For a few tantalizing seconds, NBA bettors could get 9-1 odds on the Golden State Warriors when they trailed the San Antonio Spurs by 25 points in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday.
“It was up for just a blink,” said Patrick Everson, senior writer for Covers.com, a sports betting, analytics and information website.
A curious Everson called William Hill to see if there were any takers. Yes, there was, Everson was told. One eagle-eyed, quick-on-the-trigger bettor jumped on the in-game wagering odds offered by William Hill sports books.
“He bet $7 and won $63,” said Everson.
The Warriors roared back for the largest comeback win in a conference finals game since 2002, when the Boston Celtics erased a 26-point deficit to beat the New Jersey Nets.
“He was probably walking out and had $7 burning a hole in his pocket, well, his mobile app account,” said Everson.
The Warriors, who were favored by 10 to 10½ points, won 113-111 after the Spurs lost All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard in the third quarter. Leonard went out with a reoccurrence of his left ankle injury.
A starpower start
It’s not often a new restaurant starts its journey with members of the band Journey showing up four nights in a row.
That was the case last week when MB Steak opened at the Hard Rock Hotel.
It wasn’t planned that way.
Journey has been at The Joint at the Hard Rock since May 3 and through Saturday. Jonathan Cain and Ross Valory showed up at the steakhouse for dinner and post-show nightcaps.
They were seen at a table with Las Vegas golfer Tommy Armour on Saturday night and Cain was with his family. His daughter, former country singer Madison Cain, and siblings make up the band, Madison Avenue. They open for Journey.
“It was wonderful having them hang out here,” said Michael Morton, who had great success as a co-owner of N9ne Steakhouse at the Palms before opening LaCave at Wynn, Crush at MGM Grand and La Comida off E. Fremont Street.
The restaurant’s title stands for My Brothers, after Michael and David Morton who are teaming up on their first venture. They are continuing a family tradition launched 57 years ago by their iconic father, Arnie Morton, who started his steakhouse empire in Chicago after co-founding the Playboy Clubs with Hugh Hefner and Victor Lownes.
The restaurant occupies a former warehouse space. “It had 35-foot ceilings that allowed us to do a second floor,” said Michael Morton. In all, the restaurant holds about 220 diners.
Running the kitchen is Patrick Munster, who spent the past 10 years as chef de cuisine at SW Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas. Behind the plank is bartending legend John O’Donnell.
Mother’s Day memories
Longtime restaurateur Maria Perry, who celebrated her 100th birthday on March 13, joined her family at the Las Vegas Country Club’s Mother’s Day buffet on Sunday.
When she spotted Michael Gaughan, owner of the South Point Hotel and Casino, she turned to her daughter, Lorraine Hunt-Bono, and said, “Oh look, Jackie Gaughan’s little boy.”
Michael Gaughan, 74, owned nine Las Vegas casinos with his father at one point.
Jackie was the majority owner of the El Cortez from 1963 until 2008. He died three years ago at the age of 93.
Hunt-Bono added, “When Jackie was running the El Cortez, he’d come in to my parents restaurant, The Venetian, with a pot and have her fill it with mostaccioli and meatballs. At that time the Venetian was just down the street on Fremont Street.”
Mama Maria, as she’s known, later owned The Bootlegger Bistro with her daughter, starting in 1972.
Hot links
Miss America winner survives controversial response to health care http://nydn.us/2qHFD0p
Video: Rockies turn MLB’s first 1-2-5-6 double play since 1983 http://atmlb.com/2qhumCO
Somebody flew a drone into a fireworks display and this happened http://ti.me/2qon01b
Video of the day: New York TV reporter makes back-to-the-basket half-court shot http://nydn.us/2r4UcuP
Will Ferrell sings after delivering commencement address at University of Southern California http://cnn.it/2qhfCSA
On this day…
May 16, 1996: Singer/impressionist Danny Gans makes his Las Vegas debut at the Stratosphere. The former minor league baseball player quickly becomes one of the Strip’s biggest stars before dying suddenly in 2009.
Sightings
Pro football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, with friends at Tao nightclub (Venetian)…
At Lavo Italian restaurant on Friday: Cody Christian of “Pretty Little Liars” and “Teen Wolf,” celebrating his 22nd birthday (April 15) friends…
Palms assistant general manager Jon Gray, with his son, Nash Danger Gray, at the Golden Knights’ 8-and-under junior program tryouts Saturday at the Las Vegas Ice Center. Nash Danger, who is 5, made the team.
The punch line
“It’s funny, every time Donald Trump does something like this, people go, ‘Is he crazy? Or is he crazy like a fox?’ Well, I’m here to tell you, there’s no fox. It’s just all crazy.” – Jimmy Kimmel.
