So I'm right that they don't always get even money on both sides. What I've been saying the whole time.
Uh no.
Vegas will happily take more money on one side if it thinks that side is unlikely to win. The sportsbooks are often in a position of cheering for one team or another during big games, because they have taken more money on one side. It's not as simple as you all think.
I just gave you an article, from you own, handpicked example, where they flat out said that bets on one side they thought would come in, didn't come in. Didn't seem like they happily took it, since, you know, they kept moving the line toward the Giants to try and generate more Pats bets. If they were happy taking all the money on the Giants, why did they move the line?
If you don't think Vegas is trying to dupe people into getting the action into that 52/48 (or whatever the odds on a particular event are) window to guarantee profit, I don't know what to tell you.
The goal of Vegas is to get the action close to even so they make money. Yeah, it doesn't always happen. But that is the goal and the idea behind the lines.