Super Bowl total drops to 56½ as sharps, squares pound under
With the kickoff of Super Bowl LI fast approaching Sunday afternoon, the line on the game appears to be locked in at the Patriots minus 3 points over the Falcons. But the total has dropped to 56½ at several Las Vegas sports books after staying at a record-high Super Bowl total of 59 for most of the two weeks leading up to the game.
“It looks like we may be rooting for the over in the Super Bowl,” MGM Resorts sports book director Jay Rood said. “That probably has never occurred.
“The public is playing the under a little bit and the sharps came in and started betting it under 58.”
The number dropped to 58½ on Saturday, to 57½ Sunday morning and then to 56½ about two hours before kickoff.
“As predicted, the sharp money came in on the under at the end,” William Hill sports book director Nick Bogdanovich said. “Any inflated total, the professionals always go under. The Super Bowl is always shaded to the over at some point.”
Caesars Palace sports book director Frank Kunovic said he took a six-figure bet on the under and a lot of five-figure wagers on the under.
“I’d say the public’s on the under. Really the only way we don’t do good on the game is if it’s Patriots and under,” he said. “We’re looking good on every other scenario.
“We’re definitely Falcons fans. I made sure I came dressed in my red-and-black shirt and socks.”
The ideal result for the books would be the Patriots winning by 1 or 2 points in the classic favorite-wins-but-doesn’t-cover scenario, which has taken place only six times in the past 50 Super Bowls.
“Even (the Patriots by) 3 wouldn’t be the worst in the world,” Bogdanovich said. “It’s not a big decision one way or the other. It’s so balanced, it’s crazy.”
Rood took a $470,000 wager on the Falcons on the money line (plus-130) on Sunday after taking a $485,000 wager Friday on the Patriots.
“We’re taking a lot of bets in the neighborhood of $200,000 to $400,000. The majority of the bigger bets have been coming on the Falcons,” Rood said. “This matchup is producing really good-sized wagers and handle. From our persective, we’ll definitely surpass what we did last year. Whether the state does or not, that’s to be determined.”
The state’s sports books last year produced a record Super Bowl betting handle of $132.5 million.
The line is at 3-flat (minus-110) at most books after Rood and Westgate sports book director Jay Kornegay said they got a lot of action at 3 (minus-120) from sharps who took the Falcons at plus-3 (even).
“We took a few plays from sharps on the Falcons at (plus-3) even but at flat they’re not interested in the game,” Rood said.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
