IT was a 'garbage-time' shot that turned into gold for some local bettors.
Chris Ross’ seemingly inconsequential three-pointer that riled Ginebra coach Tim Cone late in San Miguel’s 99-88 win in Game Three of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Wednesday night made bettors who picked SMB in the point-spread game quite happy.
They won particularly in the over-under category.
MSW or Megasportsworld, regarded as one of the top sportsbooks or oddsmakers in the country, installed the game’s over-under spread at 185.5, giving bettors a choice between going over or under the said total, predicting the final combined outputs of both teams.
Ross’ three-pointer meant both teams’ final outputs totaled 187 points, covering the spread if you bet over it.
[See Cone confronts Ross over 'disrespectful' three-pointer at garbage time]
“Pasalamat ako kay Ross,” a bettor, who requested not to be named, said with a laugh the morning after. He obviously cashed in on the bet.
Ross' shot led to a confrontation with Cone, who was seen shouting at the SMB guard after the final buzzer sounded. Eyewitnesses said the verbal tussle extended all the way to the hallway leading to the two teams' adjacent dugouts at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The two declined to comment on the confrontation afterwards, with Ross playing it coy by telling reporters, "Nothing, nothing. What happened? I don't know what happened."
[See Austria defends Ross over 'disrespectful' three-pointer]
SMB coach Leo Austria later leapt to his player's defense, saying all Ross wanted when he took the shot was to avoid the shot clock from running out on the Beermen.
Austria added he tried to stop a 'pumped-up' Ross from taking the shot.
"I was stopping him from taking the shot kaya lang upbeat yung bata. I think he feels kailangan hindi abutin ng shot clock, kaya siguro tinira niya pero unfortunately, pumasok," Austria said.
Despite the late controversy, the win meant a double celebration for those who bet on SMB in the full-game spreads where MSW installed the Beermen a -6.5 favorite, meaning they had to win by at least just seven points.
According to sources with knowledge of illegal gambling odds, SMB was installed a plus-6 favorite for Game Three.