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STN Sports Weekly Rundown
February 14, 2024
A Near Miss! Big Game Total Staying Under Saves ‘Record Loss’ in Vegas
You’re welcome, America. Sincerely, Las Vegas. After years and years of planning, Super Bowl LVIII finally came, and it was worth every penny. Not only was the game a thriller, but so was the weekend and the revelry that all came with being host of the most-watched telecast in history. The weekend was even more flawless than the Dunkin’ Donuts commercial. Ain’t no party like a Vegas party!
“I think it was a win-win for our industry and sports books with an opportunity to really kind of put on a show,” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos’ Race and Sports Book Director. “And, I can speak selfishly for us, I think we definitely did a phenomenal job of that.” No argument here!
With all that in mind, let’s quickly look back at the past week in sports and peek at what’s ahead on the STN Sports app and at the STN Sports Books…
Handle This
The predictions came true: Super Bowl LVIII broke the Nevada state record for Super Bowl wagering handle with $185.6 million. Not only that, STN Sports Book also broke its previous record, as the handle was up 40% from last year.
“When events are here, they generate handle and I think it’s a product of everything,” Esposito said. “It’s just the atmosphere in our sports books, which are, I’m a little bit biased, but I think the nicest in the country.” Despite the record handle, STN Sports Books only came away a small winner on the game. “We still were huge fans of the 49ers and the under when the game kicked because 70% of the tickets were still on the Chiefs,” Esposito revealed. About 2/3 of the six-figure wagers were on San Francisco, but public money vastly outgrossed the sharps. On the contrary, 73% of the bets on the game total were on over 47.5 points, so plenty of tickets were thrown to the ground like an Usher shirt. Needless to say, the 25-22 final was a saving grace for oddsmakers, as they covered the under by the hair of their chinny chin chins.
“Keeping the game under was really the difference maker. The overall outcome was not the most desirable outcome for us. That half point was big for us,” Esposito said. “There were a lot of tense moments on our side of the counter. We really, really needed to stay under and we were within striking distance of having potentially a record win with the Niners and the under. Unfortunately we were in striking distance of maybe having a record loss, too, had the game gone Chiefs and over.” Don’t be surprised if that half-point gets a statue erected outside of Red Rock.
Get Over It
Prop bets are always massively popular during Super Bowls, and there are always a few that spell doom for STN Sports Books if they hit. On Sunday, one of them did. “The fact the game went into overtime was a really good outcomes for the guests on the other side of the counter,” Esposito said. “The game going to overtime is always one of the most popular bets and that’s always a bad outcome for us.”
The four most-frequently bet props are 1. Will the game go to overtime? 2. Will there be a successful two point conversion? 3. Will there be a safety? 4. Will there be a defensive or specials team score? All four them are more popular than a Nicco’s dinner reservation. On the flip side, the Book took the public to school on nearly every other prop, including almost every Travis Kelce bet. “Not having multiple touchdowns out of Travis Kelsey was good. The pop star prop didn’t hit the over. He didn’t win MVP. Nothing really cashed, which really helped us a lot.”
In addition, Esposito said the 50 same-game parlays available on the Sports App and over the counter were “heavily bet” and none of them hit for the guests.
In-Play Liability
The STN App can be a very valuable tool, and it was for bettors on Sunday. Guests pounded the Chiefs (and got a ton of value) when they were down by 10 points in the first half. Meanwhile, the second half over was more hammered than Travis Kelce at a postgame nightclub party. Esposito said,
“You were giving the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes an opportunity at a good price to come back in that game. If you liked the Chiefs, it was a really opportune time to bet them, and we saw a lot of that. In-play was a phenomenal handle but not a phenomenal outcome.”
Better Luck Next Year
Shortly after the Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, Station Casinos posted odds for next year’s Super Bowl, which will take place in New Orleans. According to the numbers, the Chiefs and 49ers are favorites to return like a bounced-back email. However, neither San Francisco nor Kansas City are seeing the most action so far, as that honor goes to the Raiders (obviously) and the Detroit Lions.
“I think what surprises me the most about the Lions is they’re not a public team,” Esposito said. “Although they’re a Cinderella team and people back them heavily, they’re just not a public team. But, right now we have the most tickets on the Lions to win next year’s Super Bowl. The Raiders are second.”
Big Hoops Bet
The big bets weren’t just limited to The Big Game. On Monday, Migos rapper Offset dropped $100,000 on a three-game basketball parlay. He had Texas Tech on money line, which easily covered, tied to the Clippers money line and Clippers/Timberwolves over 222.5. Neither of the latter two got there, as the Wolves won 121-100. The ticket would have paid the Cardi B’s off-and-on partner $416,386. “Bad and Boujee” it was not for Offset.
Bets To Know
College basketball superstar Caitlyn Clark (Iowa) may be poised to break the scoring record Thursday night vs. Michigan. She needs 8 points, and STN Sports offers a fun prop: What type of shot will it be? A 3-pointer, 2-point FG, or Free Throw are the options.
Weekly Winners
$2 to win $1,077? Why not!? Congrats to this hoops bettor from a 5-teamer on February 12:
– Bulls ML vs. Hawks
– Hornets ML vs. Pacers
– 76ers ML vs. Cavs
– Spurs ML vs. Raptors
– Rockets ML vs. Knicks