Hospitality

WANNA BET?

Here’s your guide to legalized sports betting in Arizona

By ALISON BAILIN BATZ

This past spring, the Arizona state senate passed HB 2772 by a 23-6 margin, approving both online and retail sports betting in the state. Just a month later, Caesars Entertainment announced a partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks to launch mobile sports betting in Arizona and build a first-class sportsbook and bar concept on the plaza adjacent to the team’s home, Chase Field. In tandem, Caesars also finalized a multiyear agreement with Major League Baseball to become an authorized gaming operator of the league.

In the months since, Caesars and Chase have worked together to develop the project, which will break ground Sept. 9 — the first day of the NFL season — and is located in the space formerly known as Game 7 Grill on the Plaza at Chase Field. In addition to the 20,000-squarefoot physical operation at Chase Field, tentatively set to open in 2022, the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app also launches in Arizona on Sept. 9. It operates on Liberty, the company’s owned and integrated tech stack. Caesars Sportsbook offers more options for wagering, making it the most dynamic sports betting app available.

With the launch, not to mention a handful of others happening around the same time, here is a look at some of the most common sports betting teams from A to (almost) Z. Brush up, and then head over to Chase or download the app, and then may the odds be forever in your favor. Alternate lines: Odds that are higher or lower than the main posted line. Common with point spread and game total betting in basketball and football.

Bad beat: Losing a bet at the very end of a game often occurs when the outcome of the game is inconsequential. Examples can include a buzzer beating shot in basketball as time expires, an empty net goal in hockey, a last inning rally in baseball, or a meaningless late score in football.

Chalk: Another term for the favorite. The Phoenix Suns, for example, are the chalk side if the Suns are a -3 point favorite over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Even money: A bet that pays out 1/1 odds, where the bettor will either lose or win the exact amount that was wagered (referenced as “EV” when reading betting lines short).

Futures bet: A wager placed on an event that will take place in the near or distant future. Betting on the winner of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Fiesta Bowl and Superbowl are popular futures options.

Graded bet: When the outcome of an event has been officially determined by the sportsbook operator, the bet has been graded, or finalized.

Handicap: Betting odds set by a bookmaker that are designed to level the playing field. The Arizona Cardinals may have a -9.5 point handicap, before or during the game, when they play a perceived weaker Detroit Lions squad. If the Cardinals win by nine or more points, they cover the handicap and produce winning wagers.

In-play betting: Wagers placed after an event has started. Also known as LIVE betting, bookmakers post multiple inplay betting options throughout most major sporting events.

Joint favorite: Two or more sides posted with the same betting odds on the same event.

Kentucky Derby: First jewel in the Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing and one of the biggest events bet on in North America each year. Race day is the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Line: The current odds, totals and point spread on a particular event. For example, the line for Cardinals vs. Titans in Week 1 is Cardinals have odds of +130 and a point spread of +3.

Moneyline: A straight up bet, without any point spread, where bettors need to predict the outright winner. For example, the Cardinals money line in their Week 1 showdown with the Titans is +130. So if you were to bet Cardinals money line, you would profit 1.3 times your original bet if the Cardinals win the game. For example, a $10 bet on Cardinals +130 could net you $13.

Novelty bets or prop bets: Novelty bets or prop bets are special betting options that are offer wagers beyond standard moneyline, point spread and game total odds. For example, betting on the brand of shoes Devin Booker will wear during a game.

Odds: Set by a bookmaker determining the likelihood of the outcome of any wagering events. For example, the Cardinals have +130 odds to beat the Titans in Week 1, meaning a $10 bet placed on them would win the bettor $130. Another way to think about the odds in this example is 13/10.

Parlay: A single bet that consists of two or more sides. Each side must win to produce a winning ticket. For example, if you think every NFC West teams will notch a win in Week 1, you can parlay the money lines of the Cardinals (+130 at Titans), Seahawks (-170 at Colts), 49ers (-410 at Lions) and Rams (-345 vs. Bears). A $10 wager on that parlay could net $48.61.

Quarter bet: Any wager placed prior to or during any quarter of a sporting event.

Rotation number: A number assigned by bookmakers to every betting option on the board. Bettors use the rotation number when placing a bet, rather than team names, at betting windows at some sportsbooks. Spread betting: Betting on the margin of points the favored team must win by to “cover the spread.” Favorites “give points” away in spread betting, and underdogs “get points” in this type of bet. The spread is also referred to as the “handicap”.

Ticket: A receipt issued by a bookmaker to confirm a wager has been accepted.

Total: The combined amount of runs, points or goals scored by both teams during the game, including Overtime. For Example, the total for Cardinals at Titans in Week 1 is 51.5. If you were to bet the over, that game would need 52 combined points or more to be a winner. If you were to bet the under, that game would need 51 combined points or fewer to be a winner.

Over/under (O/U): Placing a bet that the final score of a game/match is either over or under the listed total. For example, if the total on a Coyotes vs. Ducks game is set at five goals, bettors who place under bets need the combined final score to be less than five goals in order to win, and bettors who place over bets need the combined score to be more than five goals in order to win.

Vigorish: The bookmaker’s commission; also known as “juice” or “vig.”

A SURE BET: Caesars Entertainment has partnered with the Arizona Diamondbacks to launch mobile sports betting in Arizona and build a first-class sportsbook and bar concept on the plaza adjacent to the team’s home, Chase Field.