World Cup interest soars in sports books

By Case Keefer (contact)

Thursday, June 10, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

Everyone keeps asking about those darn soccer balls.

To promote the upcoming 2010 World Cup, the Las Vegas Hilton Superbook displayed a handful of regulation-sized soccer balls with flags of all the competing countries behind its betting counter. They've created a stir among employees and bettors alike.

Everyone wants one of the balls. It's a small reflection of the excitement swirling in sports books about the World Cup, which kicks off Friday in South Africa and runs for two weeks.

"I know anti-soccer guys always laugh at this, but there is a growing interest in this event here," said Jay Kornegay, executive director of the Hilton Superbook. "I'm not saying it's the NFL or March Madness, but on the soccer meter, it's growing every time this event is held."

Kornegay estimated that the Hilton would increase its handle 25 to 30 percent from the 2006 World Cup, despite much worse economic conditions.

Kornegay and his team are making sure gamblers have no shortage of things to wager on. The Hilton has posted odds on every country winning its group, advancing out of its group and winning the tournament.

The United States, for example, is 50-to-1 to win the World Cup, 3.5-to-1 to win Group C and -135 (risking $1.35 to win $1) to make the round of 16 by finishing in the top two of Group C.

"It's very similar to the way we post the NCAA Tournament," Kornegay said. "We decided to take it to another level."

The M sports book is also holding nothing back with its World Cup plans. They've posted 300 prop bets, which sports book director Mike Colbert said have gotten a "remarkable response" in the last two weeks.

The M will also offer in-running wagering on every World Cup game — even the ones that start at 4:30 a.m. local time.

"We're really happy with the soccer in-running product," Colbert said. "It may actually be our best with three ways to bet during the game — goal line, total and correct score market."

The correct score bet will be a wager exclusive to The M. It allows bettors to pick the exact final score at any time during the match.

The M used some of the international friendlies leading up to the World Cup as a "trial run" for the score bets. Colbert said it proved to be a popular option.

"You get some very good prices," he said. "Some of the prices are 30- or 40-to-1. People always like to bet a little to make a lot."

Spain and Brazil are listed as the favorites to win the World Cup everywhere around town. At the Hilton, both countries are offered at 4-to-1 odds. Other notable prices include Argentina at 6-to-1, England at 8-to-1 and defending champion Italy at 12-to-1.

"I think it's going to be big — real big, actually," Colbert said. "I expect this to be booming."

The Hilton will air select games in its showroom, much like the NCAA Tournament or NFL Sundays. That's where the soccer balls will be available.

Kornegay said they would raffle off 10 to 20 of them at every event.

"It's either going to be a brilliant idea or the biggest mistake," he said. "Hopefully they don't end up on the craps table."