Let's see. What bet do I want to make today?
For the Best Actor Oscar, George Clooney has it at 10-to-one; also on the list at 1,000-to-one is Pee Wee Herman.
Will it be Miss Albania at 10-to-one beating Miss Zimbabwe who's 500-to-one for the Miss Universe title?
Do I dare bet this month's mortgage payment on three-to-one odds that a shadow will be cast on Feb. 2 by Punxsutawney Phil?
These and other nonsporting event bets used to generate odds at major sports books, but no wagering was allowed. Now, though, they are becoming legal in Nevada thanks to a new regulation passed by the Nevada Gaming Control Board three weeks ago.
The regulation dealt with posting odds for the winner and top two finishers at this year's World Series of Poker in November.
"These propositions have been approved … and are available to any licensed book …" according to a gaming control board notice. "The setting of all odds is at the discretion of the book, and rules governing these wagers shall be made available to the public. Acceptance of wagers must cease prior to the first hand being dealt on the Final Table and may not be reinstated at any time during the course of play."
Up until mid-July, race and sports books only could take bets on horse racing, greyhound racing and sporting events, but now, with other wagering opportunities just around the corner, anything is possible.
Barely a few weeks old, most sports books in Henderson—Sunset Station and Fiesta Henderson, the M Resort and numerous neighborhood and small casino books—have already posted their odds for the WSOP.
Leroy's Race and Sports Book, the largest such operation in Nevada with 72 locations, runs 11 books in Henderson, including one at the Club Fortune Casino.
Harvey Cohen, who's worked for Leroy's three years, including the past year at Club Fortune where he manages the book, is not so sure the WSOP bets will come rolling in, but he is optimistic about other odd-ball bets.
"I don't think there will be a whole lot of people interested in poker—how do you decide who to pick?" said Cohen, who has 24 years in sports-book betting, with 21 of them as a writer at the Pompano Beach Harness Track in Florida. "The first year, I don't know what kind of action we'll get on it. If it's for nonsporting events, you can do the Academy Awards and bet to see who the best actor or actress is. Any bet can be made as long as there are two people in it."
With a wider array of betting opportunities, sports books can cash in and make a really good showing to investors, because it is a new trend: Sports betting is outpacing other forms of betting.
According to The Wall Street Journal last month, "Nevada casinos reaped $158 million in sports-betting revenues in the 12 months through May. Though that represented just 1.5 percent of their total gaming revenue for the period, it was nearly an 8 percent increase from a year earlier …."
Adding to the greater revenue-generating potential in nonsports betting is the influx of new technology. From an Android or Blackberry anyone can bet anywhere, provided they have been cleared for use and they have cash in their electronic gaming account.
Cantor Gaming, the first company licensed by the Nevada Gaming Commission to manufacture, distribute and operate a mobile gaming system in the state, operates the sports book at M Resort where, in 2009, it introduced a "complete mobile gaming solution, including a proprietary wireless gaming system, full back-office infrastructure and a portfolio of casino games."
Unlike previous betting practices that required betting before the start of an event, Cantor now offers in-running wagering; an option that allows a wager to be made once a sporting event starts.
"We're passionate about the way in which technology can transform gaming and are continuously updating our products and technology to enable casinos to offer their customers a unique experience, according to a statement from Lee Amaitis, Cantor Gaming president and CEO.
Richard Kravetz, a loyal Leroy's customer who comes in every other day, is taking a pass on the WSOP, but holds out hope for himself on these nontraditional sporting bets.
"I might want to figure out how it goes," the college and pro-football and pro-baseball bettor said. "I think that this would be a good thing."
