Propper Betting

Half the fun in Super Bowl wagering these days is betting on and cheering in props.

"The propositions are huge," said the MGM-Mirage's Robert Walker, who oversees 13 Nevada bet shops.

"We've gotten to the point where the money we take in on propositions equals the game handle," said the Palms' Rich Baccellieri. "There's too many to keep track of."

Likewise, "Whatever we put up, they want more," he said.

"Right now we have a bunch out linked to Tiger Woods (the world's No. 1 golfer who was tied for the lead going into the fourth round of the Dubai Desert Classic)."

Caesars Palace's Chuck Esposito pointed out this is the 20th year of the city's first Super Bowl proposition, which was a simple "yes" or "no" on whether Chicago's William "The Refrigerator" Perry would score a touchdown againt the New England Patriots.

He recalled how crestfallen the city's bookmakers were when the Fridge lumbered across the goal line in a Bears' rout.

"We had to rethink the situation and our decision was to put up a hundred props, only in our case to link them all to the game," said MGM-Mirage's Robert Walker, who was at the Stardust then. "There were no hook-ups to other sports."

Meanwhile, within a few years, an innovative young bookmaker named Jay Kornegay, now of the Las Vegas Hilton, was beginning to establish a niche at the Imperial Palace.

One Super Bowl, Kornegay posted about 150 offerings; he immediately became known as Sin City's king of props.

This year, the Hilton hung more than 300, many linked to other sports such as college and pro basketball, pro hockey and soccer.

Word behind the scenes is that rivals at other bet shops repeatedly have tried to pilfer Kornegay's scepter, but the crown and title still stick -- even though some books claim 400, 500 or more propositions this time around.

"I don't know what the big deal is, but it seems important to have more propositions and to get them up faster than Jay Kornegay," said one Strip ticketwriter.

The Palms' Baccellieri rembered that propositions became known as "the game within a game."

"There are so many places for bettors to pick their spots," he said.

Kornegay observed that props have become such an important part of the overall Super Bowl betting picture that after accommodating bettors at the windows, bookmakers spend half of the first quarter holding their collective breath to see how between 20 and 30 props will fare.

"Then," he said, "we can take a little break before we start on the second half betting lines," Kornegay said.

Miramaxmovie
1gbddrmemorypc2700sodimm
Volvermovie
Luckyyoumovie
Macprokits
Aiptekmemory
Memoryandram
Pc2700ddrmemory
Systemmaxram
Norbitmovie
Ciscomemory
G4battery
Gatewaymemory
Flashmemorycard
Kingston512mbpc2700333mhz
Usbflashmemorykey
1gbmemory
Argusmemorycard
Shootermovie
Memoryprice6829
Memoryprice22759
Disturbiamovie
Fullofitmovie
Cl
Ddr2rammemory
Sdrampcmemory
1gbpc2100ddrsodimm
Universalmovie
Musicandlyricsmovie
Danelecmemorycard
Deskjetmemory
Powerbookg3
Crucialram
Edgememoryperhipheral
Mpcmemoryupgrade
Macintoshg5
Benqmemory
Jonestownmovie
Weinsteincompanymovie
Macrammemory
256mb133mhz
Compactflashmemorycardreader
Knockedupmovie
Memoryprice93976
G4battery
Memoryprice82837
Jonestownmovie
Spider Man3movie
Desktopram
Sunshinemovie
Collegepussy
Underdogmovie
Daysofglorymovie
Vaionotebookram
Flashmemorycard
1gbpc2700sodimm
Ddr2667
Fracturemovie
Digitalmemoryupgrade
Macintoshcomputermemory
Thelookoutmovie
512mbram
Ddrpc2700ram
Documentarymovie
Livefreeordiehard2movie
Winbookmemory
Thelastmimzymovie
Gp6400memory
Ithinkilovemywifemovie
256mbpc2700ddr
Bossram
Memorymodule
Residentevilextinctionmovie
Macg5computer
512mbpc2700ddrsodimm
1gbddrram
1gbpc2700
Memoryprice10253
512mbmemorycard
Thedeadgirlmovie
Yearofthedogmovie
512flashmemory
Gp6350memory
Vacancymovie
Usbflashmemorykey
Closetohomemovie
1gbddr2
256mbpc3200400mhzddr
Usbmemorycardreader
Gatewaymemory
Memoryandram
Macexternalstorage
Adventmemory
Warnerindependantpicturesmovie
Edomemory
Acermemoryram
Memoryprice73607
Ctxmemory
Intergraphmemory