Bettors bank on Patriots to bounce back against Buccaneers
Since 2003, the Patriots are 43-6 in regular-season games after a loss.
The betting public expects that trend to continue Thursday night, backing New England as a 5-point road favorite over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Patriots are coming off a 33-30 home loss Sunday to the Carolina Panthers.
“We need the Bucs,” Caesars Palace sports book director Frank Kunovic said. “They’re betting the Patriots.
“It’s your typical NFL game. The public is on the favorite and over. Almost all of the parlays are to the over.”
The total is 54 to 55 at Las Vegas sports books, where New England is favored from 4½ to 5 points.
The Patriots (2-2) have gone over in eight straight games, and Tampa Bay (2-1) has gone over in 20 of its last 28 games in October.
The Patriots had the league’s top scoring defense last season but have the worst this year, allowing 32.0 points per game.
“I don’t think they have as much talent on that defense as in years past,” Kunovic said. “They just may be able to slow the bleeding a little bit.
“I’m picking the same thing as the public: Patriots and over.”
Before the national anthem, the Buccaneers will hold a moment of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting and ask fans in attendance to shine the light on their cellphone for the brightest city on earth.
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) October 5, 2017
More betting: Follow all of our sports betting coverage online at reviewjournal.com/betting and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
