"There's more bets taken during an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden then there is on that game here," Goodman said. "Think about it, you going to sit around watching 10 guys run up and down the court for two hours without some money going around? I didn't think so."

For my money, the owners and execs are the real criminals. They are vicious and vile, feasting on the flesh of children and old people. Just look at Al Davis. They loot the public treasury for a new stadium. They charge $8.50 for a beer. They claim their low-rent, second-rate organizations are perpetually "rebuilding". They draft emotionally unstable and intellectually shallow children, get them hopped up on Potential and mescaline and turn them loose on society. Then the players are cut loose after they become multiple felons.

It's inconceivable that owners and league executives can pass judgment on Las Vegas or legalized professional gambling on the basis of some moral authority. They have more blood on their hands than most, and since they wouldn't resist the urges of greed and temptation they don't expect anyone else to either.

"They don't realize the Nevada sports books and the league are on the same side," Kornegay said. "We both want 'true' games. If anyone gets hurt on a crooked game it's the sports books. This is why we have so many policies, regulations and procedures to make sure the games stay true."

"Someday they will realize that they need us a lot more than we need them," Goodman said of sports leagues.

The NHL and MLB have stated that if Las Vegas was awarded a franchise the casinos and books would have to agree not to take bets on the home team. This arrangement was a condition of hosting the NBA All-Star Game, and had been in place for UNLV and Nevada athletics until recently. The NBA has said that the books would have to agree not to take any action on any NBA games - period - before Las Vegas would be given its own team.

Over $2.5 billion was gambled through legal channels in Las Vegas in 2005. Nearly $400 million of that was on the NBA. Those are high stakes for casino owners and operators, especially since they form the backbone of the local economy but stand to gain little from the presence of a pro team. Also, what if Las Vegas were awarded an MLB team and it made the World Series, or if they got an NFL team and it played in the Super Bowl? There would be riots in the street and potentially billions of dollars lost.

Should Las Vegas have a pro sports team? Could it even handle one? We will see. But when asked what the odds of Las Vegas having a pro franchise by 2010 were, Goodman didn't hesitate: "It's a guarantee."

Hmm. A guarantee in Vegas? If you're willing to buy that, I'm willing to bet that you'll be welcome in Sin City anytime.