Super Bowl a boon for sports books, OT bettors

Last week’s Super Bowl set a new record for betting handle, with Nevada’s 196 sports books taking in $138.5 million in wagers, a 4.5 percent increase over last year’s previous record.

The New England Patriots’ 34-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons meant the Patriots and under (total points scored) bettors got the money, but the sports books came out ahead, winning $10.9 million, which was 7.9 percent of the total bet. The house doesn’t always win, but it usually does — this was the 25th time in 27 years that the casinos have won on the Super Bowl. The public’s increasing fondness for betting on sports and the advent of mobile apps continue to push the numbers up; the largest reported wager was $1.1 million on the Falcons +3 made on the CG Technology sports-betting app.

OT Hits: After 50 years without an overtime, this year’s game finally broke the string. Players wagering that there would be an overtime cashed tickets at about 6-1, meaning a $100 bet won $600.

Poker room closing: Another live poker room will bite the dust with the closing of the room at the Monte Carlo on April 25. There’s been no word on what will replace it.

Taxis tweaked: Taxi ridership in Southern Nevada declined 16 percent and revenue was down 13 percent in 2016, due in most part to loss of business to Uber and Lyft. The Taxicab Authority says that it won’t raise fares while it considers other moves to regain its market share.

Question: What’s the story behind the big paint job at the Plaza?

Answer: Downtown’s Plaza has covered its entire north-facing tower wall with a giant mural created by Shepard Fairey, best known for his poster of Barack Obama titled “Hope” and many Obey clothing-line designs. The mural includes images of the four card suits and will reportedly be joined by a second mural created by English artist D*Face.

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