Grand slam for World Series watchers, wagerers
The MGM Grand Race & Sports Book is adjacent to the poker room and offers an array of high-def screens for Series viewing.
• Photo gallery: Sports books of Las Vegas
Imagine the odds of Don Larsen throwing a perfect game or Reggie Jackson hitting three home runs. Even better, imagine the rush to have been able to wager on it beforehand?
While the World Series isn't usually thought of as a great gambling opportunity, sports passion is always aplenty in Las Vegas, and when fans are full-throated in their enthusiasm, their wallets usually follow.
That's the way the sports books view it as well, and over the last few years more and more casinos are offering various ways to bet the World Series. The exotics, as gambling pros like to call parlays (having to win multiple bets to cash a ticket) or anything that involves more than picking a winning team, may not always be the smartest bet on the board, but they always make the games more interesting for the casual bettor.
While, of course, all major resorts on the Strip will take action on the Fall Classic at their respective sports books, one of the most exciting and vibrant hotels to open up in Vegas in recent years is the Red Rock (11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Web site) on the west end of town, just off Interstate 215.
While the Red Rock is a good 20 minutes away from the center of the city, the hotel is so modern and offers something for everyone that there's really no need to venture anywhere else. The hotel offers of a free shuttle from McCarran International Airport, making it that much more convenient. If you're staying at the Red Rock but want to head to the Strip anyway, it's a good idea to rent a car, since a one-way cab ride will be in the $40 range.
Red Rock sports book executive and Vegas gaming veteran Art Manteris said betting baseball is very different than football because hardball is based on money lines rather than point spreads, often making the underdog an attractive proposition. Money-line wagers are the equivalent of straight bets, where all you need to do is pick a team to win.
For example, if one team has a dominant starting pitcher against the other team's third or fourth starter, the underdog will be set at a significant price to win, maybe something in the +3.00 range. That means if you want the underdog, you bet $100 to win $300. If the favorite is -1.40, you bet $140 to win $100.
"The odds are always skewered in favor of the starting pitcher, no question," Manteris said.
"The sophisticated handicapper will look for the value of the underdog. What they're banking on is the pitcher to not complete the game and the decision will be taken out of his hands."
Hungry before or after the game? Dining choices at the Red Rock are plentiful, and steaks at the T-Bones Chophouse & Lounge are among the best in the city. For those looking for something a bit more country, the Salt Lick Bar B-Q offers up delicious ribs, chicken and brisket.
Back on the Strip, Chuck Esposito sets the line not only for the sports book at Caesars Palace (3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Web site), but at all the hotels in Harrah's corporate family, including the Rio and Flamingo. He said the World Series becomes a big deal when some of the high-profile teams are playing.
This year, for example, hopes were high around the country that the Cubs had a chance to break their century-long streak of not winning the championship. The Dodgers put a quick end to that. And while it's moot now, had the Dodgers made it to the Series, that would have been a huge plus for the casinos. Same for the Red Sox.
"Baseball is big if you have marquee teams," said Esposito. "We can do a lot of things with those teams."
Similar to prop bets during the Super Bowl -- such as who will score first or throw the most interceptions -- there are wagers for the World Series to keep fans enticed for all nine innings.
If Boston had made the Series, there might have been a bet on whether the Red Sox would score more runs in a certain game than points scored by Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski. Or had the Dodgers played, whether left fielder Manny Ramirez would hit more home runs in the entire Series than USC quarterback Mark Sanchez throw interceptions in a USC game. "We could have a lot of fun with those," Esposito said. "We'll be as creative as we can."
For the casual gambler, ESPN viewer and at-home card player, the Rio (3700 W. Flamingo Road, Web site) is famous for hosting the annual World Series of Poker, and this year's final table has been pushed until November to help build excitement. The hotel, which sits across the street from the ultra-hip Palms, houses one of the best Italian restaurants in the city, Cafe Martorano, by way of South Philly.
There are plenty of classic dishes to choose, and the patrons enjoy a "Sopranos" ambience. A television monitor in the middle of the restaurant often shows memorable scenes from the show.
One of the more interesting and popular ways to bet baseball is a new wager that began a little more than a year ago. Similar to first-half betting in football, gamblers can now pick a winner based on who's ahead through five innings.
What this does, according to Jay Rood, sports book director at the Mirage (3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Web site), is that it allows those who strongly believe in the strengths of a dominant fireballer to bet confidently.
"It's for people who have suspicions about bullpens," Rood said. "It's about betting on the starting pitcher."
Rood and Esposito believe straight bets are the most lucrative for both the novice and professional gambler. While parlays can produce higher payoff amounts, hitting on more than one bet is quite difficult.
"Straight bets are always the way to go," Rood said. "In the money line, the bettors have an edge and all you have to do is pick a team to win."
During the last week of the regular season, Milwaukee Brewers fan Mike Becker was at Caesars Palace and said he regularly only bets the Brewers to win and stays away from the exotic wagers.
"I like the money line," he said. "I just pick who I think is going to win based on the starting pitchers."
In the last decade, the influence television has made on baseball means that all World Series games are played at night. During the day, Vegas visitors who find comfort in the sports book can bet horse racing during the week and football on the weekends. Or if they wish to wander to different areas of the casino, they are encouraged to participate in any of the varied table games offered, including blackjack, craps and roulette.
As for meals and entertainment options, the choices are virtually limitless. Adjacent to nearly all of the sports books in town are to-go sandwich shops, such as Stage Deli at the MGM Grand (3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Web site) and Turf Club Deli at Mandalay Bay (3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Web site). At the Rio, gamblers have a more globally flavored choice with the popular Mah Jong Chinese takeout.
Right across from Caesars sports book is New York chef and Food Network star Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill, with a terrific offering of Southwestern dishes.
On the nights when the World Series isn't being played, there are dozens of shows to see, and because of the tough economy, plenty of ways to get a good deal on tickets through the hotels' own Web sites.
Some of the most popular shows in town continue to be the different Cirque du Soleil acts, including "Love" at the Mirage, "Ka" at MGM and the original "Mystere" at Treasure Island (3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Web site). All are a feast for the eyes and well worth it for those who've never experienced a Cirque extravaganza.
For shows that focus on more traditional acts, Caesars has the trio of Elton John, Cher and Bette Midler performing on different nights. Penn & Teller are in heavy rotation at the Rio, Lance Burton makes magic at the Monte Carlo (3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Web site) and impressionist extraordinaire Danny Gans continues an impressive run at the Mirage.
Stuart Levine is an assistant managing editor at Variety in Los Angeles. He can be reached at stuart.Levine@variety.com.
