SB XLII Upset Leads To First Loss In 12 Years For Nevada Books

Nevada Sports Books Lose $2.6M On Super Bowl XLII

A streak of 12 consecutive profitable Super Bowls for Nevada sports books "ended, and the state failed to set a record wagering handle" on Super Bowl XLII, according to Matt Youmans of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. Gaming Control Board (GCB) figures reveal a total of $92.1M was wagered on the game, with the state's 174 sports books losing $2.6M, only the "second time in 18 years that Nevada sports books lost on the Super Bowl." Las Vegas Hilton Sports Book Dir Jay Kornegay said of only $92.1M being wagered on the game, "That number is shocking to me. With all the hype, I thought we would at least break the record and get [$95-97M]." MGM Mirage Sports Book Dir Robert Walker: "It's just a stunner all the way around." Youmans notes, since the GCB began keeping records in '91, the "only previous Super Bowl loss for Nevada's sports books" was in '95 when the 49ers beat the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. The books lost $396,674 on that game, with a handle of $69.6M (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 2/6).