Fansided

NFL Draft prop bets authorized for first time in Nevada

By Derek Helling

Apr 28, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams fans await the announcement of quarterback Jared Goff as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft at draft party at L.A. Live. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams fans await the announcement of quarterback Jared Goff as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft at draft party at L.A. Live. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Raiders aren’t the only thing pertaining to the NFL coming to Las Vegas soon. For the first time ever, sports books in Nevada will be taking bets on the NFL Draft.

Adding intrigue to the 2017 version, scheduled to take place April 27-29, could be some intriguing NFL Draft prop bets. The most obvious of those prop bets, however, is the one that won’t be allowed by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

According to Todd Dewey of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, bettors will not be allowed to wager on who will selected first overall in the draft.

Examples of prop bets that will be allowed include the over/under on when the first kicker will be selected, how many quarterbacks will be taken in the first round, and whether more offensive or defensive players will be selected in the first round.

Related Story: San Antonio Raiders would be more successful than Las Vegas Raiders

While it’s hard to point to any explicit connection, it’s an unmistakeable coincidence that mere weeks after the announcement the Raiders will be moving to Las Vegas, a petition by a sports book to be able to take these bets was approved by the board. Not only was that specific petition approved, but approval was given to all books in the state for such bets.

There has been no comment from the NFL on this matter yet, and it’s unlikely any official statement would deviate from that which Commissioner Roger Goodell has already consistently given on every occasion. The NFL’s official stance is still that legalized sports gambling could harm the integrity of its games.

Regardless of the NFL’s stance, having a franchise in Nevada has already increased the action that sports books are seeing in regards to football. As time passes and more laws outlawing sports betting are challenged, prop bets like these and perhaps gambling on games will only increase.