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Show The Salt Lake Tribune SPORTS Sunday, May 2 Linesmaker Roxborough Gets the Point of Sports Bets and Sets Them Too 499 B3 come to asitu Lakers One Loss From Elimination His nameis Michael “Roxy” Roxborough andhis Las Vegas Sports Consultants firmis the largest locker room r to Game 4 in what we have grow Laker Coach to do. In 1983, Roxborough landed the lucrative job of setting theearly lineat the Stardust in Las Vegas. He has been there ever since. I had to decide then if I wanted to be aprofessional gambler or a professional oddsmaker,” said Roxborough. “I felt doing both wouldbe a conflict of And while Roxborough made the Trail Blazers a 4% point favorite, the StateLine Casino in Wendover, Nev., 120 miles west of Salt Lake City, had Portland as a 4-point favoritelate Friday night A casino spokesman was expecting heavy wagering just beforetip-off interest, so I gave upthesports betting and became That's because in Wendover, the Jazz are usuallya sentimental favorite and most people whobet there are die-hard Jazz fans, so the line may be adjusted a an oddsmaker.’ half-point or morebythe StateLine sportsbook man- Roxboroughsays hisjob is not to predict winners, althoughhefrequentlyis asked to do that when he Thatis usuallythe case if a lot of money comesin volume, equally distributed on each side of the line. enters a casino. His aimand objective is high betting ager Lem Banker, 72, oneof Las Vegas’ very successful on the Jazz, the line can be raised or lowered to attract wagering on their opponentat the higher or lower number. gamblers, has been interpreting oddsmakerslines The StateLine is one of Roxborough’s clients likethoseof thelate Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder and legendary oddsmaker Bob Martin for more than 30 which pays him between $1,500 and $2,000 a month for his lines. reports and analysis. I'd be happyif heretired.” oncesaid Banker of years Roxborough has contracts with 855 percent of the Roxborough. “He's a verysmart fellow, a veryastute handicapper, and he makesa toughline legitimate casinos in Nevada TAPER Will Game 4 be a earninghis first weekly paycheck as anlinesmaker linesmakingservicein the world. ASEM @ Continued from B-1 trends te put myself on easystreet ‘Then came a phone cali in 1981 that turned his gambling life around. Thecall was from a Club CalNevaexecutive in Reno. Thecaller inquired if Roxy would be interestedin setting a daily baseball line for the casino. He didn’t have to ask twice. Working from his kitchen table with a calculator, Roxborough began THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE LAS VEGAS — He is the guy who made the Portdene Trail Blazers a 41-point favorite over the Utah z in Saturday’s Game 3 of the Western ConferHe semifinals SAN to go down fight You've got to keep fight BY R.C. ROBERG GAME SUMMARY t a chance t day Tl say it Youhave no choice. I don’t want to go onvacation This time. as in the previous gamesofthis series — and all those Rambis said of the Sp we'rehaving to stretch the bound aries of our team. And without the proper time it gamesin two previous disintegrat ing playoff defeats to Utah — the Lakers were within reach of vic takes to throwin all of these plays andgetall ofthetiming down so we can execute them properly, it’s very difficult to run them, especial Until the bell lap began. until the difference between winning and ers playedpoorly theentire game tory. losing was not talent, but tenacity toughness and teamwork The Lakers went ahead. 91-90 on Robert Horry’s three-pointer with 1:55 left, the crowd roared the Lakers smiled, and maybe they were back inthis series Then Jaren Jackson made a ly when you need to run them That did not mean that the Lak Actually, there were stretches of quality play, keyed by O'Neal's rugged rebounding and Rice's shooting run in the second and third quarters. Rice finished with a team: jmuen 24 points, but was two of ¢ the fourth quarter. He ee pri jumpshot, Avery Johnson made another, the Spurs kept running scored 13 points in the final quar their offense beautifully and find- ter ray of offensive firepower fizzled We focus on the fact that we haveto be an exec e minded team,” Fox said. “And when we get a couple-point lead. six-point lead, then all of a sudden ing openshots, andthe Lakers dis coveredthat, onceagain, their ar when it counted most No fireworks, only frowns “We make eno: money to go downfighting,” the Lakers’ Rick Fox said. “I don’t think you let it mary man checking Jackson, who. we want to pull away from that mind-set It’s happened throughout the series. Being at home doesn't guarantee you a win. They came in obyi- ously up 20. loose, free, confi dent Gary Oldham, chief analyst of The Gold Sheet, a However, other casinos across the nation and in weekly handicapping newsletter, says the same thing Nevada whodon’t subscribeto his service are free to make their own lines using the intuition of in-house managers or other linesmaking services. They then sit down with their sportsbook staffs and goover thefigures to make the final decision as / “Everyone who knows sports has a great respect for Roxy. He's got a difficult job and he doesit su- perbly. The lines havegotten alot toughersince he to what numberwill go uponthe board for the bet- took over.” Working from anoffice building off the Las Vegas ting public. strip