MoneySportsTravel

Sunday Sin Day: Pot, Prop and Parlay Bets, Pooches, and Pool Cleaning


This Sin Day, I’m in Sin City deciding whether I want to lay prop and parlay bets on the Las Vegas Aces game against the undefeated Connecticut Sun to try and cover what I’m about to pay for tickets to be there. I’ve had so little luck since getting to Sin City, I’m ready to start betting on WNBA games.

I told myself I would wait until the middle of the WNBA season to start laying prop and parlay bets on women’s basketball. Low women’s salaries relative to men’s in virtually every industry force WNBA players to participate in other professional basketball leagues throughout the world, so many players aren’t available at the beginning of the season, especially with COVID-19 protocols in place. But it’s not like I’ve had a lot of luck betting on the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

I nailed my first day of NHL bets, winning a $10 parlay that paid about $50, and scoring wins on two $5 prop bets that paid around $15 each. The Carolina Hurricanes came through and won by two, Boston and Washington scored more than five goals, and two of the four players I picked to score goals scored goals. Since then I’ve hit on just one prop bet and lost all my parlay bets. I’m down about $100 pending today’s bets, but at least I didn’t put $771 on the Minnesota Wild to beat the Vegas Golden Knights by two on Thursday. I know someone who did and feel kind of bad because the bet was my idea. The Wild were even up 2-0 early, but I only had $10 on it. My buddy has a bit of a gambling problem. I have a bit of a budget problem.

What I didn’t budget for was my Venmo account being hacked and potentially costing me $175. Now my $500 gambling and entertainment budget for this three-week trip could be down to $100 if I lose all my bets today. If I go to the Aces game, I’ve got nothing to play with for the next two weeks. But it’s not like I need much. I’ve got plenty of legal weed to help me enjoy the little things even more than I already do.

Doing Las Vegas on a budget makes you realize the little things that make life worth living in the desert. My sister has a pool and hot tub, and I really enjoy swimming and relaxing, but I never thought I’d actually find pool cleaning to be so enjoyable. Some of my favorite moments are listening to The Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz and cleaning the pool. It wasn’t until I stayed at my sister’s for awhile that I realized I could be happy working as a pool boy in the desert.

Of course, that wouldn’t be the case if not for the pot. I’ve long considered a legal cannabis purchase to be the best ever shopping experience. Pot and pool cleaning go together like, well, pot and virtually everything. Legal weed makes the world a better place. That much has been obvious since it was first legalized for adult use in Colorado. How else could I get so much enjoyment from watching my sister’s dogs lose toys under furniture and struggle to reach them? Of course I eventually help them, but not until they’ve exhausted every possible option for freeing the toy from under the furniture.

I still don’t know if I’ll go to the Aces game today. We’re supposed to go to one when my sister returns, which will make it easier to get tickets. The pandemic has made a single ticket to any event virtually unavailable for sale. I did get the only single ticket available to a potential Game 7 between the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild, but that game happening is pretty unlikely. I guess that means I’ll have another $220 to spend on WNBA prop and parlay bets, though.

Anthony Varriano

Anthony Varriano is a storyteller, pro wrestling ring announcer, and public address announcer for amateur hockey in the State of Hockey. He is editor of Go Gonzo Journal and producer, editor, and host of Minnesota Foul Play-by-Play, a podcast providing colorful commentary on Minnesota sports and foul play in sports. He spent six years as a newspaper journalist, sportswriter, and photographer.

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