Las Vegas always is a beehive of activity Super Bowl Week. There's plenty of bustling this year, as usual, but some of the hustle appears to be missing. First, Mr. Tagliabue and other Big Apple suits, cash registers cha-chinging in their eyes, kiboshed the big Super Bowl bashes that were a large part of the city's tradition, citing broadcasting rights. Lack of a marquee matchup, the kind that would have FOX drooling, and absence of a Vegas connection -- even a route that would pass through America's gambling Mecca -- also have helped lead to a cutback in bet shop traffic this year. "The action has been blah-blah," said Robert Jaynes, the Stratosphere Tower's race and sports director.

"I went around to other books on my days off and there wasn't a huge buzz. "The Colts and Pats, they were the teams people wanted to see. They would've created a buzz. "I don't think this Super Bowl is going to set any records." Jaynes noted that while straight betting has been slow, proposition wagering has boomed. "We've got four or five hundred -- actually I don't know how many -- up and they're getting a lot of play," he said.

Veteran Vegas handicapper Andy Iskoe, who also spends substantial chunks of time visiting valley sports stores, hasn't detected, "Any greater or lesser degree of interest in this Super Bowl than others." Iskoe planned to join other handicappers and a group of bookmakers Friday at a Super Bowl seminar at the Las Vegas Hilton, then hibernate most of the weekend. "I think you'll see the enthusiasm start to build Friday night and continue into Saturday and Sunday," Iskoe said.

"Oh my God, yes," replied John Avello of the new Wynn Las Vegas bet shop when asked if he could feel the pace quickening. "It's wild. We're busy now." Jack Snyder, assistant race and sports book manager at Sam's Town, expects action at the cowboy-themed resort to also gather steam as the weekend passes and the kickoff nears. "Things will get busy Friday night and then go all day and night Saturday into Sunday.

"One big thing about betting on the weekend is that's when the giveaways are. "Here we're giving out nice Super Bowl t-shirts with $20 parlays." Snyder seeks "juicy plus stuff" when he wants to invest in Super Bowl propositions. "I have Seattle to cover by 7 1/2, which means 8, at plus $3.

50," he said. "I like that one." .

By: Lynda Collins