Sportsbooks bounce again in NFL Week 14: ‘The Lions dropping was an enormous parlay buster’

After two weeks of public/leisure bettors having their means, the NFL Week 14 odds market exacted slightly payback on behalf of the bookmakers. That’ll occur when underdogs take a chew out of in style favorites.

On this weekend’s case, the Chicago Bears knocking off the Detroit Lions set the desk for a good-but-not-great day behind the counter. And although there was just one FBS college football game — the Military-Navy rivalry matchup — that was sufficient to ship one loopy betting end result.

Oddsmakers from Las Vegas and throughout the nation helped rehash the weekend that was in NFL and faculty soccer betting.

Bear Down

Earlier than Sunday’s video games kicked off, BetMGM dealer Christian Cipollini expressed concern concerning the sportsbook’s place on the Lions-Bears sport. Sure, the purpose unfold had truly shortened, from Detroit -4 to -3, because of sharp play on Chicago.

However the betting lots had been nonetheless on the Lions. Actually, at BetMGM, the Lions entered Sunday having taken extra unfold tickets and extra unfold cash than another crew.

“It’s all Lions cash. That is certainly one of our larger pursuits. We’ll want the Bears,” Cipollini stated.

All he hoped for was Chicago to cowl the unfold — lose by lower than 3 factors. As an alternative, what he and different oddsmakers acquired was a welcome Bears outright victory, 28-13. With Lions-Bears within the early window of Sunday NFL video games, that consequence blew up numerous straight-bet and moneyline parlays tied to later video games.

“The Lions dropping was an enormous parlay buster,” BetMGM Nevada’s Scott Shelton stated.

Added South Level sportsbook director Chris Andrews: “Bears outright was actually good.”

However Wait, There’s Extra

Whereas the Bears’ win was key for bookmakers, there have been different notable outcomes that fell their means, too. The New York Jets scoring 30 factors in a single sport definitely wasn’t anticipated. Beating an up-and-coming Houston Texans crew outright wasn’t anticipated both.

However the Jets plowed previous C.J. Stroud & Co. 30-6 as 3-point dwelling underdogs.

As well as, between climate and accidents, bettors had been leaning into just a few Unders. Most notably for BetMGM Nevada, the Texans-Jets whole — which opened at 36.5, bottomed out at 33 and closed pregame at 33.5 — noticed a variety of Beneath play. So too did the Jaguars–Browns whole, which opened at 38.5 and plunged to 30.5 attributable to Trevor Lawrence’s ankle harm in Week 13.

That whole finally rebounded all the way in which to 37.5 pre-kick, because of information that Lawrence would play Sunday. And the Jags and Browns put up a bunch of factors, with Cleveland profitable 31-27. The Jets’ 30-6 win was superb for oddsmakers, as properly, since most Beneath bettors had been on numbers beneath 36.

“The early video games had been actually good, particularly with each the Jets and Browns video games going over the whole,” Shelton stated. “The later video games had been additionally good, with Seatle overlaying, and the Broncos and Payments profitable outright.”

Certainly, nothing blows up parlays and teasers fairly like underdogs profitable outright. Denver rolled previous the L.A. Chargers 24-7 — aided by Chargers QB Justin Herbert exiting with a thumb harm — and Buffalo escaped Kansas Metropolis with a 20-17 victory.

Nearly Historic

For BetMGM Nevada, although, the Los Angeles Rams–Baltimore Ravens sport arguably held probably the most significance. The Rams matched the Ravens score-for-score all sport, forging a 31-31 tie to drive extra time on a last-minute subject purpose.

However Baltimore then gained 37-31 on a Tylan Wallace 76-yard punt return for a landing.

“If the Rams had crushed the Ravens outright, it might have been a historic profitable day,” Shelton stated. “We took two actually massive parlay bets involving the Ravens moneyline. These shall be decided Monday night time.”

Shelton didn’t reveal which Monday night time crew (or groups) these parlays had been tied to. However BetMGM Nevada might nonetheless add these high-roller wagers to its winnings this week. Or the large bettor might make financial institution.

Sunday Evening Settlement

Clearly, the Philadelphia Eagles–Dallas Cowboys Sunday night time conflict was probably the most anticipated sport within the NFL Week 14 odds market. Mentioned BetMGM nationwide dealer Seamus Magee early within the day:

“We count on Cowboys-Eagles to be the most-bet sport of this NFL season. The sportsbook goes to wish the Eagles to cowl big-time.”

Nevertheless, because of some key favorites dropping previous to Sunday night time — Detroit and Kansas Metropolis amongst them — together with a late burst of Eagles motion, BetMGM’s nationwide place wasn’t almost as unhealthy by kickoff.

