner, is 10-1 at Coral, 18-1 here in Las Vegas.

Europe's best shot at a Breeders' Cup champion appears to be Petrushka in the Fillies & Mares Turf. A 2-1 shot at Coral, Petrushka has been bet to 3-1 from an opening price of 20-1 at Bally's.

The Breeders' Cup takes place Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs.

Davis Love III and Bob May are 15-1 shots, followed by four players at 20-1: Hal Sutton, Justin Leonard, Fred Couples and Stewart Cink.

Furyk drew some interest in his featured matchup against Mickelson, going from minus 115 to 120. In another matchup, Leonard was bet to minus 120 from 110 over Couples.

In the Stardust invitational, blackjack expert Stanford Wong went 3-3-1 to defeat radio personality Scott Ferrall (3-4). At 9 p.m. Friday, Canadian handicapper Michael Pomer faces off against Ken White of Nevada Sports Executives. ...

In the Don Best Las Vegas tournament, Bubba Youngblood went 4-3 to defeat fellow Las Vegan Andy Iskoe (2-5). This week's matchup airs at 4 p.m. Thursday on KRLV 1340-AM.