Thanks To Martin Odds Beaten At Vegas – Once, Only Once

I am not much of a gambler but I admit that each time a race at Las Vegas rolls around I like to check out the driver odds. It’s kinda fun to learn what the bookies think.
I’ve discovered they have a pretty good idea of what’s going on – at least if the posted odds are any evidence. I checked ‘em out a day ago and really didn’t find anything unusual.
For example, Jimmie Johnson was the favorite at 9-to-2 and, given that he’s won four of the last six races at Vegas, that’s logical. Carl Edwards was 15-to-2, Kyle Busch was 6-to-1, Jeff Gordon 7-to-1, Denny Hamlin 11-to-1 and Tony Stewart 12-to-1.
At the other end, there were several drivers listed at 300-1, among them Landon Cassill, Andy Lally, Joe Nemechek and Michael McDowell. Well, that’s not really surprising, is it?
If I had some spare money, I think I might have put it on Jeff Burton and Kasey Kahne. Burton was listed at 25-to-1 and Kahne at 22-to-1. I think they’ve got better shots at victory than the bookies think.
Of course, I realize the odds will change by race day. They always do.
They did in 1998, when NASCAR came to Vegas for the first time, but only after some of us made some good money.
At the time a few motorsports writers – the older guys – had been to Vegas more than once. We’d leave for the race at Riverside, Calif., a few days early and drive over to Sin City, only to return to California practically broke and with severe lack of sleep.
In ’98, however, the entire NASCAR press corps descended on Vegas. While it certainly anticipated covering a new race at a new venue, the appeal of experiencing all the city had to offer – particularly gambling – was greater.
A group of us had already devised a plan. As soon as we checked into our hotel the first thing we’d do would be to head for the casino’s Sport Book. There we would get the driver odds and make our bets.
We checked into The Mirage, went to our rooms and threw down our luggage. Then we beat feet for the Sports Book.
We saw the driver odds. We were delighted because what we saw provided proof of our theories.
We figured the bookies wouldn’t know all that much about NASCAR and perhaps even less about the drivers. It followed, we reasoned, that the odds would be somewhat askew.
And they were. Dale Earnhardt and Gordon were the favorites, no surprise there, but listed at 15-to-1 were Mark Martin and Jeff Burton, then teammates at Roush Fenway Racing. Between them they had won seven races in 1997, all but one on tracks of a mile or more in distance. Vegas was a 1.5-mile facility.
“Guys,” I said, “those odds are too high for those two. Let’s pounce on it.”
They eagerly agreed and we placed out bets. We put $10 each on Martin and Burton.
Real high rollers, weren’t we? Please remember we were sports writers, not oil barons.
At the track, I sidled up to Burton and said, “Hey, I put some money down on you.”
“Don’t jinx me!” he hissed.
“I put some down on Mark, too,” I said.
“We’re ruined!”
Dale Jarrett, driving a Ford for Robert Yates Racing, won the pole. Martin took the seventh starting position while Burton could do no better than 15th.
“Good lord, I’ve jinxed him,” I thought. I made it a point to stay away from him for the rest of the weekend.
As race day approached the odds at the Sports Book changed dramatically. Jarrett was listed as one of the favorites while Martin and Burton both dropped to 5-to-1. The oddsmakers had gotten wise.
The race couldn’t have gone better for those of us who had leapt on the long odds for Martin and Burton.
Martin led 87 laps, more than any other driver, and beat Burton, who led 37 laps, to the finish line by 1.605 seconds. It was a Roush sweep. In fact, the team’s two other drivers, Ted Musgrave and Chad Little, finished among the top 10.
When the checkered flag fell a few of us were giddy. We were rich! Well, at least by our standards. And, no, we did not cheer in the press box.
We all swore we were going to keep our winnings. When you get ahead at Vegas that’s the time you should quit.
Of course, we didn’t.
My profits were soon returned to The Mirage. I left Vegas practically broke and in severe need of sleep.
I told myself there was always next year.
When it comes to Vegas, I’ve told myself that same thing for many years.

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