Early bettors take ‘Bama over Texas in title game

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Sports books in Las Vegas say early bettors on
the BCS national championship game are siding with No. 1 Alabama.
    Senior Odds Manager Mike Seba of Las Vegas Sports Consultants
said Monday that oddsmakers expect gamblers to think highly of the
4-point favorite Crimson Tide after they cruised in the
Southeastern Conference championship game against defending
national champion Florida.
    Alabama (13-0) faces No. 2 Texas in the title game Jan. 7.
    Jay Rood, race and sports book director for MGM Mirage, says
Alabama supporters have pushed the Crimson Tide to a 5.5-point
favorite after his casinos opened by spotting Texas 4.5 points.
    Texas (13-0) beat Nebraska 13-12 in the Big 12 championship.
    Seba says Texas seems to have trouble against teams with good
defenses.