Let it be known that on Thursday, the first legal sports bet in Nebraska was placed on a game that won't be decided for two months.
Dave Anderson, vice president of the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, put $220 on the Husker football team to beat Minnesota in the season opener on Aug. 31.
He took the 8½ points — he's a fan, but not a fool — in case you were wondering.
"I like Matt Ruhle and his staff and I think they are going to turn it around," said Anderson, the Ashland resident who ceremoniously placed the first bet at WarHorse Casino as dozens looked on. "Not that I want the time to go any faster than it is — I'm getting old enough as it is — but I'm really looking forward to the football season."
So are a lot of people — especially now that sports gambling has been made legal in Nebraska.
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Football is the "bread and butter" to every sportsbook, says Jason Johnston, WarHorse's sportsbook manager.
But Thursday's launch comes during a lull in the sports betting season that will give Johnston the time needed to get his staff up to speed before football season begins.
"This will give our team a lot of valuable experience," Johnston said. "What we're looking forward to is getting to college football and NFL football. That's where a majority of the dollars are wagered."
It will also give Lincoln's betting population some time to learn how to place a bet — face to face.
"Some of them, I know, have never legally placed a bet," he said. "We can teach them over the next few weeks so when it comes time to bet on Big Red — all the away games, of course — they'll be able to do so."
The Legislature put in place restrictions that won't allow sports gamblers the opportunity to place a bet when the Huskers are playing in Lincoln.
Sports betting was never a primary agenda item for Ho-Chunk Inc., the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska that operates the casino, but CEO Lance Morgan understood the significance that Thursday brought.
"It makes sense that we're doing this and we're glad to be a little part of history with the first actual legal sports bet in Nebraska," he said. "It's a first step. There's probably going to be a lot more that happens in the future here."
The casino is currently being housed in a smaller building, while beyond the parking lot is a construction zone that will someday house a larger, 48,000-square-foot permanent casino, hotel and horse racing track.Â
"This is going to be a great facility about a year from now," said Lynne McNally, CEO of the Nebraska Horsemen.
Sports betting "is the cherry on the sundae," Morgan said.
"It's pretty exciting," Morgan said. "We really didn't do all of this for sports betting, but I am so glad that it became legal while we were focusing on (building the casino) because I think it's going to be a lot of fun for Nebraskans."
Not to mention another revenue stream for the state, which for years could only watch as gambling dollars left Nebraska for neighboring states like Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.
"The people of Nebraska have always been betting," Anderson said. "Now we're doing it legally. That's why it's so big to keep the money right here. For years we've seen the money go to surrounding states and we got nothing.
"This is a huge deal for us."
WarHorse is the only legal sports betting venue in the state, said Tom Sage, executive director of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission.
"We urge the public to refrain from engaging in sports betting through non-regulated online and mobile platforms, as it remains illegal in Nebraska," Sage said in a written statement.
Nebraska remains at least one legislative session from allowing Nebraskans to make sports bets through a mobile app.
"Mobile gaming is probably where it's really going to take off," Morgan said. "You can do mobile lottery now and you can do mobile keno so I don't know why we can't do mobile sports betting, but that's something to talk about next year."
On Thursday, he preferred to dwell on the progress, which might have been epitomized by Kenny Mallory, the 83-year-old tribal elder of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
Mallory stood next to Anderson and placed the second bet — a modest $20 wager on Wake Forest to beat LSU on Thursday night at the College World Series in Omaha.
"I never thought I would live long enough to make this bet," he said. "This is a great day for Nebraska."