and adjacent to noisy McCarren International But whenit comesto the major casinos in Nevada Airport, Roxborough andhisstaff of analysts and Atlantic City and the Caribbean, Roxborough’s line managersuse computers. news wires and video mon- is the unofficial gauge of which team will win and by how manypoints itors to determinean appropriate number that will encouragebettors to wager bothsides of the proposi- So howdid this 48-year-old former American Uni versity student, restaurant chain manager andtaxi tion Roxboroughsays pro basketball provideshis big- driver emerge as the guruof linesmakers? gest headache, because of the length of schedule and When he was 19, the apartment he lived in caught the physical abusetheplayers take The emotionandphysical cycles are a problem,” fire. He escaped, wearing onlyhis pants — with a Daily Racing Formsticking outof the pocket Roxborough went about handicapping that day's ye A seu: res said Roxborough races fromtheflickering light cast by the burning Roxborough says football seasonis the busiest, building. withhighinterest in college and pro games. Roxboroughgenerally tries not to watch games Roxborough knew then that he wanted to become a professional gambler. So in 1976, he movedto Las “In the six hours it takes to watch two football games, I can analyze 50 teams At this point in my life, all the teams, all the players are simply num- egas. “T cameto Las Vegas tobe a professional gambler. so 1 wouldn't have to hold a conventional job. But I ended up working 60 hours a week at gambling to bers Heobserves that 95 percent of the public bets for escape working 40 hours a week,” said Roxborough two minutes, whentheir money is on the line But not Roxborough. “Li eryoneelse, I started out as asports fan. Now I ‘a rather listen to ocean poker and baseball totals — the number of runs the two teams would score. said Roxborough “It was good for a while. music,” hesays “But I didn't develop enough NBA PLAYOFFS Lowly Bulls Win EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantavs. New York (Knicks lead series, 2-0) Moy 18 Draft Lottery, Earn Top Pick ATSTOR13 185/70R13 PrBS7SRI4 P17580R13 P185/80R13 entertainment, for therush of adrenalineinthefinal At first, hedid quite well. betting on horseraces 185/70R13 185/70R14 195/70R14 205/70R14 WESTERN CONFERENCE NEWS SERVICES of Michael Jordan, the disman. tling of their dynasty and the Sunda, May 2 vesday, Moy:35 Thursday, May27 A Lhe. TRA Saturday, May 29 at least the Chicago Bulls have the Utah vs. Portiond SECAUCUS, NJ. While it won't make up for theretirement st season in franchise history PITS) 70R13 P155/60R13 No. 1 pick in the NBA draft The Bulls, eight years laughin who won sixtitles in id then became a without Michael and company, scored their biggest win of the post-Jordan era when Wohi LT235/85R16/E LT265/75R16/C BO May 23 they won the NBA Draft Lottery _P205/75R15 on Saturday This is nice and this is great = HUNDREDS OF 5 TVLES AVAR Am AT FANTASTIC PRICES! = ‘Saturday, May 29 and I'm looking forward to it said an emotional Jerry Krause Ils’ vice president of bas ketball_ operations pumped hi fists briefly after NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik showed a cardrevealingthat Van couver had the N h meant Chicago It feels very good and I'm hap py for our fans and owner, a ed Krause who carried four g luck pennie sin his pocket during ino "s NBA DRAFT ORDER 37 50 te : apleseont4 the lottery HAWKS-KNICKS alias NEW YORK Absence. and a three-game winning streak in the playoffs, has warmed the hearts andopened thearms of New York We will upon today’s return to Madison Square Garden, in the wakeof Al lan Houston's now-cherished last second shot against Miami and the subsequent 2-0 series lead o' the Atlanta Hawks Might Houston and his team mates, soundly beaten in Game 4 of the Miami series in their last Garden appearance, feel the fans love now? Love?” Houstonsaid Love is always nice, you know All | want is to go out and continue to play well, and to win. If I get love. too that'd be wonderful. But I'd rath er be rewarded, or loved. not for what already happened ‘s 3 MX4 RAINFORCE andtake another PHILADELPHIA ward the goal that has so far eluded them Put them a said Mark Jackson, laying Game 4 today plan for with th leading3-0 inthe Ea ence semifinals They're a young team that's well coached We don't want to give away while The we Pacers tep toward victo can took dramatic with a 97-86 58 “90 rs Friday e 6-0 in the years. nference No tean has final P21S60R14 in five ever squan- “ae FREE VIDEO SEEING IS BELIEVING! | ‘gle Qverentes . © The Werkd’s Only NON-SURGICAL Netra Hoitinet but what MON.-FRI. 8:30-6:00 SAT. 8:30-5:00 | TIRE CO. INC. * asm awouT oun “Free oven 400 sroMes marrommoe says Wiekcoene Trea Desig Mey Vert (NGLEY 5 5 § SANDY JORDAN, 9032 . STATE. OREM, 132 § STATE os SALT LAKE SUGARHOUSE, 2268. STATE... Withper haps one last tuneupin enemy ter ritory befor headingtc the East ern Conference finals, Reg Miller and the Indiana P ers sense the importance of the mo ment Sweep the Philadelphia 76ers and their cacophonaus fans aside LT 2S7SR1SC BR SC NBA play It's important for us continues to happen PACERS-76ERS EAGLE RH see (Rl) = Knicks followers 9682100 SE6-G968 D480 87-1797 ceRTINCATE LAYTON, 2069 W. HILLFELD RD. SANDY HOLIDAY, 6180S. YAN WINKLE ROY, S367 S. 1900 MURRAY, 120 E4500 § YhA La ka) > WERE Oat tat! | | |
