Crazyrebel(l)s ist umgezogen! » www.49ersauthorizedshops.com

The clock had ticked down to zero 49ers Mike McGlinchey Jersey , and Minnesota fans were already deep into a celebration like no other.

In this city’s legal sports books, though, the outcome was still in doubt.

An extra point that wasn’t needed had to be attempted anyway. New Orleans players had to be brought back from the locker room to make a token effort to defend it.

In the minutes it took for the Vikings to finally line up and take a knee, many bettors who wagered on the point spread didn’t know whether to stand in line to cash their tickets or tear them up and toss them in the garbage.

”Millions and millions of dollars exchanged hands when they kneeled down at goal line,” said Jimmy Vaccaro, oddsmaker at the South Point hotel.

One of the most unimaginable endings in a playoff game made for some dicey moments in sports books around Las Vegas. While bettors on the money line either cursed or celebrated the final touchdown play, those who bet the point spread weren’t sure whether they were winners or losers.

If the Vikings had kicked the extra point, those who took the Saints at plus 5 1-2 points would go from winners to losers. Those who had the Vikings minus the points would swap places with them.

Just another playoff Sunday in a world where it’s not so much who wins, but which team covers the spread.

”When that play took place, the ones that knew they won were headed to the cashing line,” said Jay Kornegay of the Westgate Las Vegas sports book. ”Then the reality of the extra point came into play and everybody started talking about what they were going to do.”

The game capped a weekend that for the most part was spectacular for sports books, which won big on Jacksonville’s, win over Pittsburgh and also cashed in on Philadelphia’s home underdog win over Atlanta.

Though many books lost money on the Vikings game, they would have been even worse off without the final touchdown because so much money was bet on the Saints to win straight up on the money line.

”We did really well overall,” said Nick Bogdanovich of the William Hill chain. ”We just murdered those two games, Jacksonville and Philly.”

Things would have been even better had Tennessee not scored a meaningless touchdown in the final seconds that pushed the game against New England past the over/under and rewarded bettors who tend to favor the over in most games.

”In our world all those games came down to the last second 49ers Dante Pettis Jersey ,” Kornegay said. ”Even in the one blowout the total was hinging on the last drive by the Titans.”

Oddsmakers said they had packed houses for both games, thanks to a strong economy and the exploding popularity of sports betting. Wagering on the NFL is up again this year, and most bookies say they expect a record Super Bowl handle, no matter which teams make it to the big game.

At the South Point, Vaccaro said he judged the crowd by the line at the hot dog cart, which was 25 long most of the weekend.

”All I can tell you is the handle is through the roof,” Vaccaro said. ”We did as much on the two games each day as we do on a full plate of NFL on a regular season Sunday. It’s incredible to see.”

—


LOS ANGELES — Once unable to win a series no matter what they did, the Los Angeles Dodgers are a game away from taking seven of their last eight series.

And regardless of what happens Wednesday, in the second game of a brief two-game interleague matchup against the Texas Rangers, the Dodgers will make it eight consecutive unbeaten series after taking a 12-5 decision Tuesday. The Dodgers were 6-0-1 in their last seven series before the Rangers came to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers were unable to win any of their first five series of the season. Then after winning back-to-back series in late April, they were unable to take any of their next seven, tying two of those.

The Dodgers were 17-26 on May 17 and their inspired play while reaching the 2017 World Series was a distant memory.

Tuesday’s runaway triumph gave the Dodgers 18 victories in their last 24 games and has brought that 2017 feel back to Dodger Stadium.

The Rangers happen to be in a polar opposite run than the one the Dodgers are on. In getting blasted Tuesday in L.A., the Rangers have lost five consecutive games, six of their last eight and eight of their last 11.

And while the Dodgers’ turnaround began May 19, the Rangers are now 11-18 since May 12.

If there is any solace for the Rangers it is that Cole Hamels will take the mound Wednesday. The left-hander leads all Rangers starters in ERA (3.86), starts (13) Tramon Williams Jersey , innings (79 1/3) and strikeouts (79).

Hamels is just 3-6 but is coming off a start where he reached the eighth inning for the second time this season. Also promising is his 1.89 career ERA against the Dodgers in eight starts and 57 innings. He is 3-2 lifetime against L.A.

The Dodgers are starting to feel good about their starting pitching situation with Kenta Maeda (4-4, 3.61) returning to the rotation Wednesday after missing two weeks with a hip strain. He will face the Rangers for the first time in his career.

Yes, the Dodgers do still have Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Dennis Santana, Hyun-Jin Ryu and now Walker Buehler on the DL, but Maeda’s return figures to signal a reversal of fortune.

Kershaw (back strain) could appear in a simulated game soon, while Ryu (groin) remains on schedule to return in July. Hill (blister) also is making progress, but no timetable for his return has been given.

“It’s one of those things,” manager Dave Roberts said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “If you’re a pitcher on this staff … heads up.”

The Rangers would not mind a little despair mixed in with some success, like the Dodgers are showing. But right now, they’ll take a two-game split with the Dodgers.

Tuesday’s defeat means the Rangers are now 5-17 in series openers and 1-8 in their last nine openers. Texas is also a season-high 15 games under .500 at 27-42. The Rangers are also 7-14 in their last 21 road games.