Betting: Consensus among pros hard to find

Assorted storylines will be played up in the media this week. But in Las Vegas what matters most is the wagering line.

Immediately after the teams were determined, most sports books opened Green Bay a 2-point favorite with a total of 45½. Quickly, the playoff trend of betting support for the Packers kicked into action. The line jumped to a consensus of 2½. There was early two-way action on the total, but heavy sharp money played the “under” and moved the number to 44½.

Where the side closes is open to debate. The betting public usually sides with the favorite, but Pittsburgh is an extremely popular team that could buck the normal trend. It’s likely the total could balloon.

To get a feel for what to expect in the next seven days, we’ll turn to sports book directors, handicappers and Las Vegas Sports Consultants oddsmakers for opinions:

■ Tony Miller, Golden Nugget: It’s Green Bay all the way for me. Look what the Packers did to Atlanta in a climate-controlled environment on a fast track. Green Bay is loaded at the skill positions and has an exceptional defense. A lot of people will talk about the experience edge for Pittsburgh. How did that pan out for Indianapolis last year?

■ Jimmy Vaccaro, Lucky’s: My gut instinct tells me money will start rolling in on the Steelers and this game will approach pick’em status. The Super Bowl is the most unpredictable game on an annual basis. I’m looking for “under” money now. The dominance on the parlays will be toward the “over,” with two teams that can score quickly indoors.

■ Art Manteris, Station Casinos: I like Pittsburgh and the “over.” We were balanced throughout the week but started to take a lot of Green Bay money heading into the weekend. We’re also seeing a lot of money-line plays on the Packers. I’m not sure where the line will close, but it seems to be trending Green Bay’s way.

■ Jay Rood, MGM Resorts: This is a tough game to predict. Green Bay’s offense can be spectacular or sputter at times. Pittsburgh needs center Maurkice Pouncey to play or it suffers another serious chink in the armor on the offensive line. The winner probably will be determined by which defense steps up. Before the Patriots were knocked out, the AFC was a solid 3-point favorite to win the Super Bowl. I’m anticipating we’ll be getting plenty of Pittsburgh money this week.

■ Jay Kornegay, Las Vegas Hilton: There are a lot of differing opinions for this game. It’s like a great heavyweight fight, and the short number will entice a lot of action. The public has fallen in love with the Packers. I think that will hold off the big Pittsburgh plays and keep the number around Green Bay minus-2 or 2½. History tells us as kickoff approaches they’ll be playing the “over.” So far, all the sharp money has been on the “under.”

■ Marc Lawrence, VegasInsider.com: I think the number will hover around 2½ throughout the week. Pouncey’s status is a big deal to me. In the playoffs since 1980, underdogs of 3 points or less that owned the better record are 15-3 straight up and against the spread. It happened twice before in the Super Bowl, with San Francisco topping Cincinnati in 1982 and Washington beating Miami the next year.

■ Tony Sinisi, LVSC: This should be a pick’em game. Rashard Mendenhall runs the ball so hard, it will be difficult for the Packers to get into the shootout they’d like to be involved in. The big thing for me is giving Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau two weeks to prepare. He’s a genius. Pittsburgh has superior athletes, and I’m expecting a better game plan. I understand the Green Bay bandwagon, but I’m not on it.

■ Sean Van Patten, LVSC: I like the “under.” If this game was played a month ago, the total would be 41. The total is inflated merely because it’s the Super Bowl. I’ve never been more hesitant to not bet on a team because its center might be out. Pouncey is all over the field, and this could prove to be a major problem for the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s experience edge is huge, and the Steelers should be able to focus on stopping Rodgers through the air by relying on their exceptional run defense to make the Packers one-dimensional.

■ Kenny White, former LVSC oddsmaker: If you like Pittsburgh, Mendenhall is a solid “over” play in props. Those siding with the Packers would look to play Mendenhall “under.” The key for me is Pittsburgh’s running game and the Packers’ defense. Roethlisberger is a playmaker, but the Jets gave him trouble.

Brian Blessing, host of Sportsbook Radio on ESPN (1100 AM, 98.9 FM), can be reached at blessproductions@yahoo.com.