Oddsmakers Say Steelers Are Early Underdogs
LAS VEGAS (KDKA/AP) — Just minutes after the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New York Jets to win their eighth AFC Championship, Las Vegas odds makers were giving the edge to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.
The Glantz-Culver line made the Packers an early 2½-point favorite and put the total score at 45½ points for the Feb. 6 game in Arlington, Texas.
The decision to make the Packers the early favorite was due to their popularity among bettors during the past few weeks.
Jay Kornegay, executive director of the Race and Sports Book at the Las Vegas Hilton, said his book made the Packers a two-point favorite and quickly moved the line to 2½ points as bettors gambled on Green Bay.
Another oddsmaker made the Packers a 1½-point favorite to try to encourage action on both teams, but some think it's too high.
The Super Bowl is the most popular betting game of the year for Nevada casinos, which won almost $6.9 million on last year's game as bettors wagered $82.7 million.
Casinos and oddsmakers expect wagering to be up again this year because of the following of Steeler Nation and Cheeseheads from around the country.
