Columnist Jeff Haney: Money lines vary on NFL playoff games

Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002 | 10:27 a.m.

Jeff Haney's sports betting column appears Wednesday. He can be reached at haney@lasvegassun.com or call (702) 259-4041.

With two fairly large underdogs in Sunday's AFC and NFC title games, shopping around for the best odds becomes more important than ever for bettors who want to take a piece of the money line.

The Steelers are favored by 9 or 9 1/2 points over the Patriots in most Las Vegas sports books, while the Rams are favored by 11 1/2 or 12 over the Eagles.

There's a bit more disparity in the money lines on those games.

For instance, Philly backers can get plus 475 on the Birds at Coast casinos and Mirage books. Those properties have the Eagles at plus 12 points.

Leroy's also has the Eagles plus 12, but only plus 400 on the money line. On the other hand, Rams bettors have to lay just minus 600 on the money line at Leroy's. St. Louis is minus 650 at Coast and Mirage. The Stardust also has the number at 12 with a money line of minus 650/plus 450.

At Station properties, which have the game at 11 1/2, Rams backers can lay minus 550, but Philly bettors get only plus 375 on the money line.

Bettors who like New England in the AFC game should check out the Las Vegas Club, which has the Patriots plus 360 on the money line. New England is plus 300, 325 or 350 at most other major sports books.

A favorable money line for Steelers backers can be found at Station books, which have Pittsburgh minus 400.

(All lines are as of this morning; they can and do change by the minute.)

Of course, bettors who do not have action yet can always take a gamble that the point spreads in each game will become more inflated by the weekend. That has been the trend so far this week, as Pittsburgh opened a 7 1/2-point favorite and St. Louis an 11-point favorite at many Las Vegas books. In that case, underdog players would be advised to insist on even juicier money lines.

A year ago, Wagner, a 51-year-old grandmother from New Orleans, beat 203 other horseplayers to take the contest's $100,000 top prize.

Entrants qualify for the big event by winning one of a select number of regional competitions, which are held throughout the year at racetracks, OTB sites and race books.

Wagner began following horse racing in 1994 when she met her husband Bryan, a former New Orleans city councilman and longtime racing fan.

"I know I asked a lot of stupid questions (in the beginning) but I was so enamored of Bryan and the things he liked," Wagner said. "I'm not a big bettor -- I bet dollar bets -- but I really like statistics. I enjoy the mental part of handicapping. ... I like following trends and percentages."

As part of the weekend's festivities, four media teams will be competing in their own contest for $10,000 in charity donations. Defending champion Team Vegas will be going up against teams representing the national media, the industry/trade media and Penthouse magazine.

Among the charities Team Vegas members have selected are the Jockey's Guild, the Don MacBeth Memorial Fund, the Animal Foundation and the St. Thomas More Catholic Community.

This week's show, hosted by Barry Daniels, will feature oddsmakers Pete Korner and Mike Seba of Las Vegas Sports Consultants. Also appearing will be handicappers Stephen Nover and Tim Trushel.

The guests will break down Sunday's AFC and NFC championship games.

The program will air live on Vegas Insider's website (vegasinsider.com) and will also be archived on the site, according to show producer Mark Franco.

Last week's program, which featured oddsmakers Cesar Robaina and John Harper along with Nover and fellow handicapper Andy Iskoe, is archived on the website.

Nevada-Reno history professor Richard Davies will talk about the book he co-authored with Richard Abram, "Betting the Line: Sports Wagering in American Life."

Davies was interviewed in the sports book at the MGM Grand on Jan. 12, as an NFL playoff game, college basketball action and horse races filled the big screens in the background.

The airing of the program coincides with the beginning of Super Bowl week, the busiest time of year for Nevada sports books.

The media-savvy Davies, who had his own weekly TV show while serving as president of the University of Northern Colorado, said he didn't mind boiling his book down into 10- to 15-second sound bites.

"It's an academic book, a serious piece of social history," said Davies, who bets about $100 a year on sporting events. "I talked about how gambling on sports and television hit about the same time, and how professional and college sports have never been the same."09