Even though the 2013 NBA Playoffs didn’t turn out so well for the sportsbooks in Nevada, the books are doing quite well off of baseball this year, thank you.
In fact Las Vegas sportsbooks won $6,400,000 on baseball wagering during the month of April according to Nevada Gaming Control. The April figures were actually down 4.46% from last April but still bolstered a successful month that saw the state’s sports books see their earnings per month rise by 17.8% over last year.
Basketball also was up from last year with a 166.4% increase in overall wagering. Nevada books took in some $812,000 in April on basketball wagering which set them up for the playoffs in which they did not fare so well. However, a statewide sports pool won $5.7 million with a win percentage of 3% last April.
The Nevada Gaming Commission released figures showing the distribution of Casino winnings for the month of April as well. 21 topped the list with $76.5 million followed by Craps with $23.3 million, Roulette with $29.2 million and Baccarat at $64.9 million. Penny Slot Machines once again beat out all competition bringing in a whopping 220 million bucks!
Focus now turns to baseball and the race to predict and wager on the upcoming World Series, even though we are only roughly half way through the season. And those odds are shifting as we move along. The St. Louis Cardinals started the season with 16-to-1 odds to win the World Series. But the Cards keep on winning and their prices shrinking currently they are down to 7-to-1.
As we move into summer, the action on the field has intensified along with the temperatures. The Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers in particular have been notable performers. Detroit was the pre-season favorite to win the World Series at 6-1 and that number seems to be holding so far.
The ‘Boys from Beantown’ are holding their own as well and currently own MLB’s highest runs scored mark with 349 as opposed to only 272 runs allowed. The Red Sox now sport the second highest win percentage in professional baseball right behind the Cardinals.
So, about halfway through the season, the oddsmakers still have the Detroit Tigers on top at 6-1 but what follows has changed significantly since opening day. The Atlanta Braves are now at 7-1 along with the Cardinals. The Oakland A’s are at 8-1 and the Cincinnati Reds at 10-1. The Red Sox are listed at 12-1.
