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STN Sports Weekly Rundown
January 12, 2022
Glory, glory, hallelujuah! The NFL playoffs are here! We’ve seen a lot over the past 18 weeks of pigskin: A player lost a pendant in the end zone that carried his late father’s ashes (Aaron Jones); a player presented a fake vaccination card to the league, only to get suspended (Antonio Brown); a player had a meltdown, quit on his team mid-game, stripped off his clothes and Uber’d out of the stadium during said game (Antonio Brown); a player tweeted out his bank account information (yep, Antonio Brown); and, in terms of scheduling, COVID outbreaks caused the league to have more moves than a Uhaul truck. With all that in mind, let’s quickly review the past week in the sports world and take a peek at what’s ahead on the field, on the ice, on the court, on the STN App and at the Station Casinos Sportsbook.
Sunday Night Sh**show
How do we even discuss what happened at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday night in the final game of the NFL season against the Raiders and Chargers? Here’s the set up: Because of Jacksonville’s stunning beatdown of Indianapolis and Pittsburgh’s win against Baltimore, the Raiders and Chargers would both be in the playoffs if the game ended in a tie. But honestly, what were the odds of that happening? Well, quite high, it turns out. After the Chargers scored a touchdown on the very last play of regulation to tie it up, the game headed to overtime. Free football! With under two minutes left in overtime, the Raiders and Chargers were tied and both teams seemed content ending the epic duel in a draw and continuing on to next week. But, the San Diego Los Angeles Chargers likely cost themselves the season when Coach Brandon Staley called an inexplicable timeout. The Raiders then ran the ball for a decent gain to get well within field goal range. The kick went up and through the uprights. Because of that boot, the Raiders were in, the Steelers were in and the Chargers were out. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, BRANDON? The decision not only cost the Chargers a playoff spot, it cost the Station Casinos Sportsbook. “We were clearly Chargers fans on our side of the counter when the game kicked off,” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos Sportsbook Director. “The sophisticated bettors were on the Chargers, but the public was all over the Raiders. It was a really good outcome for the guests.”
Silver and Black Part II
Had the Raiders tied the NFL regular season finale, they would have ended the season as the seventh seed and played the Kansas City Chiefs. Instead, because they won, they’re the fifth seed and taking on the Bengals in Cincy (and tickets are pricey!). While Joe Burrow and his costars are on the upswing and roll into the game as fairly significant favorites, the Raiders are a live dog. “The Raiders have been in playoff mode for a month, and you can’t say that about every team,” Esposito said, recalling Vegas’ 6-7 record after getting manhandled by the Chiefs in November. “You would rather have a team on a roll going into the playoffs than a team that kind of backed in.” If nothing else, the Raiders know how to entertain in a city known for entertaining. Considering all their off-the-field issues this season, the Raiders biggest opponent over the past four-and-a-half months might have actually been Las Vegas Metro.
Dog Days of the NFL
The NFL ‘dogs are expected to get so much action this coming weekend that The Station Casinos Sportsbook should consider a spaying and neutering service. It’s no secret that the public loves to bet favorites, and teams giving points will likely get a high percentage of play during the Super Wildcard Weekend. But, there are a few teams that are likely to attract more cheddar than Pizza Rock’s gooey Mac and Cheese. “I think you can make a case that there’s at least four underdogs that we’re going to see considerable play on, and that’s the Raiders, Patriots, 49ers and Cardinals,” Esposito said.
Dog Days of the CFP
The monkey is finally off the Bulldogs’ back. On Monday night, the Georgia Bulldogs overcame a sluggish first half to beat Alabama, who has essentially ruled college football for the better part of a decade. Georgia, who had lost to ‘Bama in seven straight contests, closed as three point favorites and won the game 33-18. The public loved the Crimson Tide more than Birmingham loved the governor in Sweet Home Alabama. “The public was all over Nick Saban and Alabama getting points,” Esposito said. “The outcome was really good for us, especially with Georgia covering. It wasn’t the underdog that was barking, but it sure was the bulldog.” The Sportsbook also cashed on the under, which cleared by one point. “Believe me, 51 was better than 52,” Esposito said.
Heisman Early Odds
Hello, Nostradamus, is that you? Although the college football season just ended hours ago, the STN App and Station Casinos Sportsbooks are already looking ahead, as Heisman Trophy odds have been listed for the 2022 season. How thorough is this list? There are players listed who currently don’t even have a team (ah, bless the transfer portal.) While Alabama’s Bryce Young took home the 2021 trophy, he’s actually not the favorite to repeat. Instead, Ohio State signal caller C.J. Stroud is the early favorite to set up residence in the Heisman house.
Hero’s Return
Marc-André Fleury’s return to The Fortress last weekend was electric, but it was also more uncomfortable than getting a COVID test from a first-year med student. Vegas Golden Knights fans in attendance cheered on their returning hero, only to watch his former teammates fire rubber pucks at his head. Still, Fleury got the last laugh as his new team, the Chicago Blackhawks, took home the win with a 2-1 victory. The Station Casinos Sportsbook also scored a win, as the vast majority of the money was on Vegas for that game. “The best case for us was that the Hawks not only covered the puck line, but that the game stayed under the total and that the Hawks won outright,” Esposito said. Plus, the Book also won on, well, a flurry of Fleury prop bets, including total saves. MAF ended up having 30 saves in the game, which was under the set line of 33. Most the money had come in on the over. “Flower coming home was a good outcome for us,” Esposito noted. Chalk it up to a return for Fleury, and a heck of a return for the Book.
Remember Me?
The rich get richer. The NBA landscape changed this week with Klay Thompson’s return to the Golden State Warriors, arguably the best team in the league. In Thompson’s return against the Cavs, he netted 17 points and brought with him a whole lot of swagger and attitude. Esposito estimates that Warriors lines and totals will tick up a bit if Thompson can round into his pre-injury All-Star form. On Tuesday, the Warriors fell to Memphis, who won its 10th game in a row. Bettors, Esposito said, have caught on to the normally low-profile Grizzlies. “They’re betting them,” he said. “The bettors are going to follow the teams that are hot, and I think in the NBA, a lot of it is streaky. They’re playing teams that are streaking both winning-wise and losing-wise. They back those on a nightly basis, but it also changes pretty much from week to week.”
Bets To Know
We have 6 matchups over three days, starting on Saturday, so you don’t have to wait until Sunday for the action.
STN Sports Weekly Winners
