Sharps take side in Jaguars-Bengals matchup on ‘TNF’
Fading the Jaguars and betting on NFL prime-time games to go over the total have worked out almost perfectly for bettors this season.
Jacksonville is 0-3 straight up and against the spread heading into Thursday night’s matchup at Cincinnati (2-1 SU/ATS), and the over is 8-1 in prime-time games.
The Bengals are consensus 7½-point favorites over the Jaguars at Las Vegas sportsbooks, and the total is 46.
The matchup of the last two No. 1 overall draft picks in Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow and Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence is shaping up as a showdown between professional sports bettors and the betting public.
More than 80 percent of the tickets are on the Bengals at Station Casinos, while the South Point — the only book at -8 — initially took sharp action on the Jaguars.
“Sharps took Jags +8 when I opened,” South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said in a text. “I went to Cincy -7½ and I’m back to -8 with action on the favorite.”
Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said Station is rooting for the Jaguars and under.
“Through the first three weeks of the season, the Jags have been a play against,” Esposito said.
Rookie quarterbacks are 1-10 SU and ATS this season. Lawrence is tied with Jets rookie Zach Wilson for the most interceptions thrown, with seven each.
Burrow is third in interceptions, with four, but has thrown seven TD passes while leading Cincinnati to wins over the Minnesota Vikings and the injury-riddled Pittsburgh Steelers.
“A road division win is pretty important, regardless of how bad or injured the opponent looks,” Circa sportsbook manager Chris Bennett said. “Maybe the Bengals are greatly improved. It’s certainly reasonable, given them not having Joe Burrow at the end of last year and what the expectations are for him as an NFL quarterback.
“Trevor Lawrence’s numbers so far are horrible. He’s thrown multiple interceptions in every start so far.”
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
