Wednesday, July 13, 2005 | 10:17 a.m.
Jeff Haney's sports betting column appears Wednesday. Reach him at (702) 259-4041 or [email protected].
USC* 11 -- Over -130; Under Ev
Texas 9 -- Over -130; Under Ev
Tennessee 8.5 -- Over Ev; Under -130
Ohio St. 9 -- Over +110; Under -140
Florida 8.5 -- Over -115; Under -115
Virginia Tech 8.5 -- Over Ev; Under -130
LSU 9.5 -- Over +135; Under -165
Iowa 8 -- Over -115; Under -115
Miami-Fla. 9 -- Over -150; Under +120
Michigan 9 -- Over +130; Under -160
Oklahoma 9.5 -- Over +130; Under -160
Florida St. 8.5 -- Over Ev; Under -130
Georgia 9 -- Over -115; Under -115
Purdue 8.5 -- Over -170; Under +140
Arizona St. 7.5 -- Over +110; Under -140
California 8.5 -- Over -115; Under -115
Louisville 9.5 -- Over -170; Under +140
UCLA 6.5 -- Over -115; Under -115
Penn St. 7 -- Over -150; Under +120
Texas A&M 7.5 -- Over Ev; Under -130
Auburn 8.5 -- Over +115; Under -145
Alabama 7 -- Over -130; Under Ev
Boston Coll. 6.5 -- Over -115; Under -115
Minnesota 6 -- Over -130; Under Ev
Notre Dame 6 -- Over +115; Under -145
Nebraska 7.5 -- Over +130; Under -160
Boise St.* 9.5 -- Over Ev; Under -130
South Carolina 6 -- Over -115; Under -115
Fresno St.* 9.5 -- Over +130; Under -160
Virginia 8 -- Over +120; Under -150
Texas Tech 7.5 -- Over -130; Under Ev
Georgia Tech 6 -- Over -130; Under Ev
Pittsburgh 7.5 -- Over +120; Under -150
Missouri 7.5 -- Over -115; Under -115
UNLV 4.5 -- Over -115; Under -115
*USC, Boise St. and Fresno St. must play 12 regular-season games for action
Note: Teams must play 11 regular-season games for action; wagers do not include postseason games; teams must play all scheduled opponents
Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson has publicly named Las Vegas Sun editor Brian Greenspun, developer Stephen Ross, and the McCaw brothers of the telecommunications business as investors in his group that is trying to buy a Major League Baseball team.
Speaking at a poker and sports marketing conference Thursday at Mandalay Bay, Jackson said he now has the permission of his partners to reveal their identities, though he had declined to do so after a meeting with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman in December.
Jackson and Goodman spoke about the possibility of bringing a Major League Baseball team to Las Vegas in their December meeting, though they did not discuss financial or stadium issues, according to a report in the Sun.
At Mandalay Bay, Jackson told a crowd made up mostly of sports handicappers and people involved in offshore gambling that the group is still working toward purchasing a baseball franchise.
"I am in pursuit of a major league team," Jackson said at the conference, hosted by BoDog, a major offshore betting operation based in Costa Rica.
Jackson said he was running into certain undisclosed hurdles in his dealings with baseball commissioner Bud Selig.
"We don't see eye to eye" on some issues, Jackson said.
Jackson, 59, has long desired to become the first black owner of a Major League Baseball team. He was the leader of a group that bid about $300 million for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the late 1990s but lost out to a slightly higher offer from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
In a March story, the New York Times reported that Jackson narrowly lost out on a bid to buy the Oakland Athletics. If that attempt had been successful, Jackson "had a plan to move the team to Las Vegas," according to the Times.
In a Dec. 20, 2004, story, Jackson's business associate Brian Shapiro told the Sun that Jackson would act as the managing partner of his current group of investors.
Greenspun, who could not immediately be reached for comment, is also a wealthy land developer. In a column late last year, he wrote: "Sometime in 2005, I predict Las Vegas will move to the top of the list (to get a major league team), and the man who will head that effort will give this town a winner long before he fields a team. Someone, say, like Reggie Jackson. ..."
