Banker on the Super Bowl

High profile Las Vegas sports gambler Lem Banker has wisecracks for every occasion, including the Super Bowl: "The best proposition I ever got was the $200 hooker who gave it to me for half price." Or: "The whole of North America -- the 'uncivilized world' -- is abuzz over the Super Bowl; a few billion Chinese don't give a damn." Deposit this one in your nearest "lock" box: Banker won't be sending NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue any Valentine's Day cards this or any other year. Never a big NFL admirer, he fully appreciates players' abilities and the efforts of other personnel. Banker, however, warns Canadians and Americans to enjoy watching the league's annual showcase gratis while they can, as he thinks it's only a matter of time before the loop starts airing the game on pay-per view -- perhaps the entire schedule. "They (the league) want to control everything," Banker said, noting how the NFL has effectively put an end to Las Vegas' public casino bashes by theatening to sue those which charge an admittance fee to watch the contest. "They want all the money themselves. "What you pay for when you go to these things (Super Bowl parties) anyway is food and drink." Super Bowl XL between Seattle and Pittsburgh could become "one for the ages," Banker believes, despite its lack of luster and a "marquee team." The Steelers are 4-point favorites and apparently also the people's choice. "This actually shapes up as a great battle," Banker said. "You have two good coaches, two good quarterbacks. "Hopefully I'll be on the right side. "It's just too bad the Colts didn't make it because they were the team everyone wanted to see. "I guess the long layoff and problems surrounding Tony Dungy's son were just too much. "Peyton Manning is still looking for that big fish, but it keeps getting away." Banker freely acknowledges his preseason pick, 6-10 Baltimore -- a 14/1 shot at season's start -- failed to ignite; he also concedes his big playoff wager, Denver, got devoured in the AFC title game. Consequently, Lem's taking his own sweet time in publicizing his Super Bowl pick. The dilemma in trying to figure this one out early is Banker always has been an underdog player, but, having a family that admittedly is part of the Raider Nation, he also has strong AFC leanings. "It's a tough call," he said. "The team that has fewer turnovers will win this game." Banker will release his Super Bowl selection at mid-week, but says he'll likely "invest" more in propositions than on a side. "That's where the money is today," he said. "That's where I make my profit." Banker offers this note to prop players: "People ask why so many Super Bowls (the last two being exceptions) are blowouts; I tell them to pay close attention to what goes on late in the third quarter and early in the fourth. "If it's the fourth quarter and fourth and 8, the offense is going to go for it because there's no tomorrow. "They'll get a first down about 25 percent of the time. "Otherwise, it's a great spot for the defense, which puts its side in great scoring position. "If a team is down by 10 points or more going into the fourth quarter it's going to be a blowout." During his heyday, when Banker was penning a column and appearing daily (he still surfaces on the Las Vegas CBS affiliate each week) on TV and radio, he once strung together 13 straight Super Bowl victories ATS, starting with the 1973 game. He remembers that one well. "Miami went 16-0, but I was going to bet Washington," Banker recalled. "My friend Larry Merchant was in town researching his book, 'National Football Lottery.' "He asked why I would go against an unfeated team that had been getting the job done all year. "Larry got me thinking and I changed my mind." The Dolphins won (14-7) and covered. "That started the string," Banker said. "It's all publicly documented." As he combs through pages upon pages of Super Bowl propositions, Banker keeps one thought in mind. "The great W.C. Fields was an atheist," Banker said. "He was reading a Bible on his death bed when someone asked what he was doing. "Fields replied, 'I'm looking for loopholes.' "That's what I'm doing: Looking for loopholes.'"