Heartbreaking loss for fans in Seattle

SEATTLE — People in Seattle poised to celebrate a second straight Super Bowl win by the Seahawks were instead left stunned.

“I’m sad,” said Rebe Wolverton, who was part of a crowd watching Sunday’s game on large-screen TVs outside a restaurant near CenturyLink Field.

A late interception preserved New England’s 28-24 victory.

“This hurts,” said Wolverton, who was wearing a Seahawks winter cap and holding a bag of Skittles, the favorite candy of the team’s running back, Marshawn Lynch.

Moments before the turnover Seattleites were certain their team would score with a run from the 1-yard-line. The boisterous crowd in the Pioneer Square neighborhood near where the Seahawks play home games was instead left shocked.

In the city’s University District police officers kept watch on a crowd of dozens of fans, some waving “12th Man” flags.

In north Seattle, 46-year-old George Bunting was mystified that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll would make the “wrong decision” and decide to throw instead of having Lynch take the ball.

“This is a major upset. He should’ve just used the man,” Bunting said, referring to Lynch.

Emily Simpson and Steven Baily were all ready for another celebration.

“This is heartbreaking,” the 25-year- old Simpson said. “I didn’t hear any firearms or fireworks or anything. But it’s just a game.”

Baily called the Seahawks play-calling “just insane.”

“I was hoping they were going to just fall into the goal. That’s all that needed to happen,” said Baily, 23.

VEGAS: Lines were out the door at some Las Vegas sports books in the hours before the Super Bowl, with bettors eager to take their shot at a game that oddsmakers called a toss-up.

At the South Point book, oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro said the pick ’ em line was the first he could remember since the 1982 Super Bowl, with money balanced evenly on each team.

“The best job we’re doing today is staying out of the way and taking their cash,” Vaccaro said. “We have nothing to be concerned about. We win no matter who wins.”

Seattle opened a favorite two weeks ago, but the line switched to New England when early money came in on the Patriots. The late money was on the Seahawks, evening the game out as pick ’em at most legal books.

“This is the easiest game I’ve ever been involved with,” said Vaccaro, who began making odds in the 1970s. “Barring something silly like a 4-0 game it’s going to be very good for the books.”

Vaccaro said the betting could surpass the $119.7 million wagered on last year’s Super Bowl in Nevada sports books.