Ross is the founder of the Related Cos., which is working on a development plan for 61 acres of land in downtown Las Vegas; the McCaws control a cellular communications fortune.
"We can certainly afford (a major league team), and we are in pursuit of it," Jackson said Thursday, adding: "Whether it's two years (from now) or five years, I think Las Vegas will be the formal home of a major league team."
College football
The Las Vegas Hilton sports book has posted betting lines on more than 80 "games of the year" for the forthcoming college football season, along with over/under regular-season win totals for 35 college football teams.
The season win totals range from 11 for top-ranked USC to 4 1/2 for UNLV and rookie head coach Mike Sanford.
In a sampling of games with possible BCS implications, Florida is favored by 4 1/2 against Tennessee (Sept. 17); LSU is favored by 6 against Tennessee (Sept. 24); Ohio State is favored by 7 against Iowa (Sept. 24); Texas-Oklahoma is pick 'em (Oct. 8); and USC is favored by 15 1/2 against Arizona State (Oct. 1)
In the Battle for the Fremont Cannon, UNR is favored by 5 1/2 against visiting UNLV (Sept. 17).
British Open
Las Vegas handicapper "Fairway" Jay Ginsbach likes Tiger Woods' chances at the British Open this week, but he does not like the paltry odds on Woods to win the event.
Woods, the 2000 Open champion, is favored at odds of 4-1 or lower in Las Vegas sports books.
Instead, Ginsbach recommends playing Woods in head-to-head matchups if the price is right.
"I'm OK laying 160 ($1.60 to win $1) against (Ernie) Els, but laying 220 against (Vijay) Singh or even 180 against Els, that's too much to lay," said Ginsbach, online at fairwayjay.com.
Besides Woods, Ginsbach thinks players such as Britons Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, and American Davis Love, have what it takes to excel at St. Andrews, even if conditions there turn tricky.
"St. Andrews is all about the wind, because it's not the toughest course in the (British Open) rotation," Ginsbach said. "You've got to be able to putt and lag well. ...
"The European players play this course annually at the Dunhill Cup. Outside of Tiger, I think a European player could emerge this year."
The Las Vegas Hilton sports book had Love at 35-1 to win the tournament, Donald at 30-1, and Westwood at 40-1.
Also at the Hilton, Donald was listed in a head-to-head matchup against Adam Scott (minus-110 on either player), with Westwood (minus-125) against Stuart Appleby.
Fight game
Bettors are backing Lucia Rijker against Christy Martin in the "Million Dollar Lady" women's pro boxing showdown July 30 at Mandalay Bay. Rijker opened a minus-150 favorite at the host property and has been bet up to minus-340. Martin is a plus-260 underdog. ...
MGM Mirage sports books have posted odds on a possible boxing matchup between Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright, should those top middleweights meet in the ring. Hopkins is listed as a minus-135 favorite (risk $1.35 to win $1), with Wright a plus-115 underdog. The fight would have to take place by the end of 2006 for action.
Change at Wynn
Vinnie Magliulo, a highly respected veteran of the gaming business, has decided to resign from his position as sports book director at Wynn Las Vegas, citing personal and family reasons.
"It's simply a matter of time -- I wanted to be able to spend more time with my loved ones while not compromising the needs of the position," Magliulo said. "There is no scandal, no dirt. It's a very positive thing."
John Avello, longtime race and sports book director at Bally's and Paris, is slated to take over the position at Wynn.
"We have a fabulous team in place, and I know Johnny will do a fabulous job," said Magliulo, who previously operated the sports book at Caesars Palace. "Johnny is not only a respected colleague, but also a close friend."
Though Wynn Las Vegas opened in April, Magliulo had been on board since the resort was in the planning stages, he said.
"I've been on this project four years, since the conceptualization and design stage," he said. "It has been a great experience."
Magliulo said he plans to continue to monitor the "pulse of the industry."
"I really want to emphasize, I love this industry. The industry has been great to me."
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