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STN Sports Weekly Rundown

February 23, 2022

We’ve put a bow on the professional football season but, like Wall Street, money never sleeps! Nor do the Station Casinos Sports Books. Not only is the college basketball tournament right around the corner, the NBA is beginning its second half. Let’s just hope Macy Gray’s All Star Game National Anthem didn’t set the tone for what’s to come. Over the past week, there was a college coach fight, some long shot winners, and we saw Steph Curry drain more 3’s than a Bourbon Street toilet. With all that in mind, let’s quickly look over the sports world’s landscape 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 Sports Book.

College Court
Like any woman ready for a night out on the town, it’s time for hoops! There’s no question that March Madness is a sports junkie’s paradise, and this year will be no different. The question, though, is who is the best college team in the country? The No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 Poll has been a moving target all season, with five different squads holding down the top spot. Meanwhile, the Top 20 has been more volatile than a Michigan-Wisconsin handshake line.

“I just think that there’s great balance throughout college basketball,” said Jason McCormick, Vice President of Station Casinos Sports Books. While Gonzaga would have the No. 1 overall seed if the tournament started today, McCormick’s eyes are set on Durham, North Carolina. “I feel like there’s going to be something special with these Duke Blue Devils as this calendar changes to March, especially with this being Coach K’s final run,” he said. “But, this is wide open.” McCormick points to teams like Kentucky and Arizona as tremendously dangerous teams. “I don’t think you can sleep on any of those teams that are sitting in the Top 15,” he added.

Last Man Standing
“If you ain’t first, you’re last” — Ricky Bobby. At Station Casinos, being last is the goal. Beginning Feb. 24, guests can sign up for the Men’s Last Man Standing competition for college basketball, ie. March Hoops! For the low, low price of $25, players can purchase an entry into the winner-take-all competition in person at any Station Casinos property or Station-run sports books. Bettors can increase their chances of winning by purchasing multiple entries. Any contestant who purchases four entries will receive a fifth entry complimentary. Contestants will make picks against the spread every day of the tournament, from March 17 to March 20. For those still in the running and haven’t lost, the daily picks will continue from March 24 to March 27, as well as April 2 and April 4. The grand prize won’t be known until all entries are in. If more than one bettor has a perfect tournament, the pot will be split.

NBA (Odds)
The NBA is a bit like living in the twilight zone. Out in the Western Conference, it seems like we have a pretty good grip on the haves and have nots, but the Eastern Conference is more confusing than cryptocurrency. Brooklyn is currently the favorite to come out of the conference, but Milwaukee and Philadelphia are right behind them. Ironically, those three teams aren’t even in first place in the conference! For the book, it’s all about liability.

“When the Nets get Durant back on the court, we still know they’re going to be a force. Their number is based on the way they play, but also the money that we continue to see come in on them,” McCormick said. While the Bucks are staying the course, there is mystery with Nets and Sixers, since we don’t know how the James Harden-Ben Simmons trade will affect chemistry. “It’s very, very likely that once we see the combination of Harden and Joel Embiid, the Sixers could be a sharp move once we see them on the floor together,” McCormick predicted.

Sleeping Giant?
Go ahead and change the “Walking In Memphis” lyrics to “Winning in Memphis.” For the early part of the NBA season, the Grizzlies were largely getting overlooked by bettors, but that is no longer the case. As the team with the best against-the-spread record, the Grizz cover more than MAC cosmetics.

“They seem to cover every night and they’ve become a favorite of bettors. Everybody loves the Grizzlies. They play really hard for four quarters every night,” McCormick said. “You start to just wonder about them as they get to the playoffs. If they’re playing at 100% all the time, you have to wonder if they can knock off one of these teams like the Suns or Warriors or Jazz.” Watch out, the Grizz have more fight than Juwan Howard.

Sun’s Out
Suddenly the Suns aren’t as bright. The team with the best record in the NBA is going to be without its leader, Chris Paul, for 6-8 weeks as he deals with a broken right thumb. Paul is the leader of that team on the court and in the locker room, and his absence will be felt, but how much? “I think that they still have the bench there. They still have the players there. They’re a young team still learning how to play,” McCormick said, but he encouraged bettors to “look at it from an individual matchup standpoint.” On back-to-back nights, Phoenix will undoubtedly miss Paul’s leadership and veteran savviness. They’ll also miss his legs in those games, as they’ll have to go deeper into the bench. So, keep an eye on the Suns back-to-back games, but buyer beware: “From an overall talent standpoint, on any given night when the Suns come to play, they’re going to dominate their opponent,” McCormick said.

MLB Lockout
The baseball lockout is having an effect on the Station Casinos Sports Book — at least in terms of options. Granted, the STN App and the Books have future bets posted, but oddsmakers have refrained from posting things such as team win totals or player props. “We really don’t want to put those up and then end up having a shortened season where we’re refunding wagers,” said Michael Corrigan, Green Valley Ranch Sports Book Manager. Spring Training games are being missed, too, as that was supposed to start this week. The lockout has made baseball betting a swing and a miss… so far.

Go Long!
Let’s talk long shots. Joaquin Niemann (who??) had 50-to-1 odds to win the PGA’s Genesis Invitational on Feb. 20, and he took home the trophy. Over on the NASCAR track, rookie Austin Cindric won the Daytona 500 after coming in at 25-to-1 odds. The Book saw wagers on both men. How bettors knew who in the hell these guys actually were remains a mystery.

More Props
When it comes to dining or dating, it’s nice to have options. The Station Casinos Sports Book has that same mentality, too, as it continues to add more and more offers and push the envelope. When the NBA returns, Stations will begin offering over/under totals for individual teams in each game. Oddsmakers have already begun doing the same for college basketball. “As we move toward March, we’ve been adding a lot of the top ranked team totals,” Corrigan said. The Book and STN App have also recently began setting college baseball lines. “We’re adding more and more unique things on a daily basis and really giving our guests a variety of offerings,” Corrigan said.

Bets To Know

From expanded game menus to futures to individual player props and more, there are more options than ever to bet the hardwood.

STN Sports Weekly Winners