A bettor using his phone app put $1.1 million on the Falcons, getting 3 points, in the Super Bowl, part of an influx of money that could have made Sunday a record day in Las Vegas sports books.
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Sports books around the city said betting was strong leading up to the game, with a good chance the action will top the record $132.5 million wagered on last year’s game between Denver and Carolina.
"I wouldn’t bet against it," said Jay Kornegay, who runs the sports book at the Westgate Las Vegas. "It will be close."
The unidentified bettor who wagered the $1.1 million was a customer of CG Technology, which operates a string of sports books in the city.
"For a Super Bowl a bet of that size is not all that unusual," said Jason Simbal, vice president of risk for CG Technology. "Historically we’ll generally take a bet of $500,000 and up on the Super Bowl."
Simbal said the line at his company’s books did not move on the big bet, largely because of a number of smaller bets made on the Patriots.
"We’re pretty balanced, with 53 percent of the money on the Falcons," Simbal said. "It seems like everybody else is in a similar position, too."
At the Westgate, Kornegay said the betting line was 80 deep Saturday afternoon. Kornegay said bookies were getting such good two-way action that there is almost no risk of losing money on the biggest bet game of the year.
"It’s a very comfortable booking game for us," Kornegay said. "We pretty much know what we need to do and it’s very easy to position yourself there with not much effort."
The situation was similar at the South Point hotel-casino, where veteran oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro was enjoying a relatively relaxing day.
"This is a bookmaker’s delight," Vaccaro said. "We haven’t had to move one number, one side, one total or the money line."
Bettors can wager on hundreds of so-called props that include everything from who will win the coin flip to whether the game will go to overtime. One bettor wagered $500 that the Patriots would score exactly 46 points. The odds against it were 150-1. Another wager was $100 on no touchdowns in the game at 500-1 odds.
BUSHES ATTEND: Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, took part in the pregame coin toss. The former first couple got an ovation, including applause from coaches and players from both teams, when they came onto the field slowly with Barbara in a golf cart and the 92-year-old former president being pushed in a wheelchair next to her. The Bushes often attend games of the Houston Texans, the host stadium for its second Super Bowl. Bush, the nation’s 41st president, was recently released from Houston Methodist Hospital, where he received treatment for pneumonia for more than two weeks. Vice president Mike Pence also attended the game.
TRUMP’S PREDICTION: President Donald Trump predicted an eight-point victory by the Patriots. While Trump counts Patriots QB Tom Brady as a friend and says he likes coach Bill Belichick and owner Bob Kraft, he also praises the Falcons as a "fantastic team." But, Trump said, "You have to stick up for your friends, right?" Trump said the Patriots were more comfortable because they’ve been to the big game before.
SUPER SLOW START: A scoreless first quarter in the Super Bowl was nothing new for Brady. In his seven Super Bowls, he has never led his team to a point in the first quarter.
For the first time in 11 years, both teams punted on each of their first two offensive possessions in a Super Bowl.
INACTIVES: New England WR Michael Floyd was inactive for the game. Floyd, who was claimed off waivers in mid December after Arizona released him following a DUI charge, is inactive for the second straight game. Floyd sat out the AFC Championship Game to make room on the roster for Danny Amendola, who returned from an ankle injury. Other inactives for the Patriots were rookie QB Jacoby Brissett, CBs Justin Coleman and Cyrus Jones, RB D.J. Foster, S Jordan Richards and T LaAdrian Waddle. Inactive players for Atlanta: WR Nick Williams, RB Terron Ward, CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, S Dashon Goldson, LB Josh Keyes, OL Wes Schweitzer and TE D.J. Tialavea.
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