Sportsbooks anticipate breaking Nevada handle record during Big Game in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Sportsbooks across Clark County and Nevada appear poised to break a 2-year-old record for the largest handle generated by a Super Bowl, which currently stands at just under $180 million.
"This isn't our first rodeo," said Westgate Superbook Executive VP Jay Kornegay. "It might be our first Super Bowl, but I'm gonna tell you, we have an A-game in this town, and we will bring it for Super Bowl weekend."
Kornegay and his colleagues at other sportsbooks have two reasons to be optimistic. First, the Super Bowl is the most heavily wagered sports event of the year. Second, Las Vegas is hosting the game, which stands to generate more even more action with greater numbers of visitors.
"We expect more VIPs to show up, more celebrities to show up, so with that said, you gotta think that the record that was just set a couple years ago should be broken," Kornegay said.
Across town at the Circa sportsbook, 49ers fan Mike Kilton, from California, was studying the betting forms and trying to figure out how to see the game in person.
"We are excited," he said. "I'll be out in the parking lot trying to get tickets." Kilton believes having the Super Bowl in Las Vegas is a bonus. "It's gonna be insane. It's going to be the wildest, craziest place on earth."
Heather and Aaron Dobson, Chiefs fans from Missouri, also believe Las Vegas is the perfect host city.
"With everything going on here in Vegas all the time," Aaron said. "The Super Bowl – it's fantastic. It's going to add excitement to the game."
And, to add excitement at the sportsbooks, Kornegay says the prop bets are making a big return. "We'll probably have about 500 of them. The props are more popular than ever. We'll probably see about 67 to 68 percent of our handle will be on the propositions."
Kornegay says the most popular prop bet is which player will score the first touchdown of the game, but other props are still fan favorites, including the outcome of the coin toss.
