The football world was stunned by Stefon Diggs’ 61-yard touchdown catch from Case Keenum as time expired that gave the Vikings a miracle NFC divisional-round victory over the Saints on Sunday. But for many bettors, that was not the play that ultimately decided the wagering outcome.
Diggs’ touchdown gave Minnesota a 29-24 lead, meaning those who backed the Vikings as 5½-point favorites or the Saints as 5½-point underdogs were hanging on the result of the point-after-touchdown try that is mandated by rule when a touchdown is scored on the final play of regulation time.
There was a lengthy delay to confirm the touchdown, clear photographers and others off the field and summon 11 Saints back from the locker room to line up for the PAT try. Finally, Keenum took the snap and knelt to end the game with a final score of 29-24.
Jay Kornegay, VP of race and sports operations at the Westgate LV, was standing in the middle of his sportsbook when Diggs made his touchdown catch and run.
“The place erupted. It was crazy. It was one of the biggest cheers I ever heard in the sports book,” he told The Post shortly after the game ended. “Everyone rushed to the window, but they were patient because they were cashing. As the delay went on, you could hear the discussion building, with people talking about whether they were going to have to kick the extra point. But I knew they were going to kneel.”
Kornegay said Vikings-Saints was the most heavily bet game of the weekend and that the line fluctuated throughout the week, with bettors getting in on either side at 4½, 5 and 5½.
“Some Vikings bettors won, the ones who laid 4½,” he said. “People who laid 5 got their money back. Obviously those who laid 5½ lost.”
Those in that final group would have had to get out of the winners’ line if they didn’t have other tickets to cash on the Over, the money line, a parlay or propositions.
“The people sitting back by the bar who didn’t have any tickets to cash, those were the ones who were upset,” Kornegay said. “But at least they were at the bar.”
Of the 15 sports books listed at vegasinsider.com, six had the final line at 5½. Those included some big books such as Caesars/Harrah’s, Mirage/MGM and the Golden Nugget. Eight others, including Treasure Island, Wynn and Atlantis, closed at Vikings -5. In sports book football wagering, the gambler receives the point spread at the time of the bet, unlike horse racing, where the final odds determine all payouts.
“While this line opened at -3½ some places and moved all the way up to -5½ at others, we opened and held at -4 as we saw just over 60 percent of money on the Saints,” said Kevin Bradley, sports book manager for online bookmaker Bovada.lv. “Vikings bettors cashed with us and lost at some other shops. Wherever you wagered, definitely a messed-up ending gambling-wise!”