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Las Vegas “”mdash; If you’re going to bet on sports,
you’ve got to do it in Vegas. I decided to bet on a sporting
event for the first time on my trip to Las Vegas over the
weekend.
For my gamble, I got four hours of emotional turmoil and zero
monetary profit, but the experience was worth it.
My adventures in betting began at the Flamingo Hotel. To get a
better look at the spreads, I had to weave my way through a herd of
middle-aged men, each clutching a Miller Genuine Draft.
I bet on a parlay, where the bet includes three or more teams
and in order to win, all the games had to go my way. The benefit is
a bigger pay-off, and even though I only put $20 down for three
games, I had a chance to win $120.
I put money on Ohio State, Kansas and UCLA. Kansas was a
32-point underdog against No. 2 Nebraska, and I figured Kansas
wouldn’t lose by that much. Ohio State had a three-point
spread against Minnesota. Gophers play football?
My third pick was out of loyalty. The Bruins had a tough game
ahead of them, but I had faith that even with Cory Paus’
thumb not at 100 percent, that the Bruins could take it by at least
four. The defense would be hungry for revenge after the travesty in
Palo Alto. And DeShaun Foster was due for another breakout game
seeing that WSU had given up 446 yards on the ground against Oregon
the previous week.
I placed my bet and once I received my stub, I felt like a
seventh grader going to my first boy-girl dance.
I wanted nothing else than to watch the three games that my
money was riding on.
We trekked to the MGM to watch, and the sportsbook there was
showing all three of my games with standing-room only.
Surrounded by cigarette smoke and a plethora of alcohol
containers, I had entered the twilight zone of a Las Vegas
sportsbook.
The Dick Vitale sound-alike behind us was almost entertaining
enough to keep me standing there for an entire football game, but
after the first half of the UCLA game, we moved on in search of a
sportsbook that offered seating.
At that point, I was still doing fairly well. I had faith that
UCLA would come back even though they were down 10-7. Kansas had
held Nebraska scoreless through the first quarter of play, and Ohio
State was up 7-3.
My naive optimism began to crumble within the first twenty
minutes of being at the Bally’s sportsbook.
Nebraska had put 17 points on the board in just over eight
minutes, and as if that wasn’t enough, with three seconds
left on the clock, they put up three more points. Having grown up
in Colorado, I have an inherent hatred for all things Nebraska, and
my contempt began to rear its ugly head.
Before Saturday, I didn’t think a football game could feel
longer than it does when I stand for a whole UCLA game at the Rose
Bowl but with money on these games, the four hours seemed to take
forever.
And the worst part was that the cocktail waitress
“couldn’t serve us” because we weren’t
betting on any races.
I couldn’t even get an MGD of my own to ease the tension.
I could have gone to a bar, but I didn’t want to miss any
potential turning points.
The woman behind had put money on the Yankees and cursed and
yelled through the whole 15-2 game six debacle. I felt her pain
““ the Bruins were killing me.
UCLA was being helped off the field one by one, and by the time
Tab Perry was taken away in an ambulance early in the third
quarter, the Bruins had already turned the ball over three
times.
I cursed the UCLA quarterback situation, and I wondered why the
injury gods had to pick on the Bruins this time.
After scanning the scoreboard for any hint of the
Buckeye-Gophers contest, it got even worse: Ohio State 14-Minnesota
13.
I took solace in the fact that I had only put down $20.
But there was still time.
Paus could redeem his whole collegiate career with just one
80-yard drive. There were still four minutes on the clock.
And in the time needed to generate that hope, it was dashed.
Paus threw an interception and Kansas punted ““ again.
It was all but official that my first sports gambling venture
was going to be a bust.
When it was all over, UCLA lost 20-14. Nebraska spanked Kansas
51-7. Ohio State beat the spread by winning 31-28, but I
didn’t find that out until I watched SportsCenter back at the
hotel.
I had left Bally’s in a huff after tearing up my
ticket.
All in all, betting was an experience worth having. The
adrenaline rush rivals the feeling of actually playing the
game.
I had to try it once and next time I’m in Vegas,
I’ll do it again.