Columnist Jeff Haney: Mayor: Let the public bet on Rebels games

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2000 | 10:20 a.m.

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

A number of elected officials have talked about ending the age-old ban on betting UNLV games in Nevada sports books.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is the first to do something about it.

Goodman this week is drafting a city resolution to encourage state lawmakers to change the rule that prohibits casinos from taking bets on games involving UNLV or Nevada-Reno sports teams.

The resolution is a response to Congressional legislation that would outlaw betting on college sports in Nevada.

Supporters of that bill contend Nevada interests are hypocritical for saying it's fine to post betting lines on all college games except those involving the state's two schools.

Many opponents of the bill, such as Goodman, believe putting UNLV and Nevada-Reno games on the board would be an appropriate reaction.

"We have the strictest gaming regulatory commission in the world here in Nevada," Goodman said.

"This resolution will show that Las Vegas city government has the ultimate confidence in the state regulating committee that oversees our betting operations."

The timing of the city resolution is no accident. Today on Capitol Hill, a House panel was scheduled to vote on the betting-ban bill, which has been called a heavy favorite to pass by next year.

"I'm hoping this sends a message to the people in Washington that they should not even consider approving this legislation," Goodman said.

The city resolution itself has no authority to rescind the so-called "UNLV rule."

But Goodman, an avid sports bettor, said the resolution will send a powerful symbolic message.

"There's no reason in the world these lines should not be available to the citizens of Las Vegas," he said. "If we don't have confidence in our gaming regulators, who will?"

The Rams failed to cover the spread, but that's no big deal -- nobody can be expected to win 'em all.

What's troubling was the tout's reason for backing the Rams. He said they would play well in Seattle because the surface at the Kingdome is similar to the Rams' home field.

Yep, the same Kingdome they imploded last March.

Hey, at least the tout didn't say Sicks Stadium.

"Over" bettors suffered the worst "bad beat" imaginable.

With the Yankees leading 13-4 after eight innings, the game was called on account of rain. Because eight innings were played, it goes into the books as an official game.

Yankees bettors were paid off, Twins bettors lost their wagers -- but all bets on the total were refunded, because the game didn't go nine innings.

Common sense says sports books should pay off "over" wagers and keep all money bet on the under in this situation.

If it is, say, 1-0 when a game is called after eight, then totals wagers should be refunded. There's always a chance a bunch of runs could be scored in the ninth. As it stands, though, this has to be the goofiest rule in the sports wagering business.

Meanwhile, due to concerns about hackers' ability to illegally place wagers with Las Vegas casinos from out of state, state regulators imposed a $2,200 total daily limit per phone account.

He believes this week's two biggest numbers -- Rams minus 17 and Jaguars minus 13 -- are accurate.

"My calculations off (my) database give me a line, and I compare it to the Vegas line," said Hensgen (www.thegame-nfl.com). "Mine said Rams by 16 1/2 and Jaguars by 13 -- I figured there would be big discrepancies, but they hit."

Hensgen did find discrepancies in a couple of Week 3 lines. He projected the Vikings to be 6-point favorites; instead they're 1-point underdogs against New England. And he felt the Bills would be slightly favored against the Jets; instead they're 3-point underdogs. ...

In the first matchup of the Don Best handicapping tournament, Rob Veno (4-1-2) edged Mark "Shark" Simons (4-3). "Shark" hit his best bet with TCU; Veno's lone loss was a best bet on Mississippi. This week's matchup pits Philadelphia-based handicapper Lenny Stevens against Steve Turner of Texas Sports. Entrants are vying for a $15,000 prize. The show airs at 4 p.m. Thursday on KRLV 1340-AM and is hosted by Las Vegan Alex Shelton. ...

Stardust Invitational defending champ Papa Joe Chevalier goes against football Hall of Famer Randy White at 9 p.m. Friday at the Stardust sports book.