Rockets owner's Las Vegas casino already paying Warriors conference finals bets

The Golden State Warriors have already won the Western Conference.

Well, only if you placed a bet at the Golden Nugget casino in Las Vegas.

The Warriors and the Houston Rockets kick off the Western Conference Finals on Monday, starting what should be a fantastic playoff series. Days before the series has even started, though, the Golden Nugget is already paying up on it.

The Golden Nugget is owned by Tilman Fertitta, who bought the Houston Rockets for $2.2 billion last year. Per procedure, the casino removed the Rockets from any future bets to avoid a conflict of interest.

So, in that casino, the Warriors have already won the Western Conference. Anyone who bet on Golden State to win the conference can go cash in now. And, should the Rockets beat the Warriors and advance to the finals, anyone who bet on the Warriors would still win their bet.

“It’s crazy,” Golden Nugget sportsbook director Tony Miller said. “Two great teams in the Western Conference Finals, and we’re doing more explaining every day than anything else.”

Now, Fertitta can’t be too upset that his casino is losing money. After all, his Rockets are in a position to reach the NBA Finals in his first season owning the team.

But the Finals would likely be good for casino business at the Golden Nugget if the Rockets are eliminated by the Warriors, so at least Fertitta has that to fall back on.

In this situation, it looks like the house is going to win either way.

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