When in a sports book to get the lines and make some bets do you ever wonder what the correct line is, or should be, on a game or certain games of interest?
A tough question, but there is help out there to lead a bettor or a bet taker in the right direction. It comes in the form of ESPORTCLUB LLC at www.esportclub.com.
Pete Korner has been making lines on games for over 25 years starting with Roxy’s Las Vegas Sports Consultants service, which gave the lines to just about every sports book in Nevada.
Pete is just one of a very few licensed in the state to sell his lines to the sports book. Now you can become a member of ESPORTCLUB and get the same service as most of the books in Vegas.
Pete may send out a game -7 but when you see the opener at a book it could be -4. What that tells me is if I like the favorite I will be laying the 4 and if wanting the dog I will be passing.
Korner also puts comments on each game with info on why the line is what it is, maybe a key injury. ESPORTCLUB services all sports year round and is one of the best values a serious bettor or novice just trying to learn the game can get. For a bet taker it is a must to help shade your line the right way.
You can get the entire service for just $24.95 a month, and it is well worth the small price of admission.
When we would put the lines up at the Stardust, lines would come in from Roxy and the legendary Jerry “The Hat.”
Jerry was not only a lines maker but a bettor, and his edge was having already bet into a line in New York or some other spot he had. Now Roxy could give us a game in the NFL at -3 and “The Hat” might give it to us at -6. As bet takers we would shade it the way we thought the bettors would be wagering.
If Jerry made the game 6 and had already bet, we knew -3 was not a good line so we would usually favor the -6 and put the game up at -5. Now when we opened up for betting and got action at -5, Roxy would always call and want to know how we came up with that.
I would tell him a little birdie gave it to us.
Roxy became famous because of the Stardust. Remember, there was no Internet, no cell phones just pay phones. Roxy had one of his guys at the Stardust writing down the opening lines and what they went to after the betting. He would then call the final line into the LVSC office and Roxy would call his other clients with the lines.
Thus, the opening Roxy line became famous.
Last week, my college selections were much better, going 6-3. My NFL play won so I hope we can keep it going with this not-so-easy card this week.
College
FRIDAY
UConn +3½ USF: First year coach Bob Diaco, the Notre Dame defensive coach last year, had a tough schedule to start facing BYU and Boise State. In 2012 Diaco won the top assistant award so look for the Huskies to improve off those two losses. Last year they fell at home to South Florida, 13-10, as a -3½ point favorite. They return the favor in Tampa. UCONN.
SATURDAY
Iowa +4 at Pitt: Plain and simple, the Hawkeyes are just bad and have very little offense. Pitt can score and has its top three rushers back from last year and possibly the best receiver in the ACC in Tyler Boyd. Lay this in a hurry. PITTSBURGH.
Florida +16½ at Alabama: The Gators may have been looking ahead to this game last week when just surviving in 3 OTs against Kentucky. The Tide cruised against Southern Miss as a 48 point favorite but did not cover. The Gators just may catch the Tide looking ahead to next week when they will have a titanic battle on deck with a very good Mississippi. FLORIDA.
Virginia +16½ at BYU: Just a very bad spot for the Cavaliers who travel to Provo after a gut wrenching win over Louisville last week. They catch BYU in a revenge mood as the Cavs beat them last year in Charlottesville, 19-16. Revenge will be sweet. BYU.
Oklahoma -13 at W.Va.: These two met in Norman last year with the Sooners winning, 16-7, as a 21 point chalk and the boys from the hills of West Virginia remember well. The Mountaineers have played some great ball as they had Alabama on the ropes losing, 33-23, as a 27 point underdog and beating Maryland last week, 40-37, when getting 3 points on the road. W. VIRGINIA.
UL-Lafayette +17 at Boise St.: Who put this schedule together for the Ragin’ Cajuns? They come off a brutal beating last week at Ole Miss and now must travel to play on the blue carpet in Boise. Bet this one early, by game time it could be 21. BOISE ST.
Last week: 6-3 Season: 9-11.
NFL
SUNDAY
Ravens PK at Browns: Just a great spot for the black birds as they catch the Browns off a week of celebration after beating the Saints, 26-24. The Ravens defense will be ready for the Browns’ attack and get the road win. RAVENS.
Steelers +3½ at Panthers: Second of back-to-back road games for the Steelers who lost both games last year in this situation. Carolina is in the second of back-to-back home games. They won in this situation last year and could go 3-0 on the season. PANTHERS.
Last week: 1-0 Season: 3-1.
Sometimes it is worth the gas to shop for a good number. You could be walking around lucky and not even know it.
Richard Saber, a former director of race and sports at the famed Stardust book, is GamingToday’s horse racing and sports handicapper. Follow Richard on Twitter @SabesBet. Contact Richard at [email protected].