And on the third day, the “2017 South Point Sports Book Customer Service Agent of the Year,” Therese, pulled out a roll of Scotch Tape from behind the counter and re-assembled my torn winning betting slip from Friday’s Alabama-Hofstra game and I was $19.10 better off.

Of course, Therese’s turn as miracle worker came after Geno Auriema and his UConn women’s basketball team couldn’t ever find their rhythm during its first-round match up with Texas-San Antonio and merely won by 38 points and not the 55 the oddsmakers thought it would.

Hubris, thy name is Doug for laying 55 points.

Our day ended in fantastic fashion sitting at the Steak ‘n Shake in South Point gnoshing on burgers and shakes and fries while watching the end of the Vanderbilt-Nebraska game on a phone screen. A game in which three of us had some interest😉

One of our group had the first-half Over which was set at 68.5 points. His palms were sweaty and his knees weak – though there was no sign of mom’s spaghetti;-) – as the teams slogged their way to 71 first-half points.

I had the Nebraska getting two points in the game while another had Vanderbilt giving those same two points.

A scenario did exist where all three of us could be winners: The combined 71 first-half points followed by a Vanderbilt 1-point win.

Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner nearly delivered just that at the buzzer with his shot that was that close (see image above) from going in and giving the Commodores a 75-74 victory. (Check out the shot below.)

Instead we had to settle for 2-for-3.

Here’s what transpired Saturday:

• South Point’s Saint Therese rescued my accidentally torn betting slip from the trash heap and turned my stupidity into a victory (Win! Payout $19.10)
• $10 wagered on UConn women -55 points against Texas-San Antonio – Final Score: UConn 90, UTSA 52. (Loss!)
• $10 wagered on Nebraska +2 points against Vanderbilt – Final Score: Nebraska 74, Vanderbilt 72. Win! Payout $19.10)

So, as I type this early Sunday morning (praying to Saint Therese, of course) I am currently up $17.50 for the three days.

Day 2 embracing the madness that is March in Las Vegas was a tale of wins, wonton disregard for reading comprehension, and a bad beat as part of Event No. 49 of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.

My dad watches a lot of mid-major men’s basketball thanks to ESPN+ and he provided me with two schools to keep an eye on before I headed here: High Point University (Big South) and Wright State University (Horizon League).

If you recall from my Day 1 Ledger, High Point won its game outright and me a whopping $9.10. I figured, who am I to disregard my father’s advice at this point.

Of course, dear old dad would have encouraged me to read the final scores of games for content carefully before decided to rip up a betting slip (see above). I still swear I saw the Alabama-Hofstra final score on the ticker as 90-80. Imagine my shock when I noticed that 80 was really a 70. I wonder if my six pieces will get me paid? I think I already know the answer to that question but it must be asked.

And then there was the St. John’s-Northern Iowa game. Convinced Coach Rick Pitino would not endure another early exit like he did a year ago when his group didn’t escape opening weekend, I took the Over of 132.5. The final total … 132!!! All I needed was one of those 13 combined missed free throws to get made!

Here’s what transpired Friday:

• $10 wagered on Wright State +17 points against Virginia – Final Score: Virginia 82, Wright State 73 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
• $10 wagered on Alabama -12 points against Hofstra – Final Score: Alabama 90, Hofstra 70 (Win! But I tore my ticket up:-( Payout TBD)
• $10 wagered on the Over of 132.5 in the St. John’s-Northern Iowa game – Final Score: St. John’s 79, Northern Iowa 53 (Loss!)

So, as I type this early Saturday morning I am down $2.70 pending the outcome turning in my torn betting slip.

They say the house always wins.

With this knowledge, I fully understand the other shoe is about to drop, but for at least one day my bottom line during Event No. 49 of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events is a positive.

Subscribers of the Project will recall from Inside Baseball – March Edition that I’d allocated myself one $100 bill to wager on NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament action here in Las Vegas.

Here’s what went transpired:

• $10 wagered on High Point +10.5 points against Wisconsin – Final score: High Point 83, Wisconsin 82 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
• $10 wagered on McNeese State +12 points against Vanderbilt – Final score: Vanderbilt 78, McNeese State 68 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
• $10 wagered on Gonzaga -20.5 points against Kennesaw State – Final score: Gonzaga 73, Kennesaw State 69 (Loss!)

So, as I type this early Friday morning I am up $8.20.

Let’s see what today brings:-)

^{Part of my winnings from Day 1 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.}