The gambling gambit
ESPN took full advantage of incorporating the betting lines into the game. The over/under and spread were a constant on the game graphic at the bottom of the screen. It was unobtrusive and led to some great television with Steve Levy and Greg McElroy. When Jim Zorn took a field goal off the scoreboard due to a running into the kicker penalty that gave Seattle a first down, the announcers were quick to realize it took the game from “over” back to “under.” It also sent Seattle from covering to having Washington cover the 9.5-point spread as the score went from 31-19 to 31-22 back to 31-19. The over/under was 51.5. Levy and McElroy had fun — but not too much — as the game finished at 50, sinking the Dragon supporters. FOX took a “slightly pregnant” attitude toward lines, which did not work as well. The network popped the lines in on occasion, which only served to make you wonder what it was when it wasn’t part of the graphic. Would love to have either network address with Vegas insiders/experts how they came up with the lines on these games and how much action was actually bet in their properties.