With the Super Bowl just two weeks away, Las Vegas sports books are getting a new way to wager on big games - ATM-style kiosks with flashing ads and touchscreens instead of the traditional sports book.

Called "iSports Stand," these sports betting kiosks are like ATMs on steroids. They feature large touch screens and video monitors that flash as many as 50 ads every few hours - pitches that historically haven't been welcome inside casinos.

Want a free beer or sub sandwich? How about a chiropractic exam or 300 bucks off real estate closing costs? Besides the sports betting action, gamblers can click on ads that pop up on the screen, printing out 2-for-1 coupons and other offers from local mom-and-pop businesses and national chains.

Like movie ticket terminals that have sprung up outside cine- plexes, the iSports Stand also has other functions for those who aren't inclined to wager on sports. Slip in some cash and you can buy a show ticket or book a tee time at the casino's golf course. Bill Stearns, president of kiosk manufacturer ISI Ltd. of Las Vegas, says the machines won't fully replace the sports book experience.

"Similar to banks, bank tellers still exist and have their functions," Stearns said. "We're ATMs for sports books." Stearns said he expects sports wagering to increase overall as betting becomes more convenient.

A 40 percent chunk of the advertising revenue from the sale of space on the touch screen as well as a video monitor at the top of the machine goes to casinos - revenue that can pay for the machine in a few months. Excluding that revenue, casinos pay $900 per month to lease the kiosks.

The ad money is the reason casinos are willingly giving folks like Findlay Toyota, Jersey Mike's and 24-Hour Fitness precious real estate in their sports books. It's unlikely that those ads will compete for attention with ever louder, flashier slot machines, although if you look across the Rampart, you might well be able to spot a Coors Light ad or two playing on the video monitor above the level of most slots. If you happen to be using the machine or standing in front of it, you can't help but watch.

"It's a win-win for casinos and advertisers," Stearns said.

And for gamblers? "People who are technically inclined are using it, people intimidated by sports books are using it and the pros are using it because it's quicker and easier - you hit a few buttons and you're done," he said.

This article sourced from The Las Vegas Sun.