Lamar Jackson was a 200-1 long shot to win MVP last season, and a professional sports bettor turned $500 into $63,000 at Circa (at 125-1) when Jackson won the award.
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Todd Dewey
Todd Dewey covers sports betting for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
tdewey@reviewjournal.com … @tdewey33 on Twitter. 702-383-0354
Jeff Whitelaw went 3-1 on his NFL win totals in the Review-Journal last year, with winners on the Bills Over 6½ (10-6), Browns Under 9½ (6-10) and Redskins Under 6½ (3-13).
Vegas, the +450 favorite to win the Stanley Cup, is the heaviest first-round NHL playoff series favorite at -350 over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Wagering on the 2020 PGA Championship — the first major in this unprecedented year — is expected to rival the Masters at Las Vegas sportsbooks.
Handicapper Dana Lane is betting against the Golden Knights, who might be without leading scorer Max Pacioretty. Dallas is a +115 underdog to the Knights, who are -125.
Handicapper Micah Roberts is backing the Mets (-138) over the Braves as one of his best bets largely because of Jacob deGrom, the +275 favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award.
Mike Trout’s wife is expecting their first child in August, and the Angels center fielder has said he isn’t sure if he’ll play the entire 60-game season.
Las Vegas sportsbooks have generally shortened the futures odds of long shots and lengthened the odds of favorites because of the small sample size of 60 games.
Professional sports bettor Rufus Peabody, Westgate golf oddsmaker Jeff Sherman and VSiN host Brady Kannon recommend betting more on matchups than futures.
Rufus Peabody had $2,000 in bets to win $173,000 on Kyle Stanley, who led by seven strokes in the final round at Torrey Pines in 2012 but lost in a playoff.
The Westgate sportsbook has adjusted 2020 NBA title odds and posted odds on which teams will earn the eighth playoff seed in each conference.
South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews made point values for all 32 starting QBs based on a one-game adjustment to the line from each team’s starter to backup.
Recent developments, including the NCAA lifting its ban on on-campus activities in football and basketball, have given Las Vegas oddsmakers and handicappers newfound optimism.
Las Vegas was dealt the league’s most difficult home schedule, with its eight Allegiant Stadium opponents totaling an NFL-high 71½ wins at the Westgate sportsbook.
The consensus is that Michael Jordan is still the greatest player of all time — though the vote wasn’t unanimous — but his 1996 Chicago Bulls are not the best team ever.