Q:
I have a quick question and hopefully you can give me a quick answer: I’m coming out to Vegas for the WSOP final table. Can you give me the names of the casinos that I can bet on for the winner? Also the present odds would help too. Thanks
A:
We’ll begin this answer by stating that much of the content that follows is lifted directly from the November issue of the LVA newsletter.
The final table of this year’s World Series of Poker Main Event will begin play on Nov. 4 in the Penn & Teller Theater at the Rio and a champion will be decided on Nov 5. The field includes six Americans, along with one player each from France, Israel, Canada, and the Netherlands. Whoever is crowned the 2013 champion will win $8,359,531 and places 2-7 will each win more than $1 million (8th pays $944,593 and 9th pays $733,224).
Six of the so-called "November Nine" are in their 20s and the other three in their 30s (Marc-Etienne McLaughlin is 25 and Ryan Riess is the youngest, at 23.) Since 2008, all Main Event winners have been under 25 (23, 22, 21, 21, and 24).
The chart below, lifted directly from the November LVA, recaps the finalists that survived from the starting field of 6,352, ordered by chip counts, along with the current odds on each to win at press time on Wednesday. The odds in parentheses are from July and are included to show how the lines have moved.
This year’s odds comparison isn’t apples to apples, as is traditionally the case, given that the previous odds were from Bovada and the current from Pinnacle. Pinnacle is our usual source, but its lines weren’t up yet when we went to press in July. However, the lines haven’t changed at all at Bovada (you can get a good price on Farber there), and the more robust Pinnacle market paints a better picture of how the gamblers judge this field.
The clear favorite is JC Tran, who’s both the most accomplished of the group (he’s won two WSOP bracelets) and has a healthy chip lead. Amir Lehavot and McLaughlin are essentially tied for second choice. The long shots aren’t getting their usual rush of action this year, though the market is showing some love for the short-stacked David Benefield, who’s favored over two players with more chips.
As to whether any of the brick-and-mortar race and sports books in Las Vegas will be posting odds for the Final Table, the answer is yes, but our call around revealed that it’s still too early and information was not forthcoming, not least since most casino operators still refuse to connect any outside calls to their sports book, even though gaming regulations in this area have been significantly relaxed in recent years and it’s perfectly legal for them to do so.
We were informed that Jay Kornegay at the LVH Superbook will definitely be making lines on the November Nine, as he has for the past two years since it became legal to do so, but hasn’t done it yet and they weren’t sure when he would get to it; Johnny Avello — another legendary race and sports book manager, who’s over at the Wynn — will most likely be posting odds again, we were told, but he’s currently away on vacation. A LVA staffer was out in the field as we wrote this and checked with the book at New York-New York if they’d be posting odds — the answer was "probably not," but they wanted to know who else was, so peer pressure might change things. The Palms, whose book is now run by Cantor Gaming, confirmed that they definitely will not be offering wagers on the WSOP final table while although a CET property is hosting the live event, attempts at extracting any information from anyone at any of their Las Vegas properties proved to be utterly futile — we were made to feel positively criminal for even asking!
So, don’t waste your time attempting to glean any information over the phone. If placing a bet with an offshore book isn’t an option for you and you wish to make a wager on the outcome, you’ll have to wait until you arrive in town and then do the rounds of the major books — LVH, Wynn, Caesars, MBay, etc. You could also check out our member-only forums at LVASportsboards.com where you’re bound to find some lively discussion on the subject and updates from some serious sports bettors/poker players with regard to who’s posting what lines, and where.
ESPN2 is airing the final table in its entirety, beginning on Nov. 4 at 5:30 pm PST. There will be a 15-minute delay and hole cards will be revealed only after the play of the hands is completed. The final three play on Nov. 5, beginning at 6 p.m. PST.
UPDATE: 10-31-2013 Here’s an update already: It turns out CET properties are taking bets on the final table; you can pick up a current odds sheet at any of their race and sports books, which as of Oct. 28 have JC Tran as the clear favorite, at 11/5, with Marc Newhouse, who’s in third place, the long shot at 14/1.
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