Odds are on Raiders to return to Oakland in 2019
Where will the Raiders play next season?
The odds are against them moving to Las Vegas a year ahead of schedule and playing their home games at Sam Boyd Stadium. That scenario is a 6-1 long shot, to be precise, in odds posted at MyBookie.
The offshore sports book made odds on the Raiders’ 2019 home after the city of Oakland recently filed an antitrust lawsuit against the team and the NFL that cites the upcoming “illegal” move to Las Vegas.
Despite the pending lawsuit, the Oakland Coliseum is the plus 150 favorite. The SDCCU Stadium in San Diego is the plus 200 second choice, followed by Levi’s Stadium (plus 350) in Santa Clara, California, where the silver and black would share a home with the rival San Francisco 49ers.
“I’ve heard San Diego is a possibility or sharing a stadium with the 49ers,” Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito said. “I’m thinking one of those two stadiums would probably be the favorite.
“I would make the Oakland Coliseum more of a long shot because of that pending lawsuit. I’m thinking they’re going to end up playing at some place in California.”
The Alamodome in San Antonio is the plus 450 fourth choice and Sam Boyd Stadium is the fifth choice. But Review-Journal Raiders beat writer Michael Gehlken reported that the team is not considering Sam Boyd Stadium and that Raiders owner Mark Davis essentially ruled out San Antonio, too, amid concerns about field turf.
Davis didn’t rule out a return to Oakland. But the Raiders withdrew their Coliseum lease extension offer Wednesday after the lawsuit was filed, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Big bets
It was a rough weekend for big money-line bettors at the MGM Resorts sports book.
One casino whale lost $569,000 on two separate wagers on the Seahawks (at minus 230 and minus 250) Sunday afternoon when the 49ers pulled out a 16-13 win in overtime.
Another high roller lost a $180,000 bet to win $20,000 on the heavily-favored Rams when the Eagles held off Los Angeles in a stunning 30-23 upset Sunday night as 13½-point underdogs.
The Rams cut a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to seven before losing a fumble on a punt return with 3:03 left. Los Angeles then drove to the Philadelphia 18 with four seconds left. But Jared Goff threw an incompletion to Josh Reynolds at the goal line as time expired.
MGM won on the game, but The Mirage sports book director Jeff Stoneback said the win was offset by three late bets on the Eagles for close to six figures each.
Another MGM bettor lost a $200,000 money-line wager to win $100,000 on the Chiefs when they blew a late 28-14 lead Thursday night in a 29-28 loss to the Chargers. Los Angeles made it 28-27 on Philip Rivers’ 1-yard TD pass to Mike Williams with four seconds left. The Chargers then went for the win and got it when Williams caught Rivers’ two-point conversion pass.
The same bettor settled for a push on a $150,000 7-point teaser to win $100,000 on the Texans (+½) and Seahawks (+3). A two-team teaser is refunded if one leg ties, regardless of the outcome of the other team.
“So if you lose the first one, make sure to hang on to that ticket,” Stoneback said.
SuperContest Gold
There can be only one champion crowned in the $5,000-entry, winner-take-all Westgate SuperContest Gold contest. The entry There Can Be Only 1 is in sole possession of first place in the high-end NFL handicapping contest with two weeks left. There Can Be Only 1 went 5-0 on Saturday and Sunday to improve its season record to 48-24-3. It had the Texans, Browns, Vikings, Titans and 49ers. First place wins $640,000.
Ultimate Football Challenge
Monsterloc leads the Golden Nugget’s $1,000-entry Ultimate Football Challenge with a 71-32-2 ATS record with two weeks left in the contest. Monsterloc went 4-3 over the weekend with winners on the Bears, Colts, Titans and 49ers and losers on the Rams, Bills and Middle Tennessee State. First place is worth $118,800.
More betting: Follow at reviewjournal.com/betting and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
