Saturday Morning at the Hilton

By Dr. Vegas

So I stroll into the Las Vegas Hilton’s sportsbook yesterday, as I do every Saturday during football season. And despite three bowl games and a decent NBA card, the place was a ghost town. Happens every year about this time, too.

Despite general public interest in these early bowls, (such as the 40,000+ on hand for the Emerald Bowl), the betting public seems less interested. Another indicator in the lack of interest is the modest line moves. Looking at the line move history on FreePlays, we see that the Emerald Bowl and Car Care lines only moved 1.5 points each, while the Little Caesars Bowl never moved more than 1. Compare that to the Jets/Colts game on Sunday which moved a total of 4 points in a few days.

Take this info with you for next year… The early bowls may not generate as much interest in the betting world, but that can be to your advantage. The line moves are typically minimal and Vegas is more focused on the big games and late NFL season. It may only be a marginal advantage when all is said and done. But any advantage helps.