“Eagles cash has truly come again. Eagles moneyline is now our greatest legal responsibility, so the ebook is rooting for Dallas,” Cipollini stated.

And the ebook acquired Dallas. The Cowboys coasted 33-13 as 3.5-point dwelling favorites.

That stated, Dallas being America’s Crew nonetheless stung a few bookmakers, together with The SuperBook.

“We’re gonna give some a refund tonight with the Cowboys overlaying,” Murray stated. “It was simply an OK day. We had been a small winner.”

Completely Superior — Or Not

The Army–Navy sport has a wealthy historical past and is all the time a spectacle. This 12 months’s assembly was at Gillette Stadium, dwelling of the New England Patriots. Per common in service academy video games, there wasn’t an entire lot of scoring.

However because of a loopy end, there was simply sufficient scoring to offer at the very least one sportsbook and a few Beneath bettors an enormous headache.

The consensus closing quantity for the Military-Navy whole was 28, together with at The SuperBook. Late within the fourth quarter, Military led 17-9, however Navy was driving. A landing and 2-point conversion would drive extra time.

The Midshipmen acquired the ball all the way in which to the 2-yard line, however had been turned again on fourth-and-goal with simply 3 seconds remaining. Beneath bettors had been probably over the moon momentarily, with the sport seemingly set to finish with 26 whole factors.

However oddsmakers had an concept what was coming subsequent: Military taking an intentional security, to keep away from any likelihood of a loopy mistake on the sport’s remaining play. Quarterback Bryson Every day took the shotgun snap and stepped out of the again of the tip zone as time expired.

Remaining rating: 17-11, for 28 whole factors.

“We knew it was coming as quickly as Military acquired the cease on fourth down,” SuperBook threat supervisor Chase Michaelson stated. “We acquired middled, as a result of we had sharp play on Beneath 28.5 and Over 27.5.”

That means all these Beneath 28.5/Over 27.5 bettors acquired paid off because of that one seemingly meaningless play. Granted, a variety of bettors pushed on 28, that means they acquired a refund. However anybody who guess Beneath 27.5 needed to be sick to their abdomen.

I Like Huge Bets and I Can’t Lie

One high-rolling buyer at Caesars Sports activities acquired fairly a sweat from a $121,000 wager on Payments +2 (-121) on the street in opposition to the Chiefs. Buffalo jumped out to 14-0 early within the second quarter, and that bettor was most likely feeling fairly good.

However Kansas Metropolis pulled inside 17-14 late within the third quarter, then tied it at 17 early within the fourth quarter.

With 1:54 remaining, Payments place-kicker Tyler Bass knocked by means of a 39-yard subject purpose, giving Buffalo a 20-17 lead. However clearly, there was nonetheless loads of time for Patrick Mahomes.

With 1:12 remaining, it regarded the Chiefs would possibly’ve sunk the Payments as soon as once more with late-game heroics. Mahomes related with Travis Kelce on second-and-10 from midfield. Kelce rumbled to the 20-yard line, then delivered a prolonged lateral to Kadarius Toney, who ran it in for the go-ahead rating.

Or so the Chiefs thought. 

Toney lined up offsides on the play, negating the landing. Buffalo went on to cease Ok.C. and escape with a win.

And the bettor collected $100,000 in revenue, for a $221,000 whole payout.

Different massive NFL performs reported this week:

• $115,000 Ravens -7 (-115) vs. Rams, at Caesars. As famous above, Baltimore gained 37-31 on a punt-return TD in extra time — a walkoff play on which no additional level is kicked. In regulation, the bettor nonetheless might’ve acquired a push and a refund, with the additional level and a 7-point Ravens victory. As an alternative, it’s a six-figure L.
• $60,000 Browns -3 (-120) vs. Jaguars, at BetMGM. Cleveland wins 31-27, bettor narrowly cashes for a $50,000 revenue/$110,000 whole payout.
• $20,000 Bengals moneyline -125 vs. Colts, at BetMGM. Cincinnati wins 34-14, bettor earnings $16,000, for a $36,000 whole payout.

That’s about it, in what was a lighter week for main wagers. However the week’s not performed but. 

Monday night time brings two video games, Titans–Dolphins and Packers–Giants. Perhaps a few of that Monopoly cash flowing within the freshly reopened Florida sports activities betting market will present up on Miami.

Regardless, don’t be swayed by the large bets. Perhaps dwell vicariously by means of them, or root in opposition to them, if that’s your factor. Hold your personal wagers cheap. Benefit from the video games!

Patrick Everson is a sports activities betting analyst for FOX Sports activities and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He’s a distinguished journalist within the nationwide sports activities betting area. He is based mostly in Las Vegas, the place he enjoys {golfing} in 110-degree warmth. Comply with him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas

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