Bettors flock back to Las Vegas sportsbooks for NFL openers

A twelvemonth aft the coronavirus pandemic restricted the capableness and curbed the enthusiasm astatine Las Vegas sportsbooks, bettors returned en masse connected the opening Sunday of the 2021 NFL regular season.

Long lines of gamblers clad successful colorful NFL cogwheel stretched from the books to the casino floors successful the hr earlier the 10 a.m. kickoff.

“At 9 a.m., the levee broke and the publication was slammed and remained that mode each day,” Westgate SuperBook vice president Jay Kornegay said. “There was nary uncertainty the numbers and vigor easy surpassed past year.

“Americans emotion watching shot and they surely bask wagering connected it. Final grade: A+.”

Before the games began connected the time aft the 20th day of 9-11, tears flowed successful the books during an affectional nationalist anthem sung by Juliette Candela from the tract of the 9/11 memorial.

“Even the sportsbook erupted successful cheers aft that anthem,” South Point sportsbook manager Chris Andrews posted connected Twitter.

The tears rapidly turned to cheers arsenic the assemblage astatine Red Rock Resort roared erstwhile Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie returned the opening kickoff 75 yards against the Steelers.

The roars grew louder arsenic Pittsburgh erased a 10-0 shortage en way to a 23-16 upset triumph implicit Buffalo arsenic a 6½-point underdog.

“One of the louder opening days successful pro shot that I tin remember,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook manager Chuck Esposito said. “Great vigor and atmosphere. Everyone was ace excited that shot is back.”

Houston nonmigratory John McCord traveled to Las Vegas to stake connected shot astatine the SuperBook.

“I’ve been coming present dependable for 15 years,” helium said. “I deliberation it’s backmost to normal, similar it was earlier the pandemic. It’s beauteous exciting.

“People are energized, and it looks similar radical are having a bully clip and not worrying excessively overmuch astir the pandemic.”

Bob Porreca, 67, drove from Huntington Beach, California, to Las Vegas to be the Raiders-Ravens crippled with his son-in-law Monday nighttime astatine Allegiant Stadium. He spent Sunday astatine Red Rock Resort, wherever helium takes respective trips during the NFL play to stake connected games.

“It’s not thing similar past year. They were taking your temperature, and I deliberation a batch of radical were much frightened astir COVID,” helium said. “People person benignant of gotten utilized to it now. They bash person safeguards successful place. They marque you deterioration a disguise whether you’re vaccinated oregon not.

“I consciousness beauteous comfortable, adjacent gaming astatine the tables (Saturday) night, that Vegas volition stay open. It’s beauteous normal.”

Ron Russeau, 40, moved to Las Vegas from the Detroit country 3 years agone and was 1 of the fewer patrons astatine Red Rock rooting for the Lions, who covered arsenic 9½-point underdogs to the 49ers aft rallying from a 38-10 shortage successful a 41-33 loss.

“Finally, football’s back,” helium said. “It feels much live than past year. Everyone conscionable wants to travel retired and bask their lives again and cheque retired each the games.”

Contact newsman Todd Dewey astatine tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 connected Twitter. Review-Journal unit writer Adam Hill contributed to this report.