The Houston Texans’ upset helped Las Vegas sportsbooks to a small winning day despite the fact that double-digit favorites went 4-1 ATS and favorites went 7-4 ATS overall.
Football
BetMGM and Caesars each reported a seven-figure loss, the SuperBook reported a six-figure loss and Station Casinos also reported a big losing day capped by the Packers’ 45-30 win and cover over the Bears on “Sunday Night Football.”
Circa sportsbook took sharp money on the Raiders-Cowboys and Bills-Saints games, and the South Point took sharp action on the Bears-Lions matchup.
In the first seven weeks of the season, there were only two outright upsets by underdogs of seven points or more. But there have been nine such upsets in the last four weeks.
Underdogs went 9-3 ATS with seven outright wins, including upsets by the Jaguars (+16) over the Bills and Broncos (+10) over the Cowboys.
There are six teams with odds of 10-1 or less to win the Super Bowl. The Bills are the clear betting favorites to win it all. But the NFC is a 2-point favorite over the AFC in the early Super Bowl line.
Bettors were all over the Raiders, who outlasted the Dolphins 31-28 in overtime as 3½-point favorites after squandering an 11-point fourth-quarter lead.
On the lookahead line at the Westgate SuperBook, which posts lines for NFL games 12 days in advance, the Raiders opened -1 over the Dolphins and that number has shot up to -4.
The Raiders are arguably the most surprising 2-0 team after traveling across the country on a short week and beating the Steelers 26-17 on Sunday as 5½-point underdogs.
One of the biggest challenges for bettors is to not overreact to what happens one week, especially in Week 1 of the NFL season.
Pro bettors account for most of the exhibition action, which explains why the preseason limits at sportsbooks are one-tenth of what they are during the regular season.
Jon Gruden is one of 34 coaches to win a Super Bowl, but he has never won the NFL Coach of the Year award. The odds are against him winning it this season with the Raiders.
The NFL will expand to a 17-game schedule next season, but the Raiders’ win total is 7½ again at the Westgate and Station Casinos sportsbooks and seven at Circa and BetMGM.
Amid reports that Aaron Rodgers would prefer to play for the Raiders, Broncos or 49ers, Circa sportsbook slashed their Super Bowl odds, moving Las Vegas from 50-1 to 20-1.
Bettors have loaded up on Ohio State QB Justin Fields to go over 3½, which has soared to -270 after the under opened at -200. He is one of 11 quarterbacks listed.