Super Bowl Betting To Be Record

Nothing brings out the bettors like the Super Bowl. And Sunday’s game figures to set a record in Las Vegas, where legal bookmakers expect $75 million to be wagered on the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and such “propositions” as who scores the first touchdown.

The Nevada action, although up from last year’s $69.6 million, is only a drop in the bucket when compared with the illegal gambling. Top oddsmakers figure the informal betting is 100 times as large, or $7.5 billion.

“Every indication is this is a heavy betting Super Bowl,” said Michael “Roxy” Roxborough, whose Las Vegas Sports Consultants sets betting lines for 80 percent of Nevada’s casinos.

According to Roxborough, whose America’s Line appears in The Spokesman-Review, at least two factors are propelling this year’s betting beyond all previous Super Bowls. One is the presence of the Cowboys, a team that always draws a lot of wagering - from Cowboys haters and fans.

The second is the proximity of the game to Las Vegas. Nevada law requires bets be made in person. Many fans are stopping by Nevada on their way to Arizona.

Roxborough, who said “the Super Bowl weekend is the biggest betting weekend of the year,” lists the Cowboys as 13-1/2-point favorites, up from 11-1/2 last week.