Bettor places huge wager on Raiders-Chargers game Thursday
The Chargers have lost and failed to cover four of their last five games. They’ve mustered only 23 points in their last three.
Things aren’t looking up for their “Thursday Night Football” matchup with the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, either. The Chargers will be without quarterback Justin Herbert and wide receiver Keenan Allen.
At least one big bettor is still banking on Los Angeles to cover as a 3-point underdog.
A Caesars Sportsbook bettor in Nevada wagered $70,000 on the Chargers +3, while a BetMGM bettor also placed a five-figure wager on Los Angeles +3.
The Raiders are consensus 3-point favorites after losing three straight. They’re coming off a 3-0 home loss to the Vikings on Sunday.
The line climbed as high as 3½ on Monday at Circa Sports. Sharp money has been reported on both sides of this AFC West matchup.
“Wise guys took Chargers +3, another group laid Raiders -2.5,” South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said Monday in a text message. “Back and forth for a while but now it’s all Raiders. Wise guys aren’t interested in taking Chargers +3 any longer.”
The total is 34½ after opening at 33½.
“We did have sharp play over 34 and sharp play on the Raiders -3,” MGM Resorts director of trading Lamarr Mitchell said.
Mitchell said the tickets are 4-1 in favor of the Raiders and money is 2-1 in their favor. The tickets and money are 2-1 in favor of the under.
“Right now, we’ll need the Chargers and the over,” he said.
The tickets and money also favor the Raiders at Station Casinos.
“All indications point to us being huge Chargers fans tonight,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “It’s a product of both Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen being out for the Chargers.”
Los Angeles backup QB Easton Stick will make his first career start. Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and receiver Davante Adams are questionable. It’s also unclear if rookie Aidan O’Connell will remain the team’s starting QB or if veteran Jimmy Garoppolo will return to action.
“The game has lost some star power,” Esposito said. “But it’s still an isolated game in Vegas that should have a huge handle.”
The Chargers were 3½-point favorites over the Raiders last week on the look-ahead line at the Westgate SuperBook. The book posted the line again Sunday night with the Raiders as 1½-point favorites after Herbert fractured his right index finger in the Chargers’ 24-7 loss to the Broncos.
The total moved more than the spread. It plummeted from 42½ last week to 33½, before inching up to 34½.
Unders on NFL prime-time games started 29-9 this season, but overs are 6-1 in the last seven.
The Raiders (5-8, 6-6-1 ATS) and Chargers (5-8, 5-8 ATS) are tied for the league’s worst over/under record at 3-10. They went under the total of 49 in the Raiders’ 24-17 loss at Los Angeles in Week 4.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
