Kansas Metropolis Chiefs punter Matt Araiza deliberately tiptoed out of the tip zone Saturday to give up a security, which added meaningless factors to the scoreboard however shook the playing world.
Araiza’s finish zone give up — which put the ending touches on Kansas Metropolis’s 23-14 playoff victory over the Houston Texans — settled wagers from Las Vegas to our on-line world in a play gamblers name a “backdoor cowl.”
Gamblers who smelled a attainable upset may’ve guess on underdog Houston and gained 9.5 factors on Saturday, within the closing level unfold that had began at Kansas Metropolis -8. However as early week Las Vegas cash went on Kansas Metropolis, the road shifted and compelled late Chiefs backers to must give up 9.5 factors by Saturday.
So in different phrases, betting on Houston could be a successful funding so long as the Texans gained the sport outright or misplaced by not more than 9 factors. And conversely, Ok.C. bettors wanted the Chiefs to win by 10 or extra.
The spread-deciding play was an uncommon one to make sure, as Kansas Metropolis, main 23-12, confronted fourth-and-15 from their very own 18 yard-line with 15 seconds left. Chiefs coach Andy Reid may have simply punted the ball with nearly no probability of Houston scoring twice in closing seconds, probably with assist from a blocked kick.
However to completely lock the sport away, Reid elected to have Araiza dash towards his personal aim, dance on the sting of the tip zone to kill valuable seconds after which step out of bounds with 9 seconds to play.
These two factors meant the whole lot to gamblers who acquired or gave 9.5 factors as the ultimate margin shrank from 11 to 9. The ESPN crew calling the sport instantly took observe of what these factors meant.
“And there are lots of people who’re being attentive to that,” play-by-play man Joe Buck stated. “That makes it a 9-point recreation.”
Buck and analyst Troy Aikman took observe of how longtime NFL broadcaster Al Michaels would delicately interject playing points in calls, in a earlier period when sports activities wagering wasn’t as open as it’s now.
“Al Michaels is smiling proper now, “Aikman chuckled.
“Al Michaels is giddy,” Buck added. “Wow.”
David Ok. Li
Senior Breaking Information Reporter