Superbowl Betting Starts In Earnest

Filed in archive Betting on January 23, 2006

With the biggest game of the US football season just 2 weeks away, Vegas bookies have made Pittsburgh Steelers 3.5-4 point favourites to beat the Seattle Seahawks

"Seattle's going to have their hands full," Bob Scucci, sportsbook director at the Stardust, said after Pittsburgh's 34-17 win over the Denver Broncos. Scucci made the AFC champion Steelers 4-point favorites even before the Seahawks finished off the Carolina Panthers, 34-14, in the NFC title game.

"Seattle was expected to win," Scucci said. "Pittsburgh went through the one, two, and three seeds, and a lot of people think the AFC from top-to-bottom was a lot better conference than the NFC."

Other lines show an over-under line between 47.5 and 49 points - ie betting on the combined points total.

Most experts put the Steelers in front since they beat the top 3 seeds - as well as coming from the apparantly stronger AFC league

Online bookies also put the Steelers as clear favourites - Bodog.com at +4, whilst most have the over-under at 47

Article: Bookmakers in Las Vegas favor Steelers