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Few events draw bigger crowds to Las Vegas than the Super Bowl and the betting frenzy that coincides with it - not to mention the huge parties. Celebrities descend upon Vegas in droves this weekend. In fact, Las Vegas is likely to have the second largest number of Super Bowl visitors after Tampa Bay, host of the big game.
The Super Bowl betting lines in Las Vegas range from Steelers -6 ½ to -7 with both Planet Hollywood and the Hilton offering the -6 ½ line now (important for bettors to realize they can win with a Pittsburgh touchdown as opposed to a -7 line where there will be no payout).
"For one simple shot, nothing else comes close," said Jimmy Vaccaro, director of sports operations and public relations for Lucky's Race & Sports Book, in an interview with the Sacramento Bee.
Vaccaro, considered the authority on the history of Super Bowl betting, said he expects Nevada books to take in some $90 million in bets by kickoff, which would be less than last year's Super Bowl take of approximately $92 million.
Yes, economic hard times have even affected the usually nonplussed gamblers among us.
"It's a little different this year than any other," Vaccaro said. "Everyone is on edge. (Gambling interest) seems to be building, though. We're still optimistic.
"We might feel (the economic downfall) more during March Madness because people love the Super Bowl."
Part of the problem with Vegas is getting there. As Gambling911.com has already reported, the accommodations tend to be relatively inexpensive due to the heavy demand for an oversupply of rooms. But Super Bowl may be different in that regard. In fact, a look at Expedia.com yielded zero results for hotels on the strip this weekend. That's probably a good thing. Of course, flying to Vegas can be equally as pricey.
Another option is to just stay home and bet online at one of Gambling911.com's Endorsed Online Sportsbooks by clicking here
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
