Late interception deflates sportsbooks’ profits
By David Purdum, ESPN
Nevada sportsbooks won $3.2 million off $115.9 million wagered on the Super Bowl, according to numbers released by Nevada Gaming Control on Monday. But it could have been so much more.
The New England Patriots winning in a higher-scoring game than expected was the worst-case scenario for the majority of sportsbooks, and they still posted a profit for the 24th time in the last 26 Super Bowls. The point spread closed at pick ’em at most books with the over/under total 47.5.
The Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 Sunday, with Malcolm Butler’s last-minute interception on the goal line sealing New England’s victory and taking a giant chunk out of the books’ profits.