Sharp bettors back side, total on Raiders-Chargers ‘SNF’ game

Sharp bettors are on both sides of the Raiders-Chargers probable playoff elimination game at different numbers.

Los Angeles opened as a 2½-point favorite over Las Vegas on “Sunday Night Football” at Allegiant Stadium. Sharp money on the Chargers -2½ pushed the consensus Las Vegas line to 3, where the South Point sportsbook also took sharp action on the Raiders +3.

Sharps also are banking on the game to go over the total. Circa Sports took sharp bets over the opening number of 48½ that has pushed the total to 50 there and at the South Point and Westgate SuperBook. The total is 49½ at other books.

A BetMGM bettor made a $33,000 straight bet on the Chargers -3 that put the money count on the game at a 4-1 ratio Friday in favor of Los Angeles. But MGM Resorts director of trading Jeff Stoneback said the tickets and money will be firmly in favor of the home team when the game kicks off.

“I know we’ll be rooting for the Chargers. There has not been a home game yet where we’ve needed the Raiders,” Stoneback said. “Usually, out of state fans come from opposing teams. But the Chargers don’t even get home fans when they’re in LA.

“Probably 80 percent of the tickets we’ll write in our books Saturday and Sunday will be on the Raiders and over and the Raiders money line and over.”

Las Vegas is +135 on the money line.

At Station Casinos, the Raiders have the lead in ticket count.

“The early action was on the Chargers and drove us to 3,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “But by the time the game kicks off Sunday night, from the fan side of it we’ll be rooting for the Raiders, because it’s always good when the local team moves on, but from the liability side, we’ll clearly be Chargers fans.”

Las Vegas (9-7, 7-9 ATS) started the season 3-0 before suffering a 28-14 loss at Los Angeles as a 3-point underdog. The Raiders have won three in a row and covered their past two — beating the Colts 23-20 on Sunday as 8½-point road underdogs — to keep their playoff hopes alive.

If the Colts (15½-point favorites over the Jaguars) and Steelers (3½-point underdogs to the Ravens) lose Sunday, the Raiders will clinch a playoff spot. If the Colts lose and the Steelers win, the Raiders and Chargers could clinch a spot with a tie.

Otherwise, the winner of Sunday night’s game is in the postseason and the loser is out.

“The playoffs do not start next week. They start Sunday night,” Esposito said. “The winner goes on, and the loser goes home. We’re going to have a huge handle on that game.”

The Chargers (9-7, 8-8 ATS), who have won and covered their past two meetings with the Raiders, suffered back-to-back losses to the Chiefs and Texans before beating the Broncos 34-13 last week. They’re 4-6 ATS as favorites.

Los Angeles has gone over the total in five straight games and eight of 10.

The Raiders have allowed an average of 15.6 points during their three-game winning streak and have gone under in three straight and five of seven. They’ve topped 23 points once in their past nine games, when they defeated Dallas 36-33 in overtime on Thanksgiving.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.