Three popular favorites (New England, Oakland and Pittsburgh) and one trendy underdog (Tampa Bay) paid off the betting public in NFL Week 15.
Matt Youmans
With their disappointing season essentially on the line, the slumping Green Bay Packers are the play as 3-point underdogs at Washington.
The Cougars, who closed as 17½-point underdogs, knocked the Cardinals out of College Football Playoff contention in a 36-10 blowout that got ugly early.
It was a bounce-back Sunday for several teams, including Arizona, and it was back to reality for others such as Tampa Bay.
Chicago has five players who are expected to join Dwyane Wade, who left Miami to sign as a free agent, on the regular-season roster. The Bulls are led by forwards Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine.
At the time the pick was made, the Oakland Raiders were roundly applauded, something that rarely happens.
There are 16 games today, presenting more entertainment and more opportunities to make money. The bad news is the most recent 16 games put a lot of bettors in a money pit. But bouncing back is part of this exercise.
Sports bettors are known for blowing smoke when it comes to exaggerating wins and downplaying losses. But blowing smoke is not permitted at the Westgate anymore.
It’s reality-check time for the Golden State Warriors and the bettors who put money on the team to break a major record. Stephen Curry is not in Michael Jordan’s airspace yet, and he’s probably not getting there this season.
Every good soap opera features twists and turns and marriages and affairs. The NFL is not much different. It’s a year-round drama, and for the longest time we have followed the careers of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning and their complicated relationship.
If this is the end, it’s sad. What appears to be the Chargers’ final season in San Diego is coming to a forgettable conclusion. Philip Rivers has spent his 12-year NFL career as the quarterback for one team.
It never has been easier to reach a bowl game, which is not a good thing.
Every bookmaker in Las Vegas showed up for work Sunday morning praying for underdogs and rooting against Tom Brady. That’s basically the case every week, but it was especially true this time.
Believe it or not, Pete Carroll is the second-oldest head coach in the NFL. It’s hard to believe because of his up-tempo approach to life, and he will need all of that energy to lead the Seattle Seahawks through this season.
No matter what changes LeBron James influences, the Cleveland Cavaliers are a better bet to win next year’s NBA championship than the Golden State Warriors are to repeat. The Westgate Las Vegas sports book opened Cleveland as the 9-4 favorite to win the 2015-16 title, with Golden State second at 5-1.
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