Jeff Haney on how the Brits in town are squashing the line on the big fight

Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 | 7:30 a.m.

Money from British boxing fans backing Ricky Hatton at the betting windows has steadily driven down the line on Saturday's world welterweight championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., the WBC belt-holder who also owns boxing's mythical pound-for-pound title, opened as a minus-330 favorite (risk $3.30 to win $1) against Hatton at all Station Casinos properties.

By Thursday, the line on Mayweather was down to minus-250 at Station and minus-225 at all MGM Mirage properties. The price on Hatton, of Manchester, England, was plus-210 (risk $1 to net $2.10) at Station and plus-185 at MGM Mirage joints, with similar odds at other Las Vegas sports books.

"Thousands of Hatton's fans are in town for the fight and they're 'punting away,' as they say in Great Britain, on Hatton," said Micah Roberts, sports book director at Sunset Station.

The betting line on the fight is lower yet in the international marketplace, with major offshore sports books listing Mayweather at about minus-200.

In Las Vegas, Roberts suspects, some Mayweather bettors are playing a waiting game, trying to time the market before swooping in and placing last-minute wagers on the favorite at the lowest possible price.

"They're asking themselves, 'How low will it go?' " Roberts said. "Once it reaches the mark they're looking for, the guys who want to back Mayweather will enter with their bets."

It's a situation that makes for strong betting action on a sold-out pay-per-view fight hyped as the second-biggest bout of the year, behind Mayweather's May 5 victory against Oscar De La Hoya.

"It's two cultures colliding in one sporting event," Roberts said. "You have Hatton and his fans from Manchester, which is a really cool place, an industrial blue-collar city. And you have Mayweather, who has a huge name in America and is really becoming a celebrity after his appearance on 'Dancing with the Stars.'

"It's the kind of fight that offers a lot of excitement for casual fans, not just boxing aficionados."

The round proposition on the fight asks whether it will last all 12 scheduled rounds, with the "yes," or "will go" at minus-220 and the "won't go" at plus-180, according to MGM Mirage odds.

In other propositions, Hatton by decision is 14-5; Hatton by knockout, 7-2; Mayweather by decision, 5-6; Mayweather by knockout, 4-1; and draw, 15-1.

NFL plays

Injuries to several key players - most significantly wide receiver Roy Williams, out with a sprained ligament in his right knee - will help sink the Detroit Lions against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, according to Las Vegas sports handicapper Joe D'Amico.

D'Amico, backing Dallas as a 10 1/2-point favorite, said banged-up personnel can be a crucial factor in handicapping NFL games at this stage of the season.

"Even compared with just 10 years ago, today's players are bigger, stronger and faster, and those hits take a toll on you," D'Amico said. "In addition to skill positions like running backs and wide receivers, it affects offensive and defensive linemen and linebackers too."

D'Amico also likes the resurgent San Diego Chargers, 6-2 straight up in their past eight games after starting the season 1-3, at pick 'em against the Tennessee Titans.

Chargers center Nick Hardwick, who missed four games with a foot injury earlier in the season, should be back at full strength and opening holes for running back LaDainian Tomlinson, D'Amico said.

In three other NFL games, D'Amico recommends betting Buffalo minus-7 points against Miami; Tampa Bay minus-3 against Houston; and Minnesota minus-7 1/2 against San Francisco.

D'Amico (online at allamericansports.info) has been contributing football picks to the Sun periodically this season, compiling a record of 11-7 (61 percent) against the point spread.

Contest update

With the field of 32 down to eight in the Leroy's sports books "Money Talks" football handicapping contest, two matchups are scheduled for today.

At 2 p.m. at Fitzgeralds, Nick Bogdanovich (9-4-1 against the spread in the contest) faces Marc Lawrence (7-6-1). At 7 p.m. at the Riviera, it's Erin Rynning (9-4-1) vs. Paul Sonner (8-5-1).

Last week, Jorge Gonzalez (4-2-1) advanced past Pat Little (3-3-1), Adam Meyer (4-3) ousted "Sal" of Maddux Sports (2-5), and Doc Moseman (6-1) beat Bill Edler (3-3-1) in a tiebreaker.

The championship match of the $5,000-entry contest is scheduled for Dec. 28. The winner-take-all prize is $160,000.

Reese services

Funeral services for poker player David "Chip" Reese, who died Tuesday, are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the Palms Northwest Mortuary and Cemetery, 6701 N. Jones Blvd.