LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Super Bowl was a record-setter in Vegas.
Bettors wagered a record $81.2 million on the New England-Carolina matchup, with Nevada sports books winning a record $12.4 million, state gambling regulators said Wednesday.
The amount bet on Sunday's Super Bowl topped the previous mark of $77.2 million set in 1998, when Denver beat Green Bay, according to figures released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
The results from 152 legal sports books in the state underscored postgame comments from Las Vegas oddsmakers, who reported a double-digit increase in business from a year ago.
Sports books won big when the Patriots won 32-29 on a late field goal. Most oddsmakers had the Patriots favored by 7 points and the game's total score at about 38 points, meaning fans could bet whether the total score would be over or under that.
The 61 points surprised many who had expected a defensive struggle.
The 15.3 percent casino win ratio was less than the 16.3 percent in 2001, when $67.7 million was wagered and the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants, 34-7. Because the bet total was lower, casinos won $11.2 million that year.
Nevada sports books took $71.6 million in wagers on the Super Bowl a year ago, and reported winning $5.2 million, a ratio of 7.3 percent.
Casinos won just $472,033 in 1998, a ratio of 0.6 percent.
Bettors wagered a record $81.2 million on the New England-Carolina matchup, with Nevada sports books winning a record $12.4 million, state gambling regulators said Wednesday.
The amount bet on Sunday's Super Bowl topped the previous mark of $77.2 million set in 1998, when Denver beat Green Bay, according to figures released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
The results from 152 legal sports books in the state underscored postgame comments from Las Vegas oddsmakers, who reported a double-digit increase in business from a year ago.
Sports books won big when the Patriots won 32-29 on a late field goal. Most oddsmakers had the Patriots favored by 7 points and the game's total score at about 38 points, meaning fans could bet whether the total score would be over or under that.
The 61 points surprised many who had expected a defensive struggle.
The 15.3 percent casino win ratio was less than the 16.3 percent in 2001, when $67.7 million was wagered and the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants, 34-7. Because the bet total was lower, casinos won $11.2 million that year.
Nevada sports books took $71.6 million in wagers on the Super Bowl a year ago, and reported winning $5.2 million, a ratio of 7.3 percent.
Casinos won just $472,033 in 1998, a ratio of 0.6 percent.
