Jeff Haney on placing ‘yes/no’ bets at the Palms on the remaining teams in the running for the Super Bowl

Friday, Jan. 12, 2007 | 7 a.m.

Sports bettors can wager on individual teams to win the Super Bowl at just about any sports book.

At one Las Vegas property, the Palms, bettors can also wager that a particular team will not win the Super Bowl on Feb. 4 in Miami.

In a betting proposition unique to Las Vegas, the Palms is offering "yes/no" betting on the Super Bowl chances of most of the teams remaining in the NFL playoffs.

For example, the odds that the favored San Diego Chargers will win the Super Bowl are plus-240 (net $2.40 for each $1 risked) at the Palms. But bettors can also lay minus-280 (risk $2.80 to win $1) that the Chargers will not win the Super Bowl.

The two-way betting ensures gamblers will receive a fair price on their Super Bowl wagers, according to Rich Baccellieri, sports book director at the Palms.

"For as long as I can remember, sharper guys (bettors) always said, 'Why don't you allow us to bet against a team winning it?' " Baccellieri said. "Well, this shows you can offer good odds on the 'yes' side, and still turn around and offer odds on the 'no' - as long as you make fair prices.

"You can't put up poor odds in the future book and then offer yes/no betting, or you would get killed."

Other "yes/no" odds on the board at the Palms include:

The yes/no betting has generated a buzz among the Palms' clientele since it was introduced, Baccellieri said.

"This is not something Vegas (usually) offers," Baccellieri said. "It's been a very positive reaction.

"It's not about winning or losing sometimes with this stuff. It's about offering customers something they can't find anywhere else. Then, once they're in the sports book, there's a chance they'll spend some more of their money (elsewhere) in the hotel."

More futures

Going deep into the sports betting menu, oddsmakers at Caesars Palace recently posted future-book lines on several specialty propositions - "just in case anyone might be hunting for some different betting events" in addition to the various NFL-related odds available, according to a Caesars spokesman.

In wagering on the winner of the NCAA women's basketball tournament (March 17-April 3), Maryland opened as a 3-1 favorite at Caesars, followed closely by North Carolina and Duke, each listed at 4-1.

Among other favorites are Oklahoma (7-1), Tennessee (8-1) and Connecticut (10-1).

LSU, ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press poll and No. 6 in the USA Today poll, is a 12-1 shot ...

Minnesota is a heavy 2-1 favorite to win the college hockey tournament, according to Caesars odds, with Maine and Boston College each listed at 5-1 and St. Cloud State at 7-1. A total of 24 teams, plus a "field," or all others option, are on the betting board.

The hockey tournament is scheduled for March 23 to April 7, with the Frozen Four taking place at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Pinnacle out

Sports bettors who gamble with offshore books were dealt a surprising blow Thursday when Pinnacle, perhaps the most prominent and influential offshore sports betting operation, announced it would no longer accept business from U.S. customers.

The decision comes after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which outlaws certain financial transactions involving gambling sites, was signed by President Bush in October.

U.S. customers will be required to withdraw any funds in their accounts, according to Curacao-based Pinnacle .