By Sean Chaffin
Super Sunday is right around the corner and it’s a good bet quite a few in the field will be putting a few dollars on the game. The Borgata sportsbook has Kansas City favored over the San Francisco by 1.5 points.
The property unveiled the new $12 million Moneyline Bar and Book last year. The sportsbook features 40 by 11.5-foot video wall with 17 more 98-inch and 86-inch displays surrounding the 8,000-square-foot venue. Moneyline also features a 35-foot bar with built-in slot machines under a light feature inspired by a coach’s playbook.
When it came to picking the game, Kansas City looks like the favorite – at least among players in the Borgata. Here’s a look at some picks from players throughout the last week:
Four-time WPT champion Darren Elias grew up in a football household. His father was a coach at several colleges across the country, and he’s a believer in Kansas City.
“I guess [KC] – they’re fun to watch, have an exciting offense, and I like [the quarterback],” said Elias.
Main Tour and WPT500 champion Craig Varnell takes the opposite view.
“If I had to pick a team, I’d take [San Francisco],” he said. “I think they have a better defense and overall better team.”
Champions Club member James Calderaro had some definite opinions on the upcoming game and gave his picks with some regular “Big Caldo” bravado.
“Kansas City’s going to kick the living dick out of them,” he said. “But I don’t have any money on the game, that would be illegal. I’m not a gambler.”
BorgataPoker.com ambassador Katie Stone believes in Kansas City as well and sees some of herself in the team.
“Because their defense is underrated and I can identify with that,” she said.
WPT commentator Vince Van Patten is going with Kansas City, which seems to be the overwhelming favorite among players. He looked to his own past as a professional tennis player in offering some analysis.
“I know from playing professional tennis that momentum is huge,” he said. “In the biggest tournament I ever won, where I defeated John McEnroe, I was down match points to Jose Luis Clerc in the second round. I survived them and came back to win that match.
“Because of that, I loosened up and even started playing better with greater momentum and confidence to go on to defeat McEnroe. Kansas City should’ve been out of there against Tennessee, but they made a miraculous comeback. Therefore momentum will prevail – I think that means it’s their time to win.”
Eric “Barstool Nate” Nathan was among the players this week at the Borgata and also foresees a KC victory.
“It’s almost impossible for me right now to pick against [number 15],” he says. “He’s just so good at football. He’s mind-blowing. So I think [Kansas City win and cover. When the [SF] defense is just unbelievable and cover, we can just skip this part. No, I think [Kansas City] wins and I think it’s well-deserved. Andy Reid is a great coach.”
Here’s a look at some other picks from players in the field at the Borgata:
Ken O’Donnell – real estate investor from St. Petersburg, Florida
Kansas City: “I think it’s [15].”
Ray Ross – full-time poker player from Philadelphia
Kansas City: “Their quarterback is better and their offense is too powerful to stop.”
Lara Eisenberg – radiologist and recreational player from Silver Spring, Maryland
San Francisco: She didn’t know who was playing, but had a good feeling about the 49ers after being told who the two teams competing.
Sam Snead – stock trader, IT consultant, and part-time player from Tampa, Florida
San Francisco: “It’s that defense. I think they’re going to stop Kansas City. And I think they’ve got enough of a quarterback to stop them.”
Daniel DaConti – owner of a landscape company from Mount Laurel, New Jersey
“I think it’s [15’s] year.”
Jonathan Hanner – full-time poker player from Saint Paul, Minnesota
“I’m rooting for [KC], but don’t have a real strong opinion on who’s going to win.”
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.