LAS VEGAS – Sports fans bet a record $119.4 million at Nevada casinos on the Super Bowl.
The Gaming Control Board says unaudited tallies show sports books made $19.7 million on the action. The Denver Broncos started out as a 2.5-point favourite but the Seattle Seahawks won 43-8.
Odds makers say Peyton Manning fans drove the unprecedented handle, flooding Las Vegas and northern Nevada with wagers on the favoured team and its veteran quarterback. Many believed Manning wanted the win more than any other player, and might retire after the game.
The previous Nevada record was set last year, when gamblers wagered $98.9 million.
Some casinos say they lost out on proposition bets, including whether a safety would be the first score of the game.
