Sports bettors watch the screens in the race and sports book at Wynn Las Vegas, in this March 15, 2009 file photo taken in Las Vegas. Las Vegas casinos think this weekend’s NFL week three 2012 games will be the highest-scoring ever _ and that you can thank the league’s replacement officials. Oddmakers say casinos are changing their expectations as interim referees add new variables to the game, changing its pace and approaches from players and coaches. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)OSKAR GARCIA
Las Vegas casinos think this weekend’s NFL games will be the highest-scoring ever thanks to the league’s replacement officials.
Oddsmakers say casinos are changing their expectations as interim referees add new variables to the game, changing its pace and the approaches taken by players and coaches.
Casinos haven’t fully changed lines yet because there have been only two weeks of games and referees might adjust how they call games based on weekly feedback from the league. But oddsmaker Mike Colbert of Cantor Gaming says home teams will deserve an extra half-point in their favor if games are called all year the way they were officiated in Week 2.
“It’s starting to concern us a bit,” Colbert said. “(Officials) should have no influence on the total or the side.”