Much like the players and coaches are expected to do, the gamblers around the country are sure to try and use the replacement referees at NBA games to their advantage.Although legalized betting on exhibition games -- that begin tonight with replacements -- is expected to be minimal, those in the gambling industry will be scrutinizing the new officials closely in hopes of seeing tendencies and trends that they can use in both wagering and setting point spreads for regular season games.
"The bettors may be a little leery of the new refs at the start, but they'll be out there analyzing, looking for patterns they can use,'' said Richard Gardner, sports book manager for BODOG, the on-line sports betting site. "It's like a chess game (with the gamblers). I'll be looking for trends myself. It's definitely something to keep an eye on.''
