Medina dealer offers free cars if Steelers blanked

Associated Press

Cleveland

Some car-buyers at a northeast Ohio car dealership will get their vehicles free, except for taxes, if the Cleveland Browns keep the rival Pittsburgh Steelers scoreless in today’s game at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Customers who bought cars from the Kia dealership in Medina from Monday through the close of business on Saturday will have the cost rebated if Cleveland’s NFL team manages to shut out the Steelers, dealership owner Bill Doraty said.

The Steelers have a record of 11-4 heading into the matchup in Cleveland, while the Browns are 4-11.

The Steelers haven’t been held scoreless in a game since 2006, when it happened twice, and bookies called it a longshot, The Plain Dealer reported. But Doraty said it’s possible.

Las Vegas odds makers put the risk of the Browns holding the Steelers scoreless at about 5,000 to one, the newspaper reported.

“Pittsburgh’s not going to lay down,” said Jay Rood, vice president of racing and sports operations for the MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas. Rood said his 5,000-to-one odds on a Browns shutout are probably a bit generous.

John Avello, director of race and sports operations for Wynn Casinos in Las Vegas, said buying a $20,000 car on the chance of getting it for free is a risky bet, but not a ridiculous one.

“He’s effectively offering 20,000-to-one odds,” Avello said of Doraty. “I wouldn’t offer that kind of payout” on a shutout bet, he said. Avello put the odds of a Browns shutout at about 1,000-to-one.

Doraty hopes he will come out ahead if the promotion increases sales. As of midday Friday, about 60 cars had been sold.

“Anytime that you can do something that’s different, that separates you from the crowd, that’s what any retailer’s looking for,” he said.

The promotion did draw customers to the dealership about 30 miles south of Cleveland, he said, though he doubts anyone expected to get their car for free.

“They’re laughing and joking about it,” Doraty said. “I hope on Monday I’m talking to you about 100 people getting free cars.”

He expected to pay about $30,000 to the insurance company underwriting the promotion.

Robert Ferringo, a sports handicapper for Doc’s Sports Services near Madison, Wis., said a Chicago car dealer last week offered to give away vehicles if the Bears shut out the Green Bay Packers, who ended up scoring 35 points.

“I think the odds of Cleveland pulling a shutout on Pittsburgh is better than Chicago blanking Green Bay, but it is still a major long shot,” Ferringo said in an email. He noted that there have been four shutouts in the past 41 meetings between the two teams, but it was Cleveland that was scoreless.