The whole lot that occurs in sports activities has some further context when seen from a sports activities betting perspective. From season-changing accidents to record-setting moments and a lot extra, the sports activities information cycle will always and considerably have an effect on the sports activities betting business.
Our betting buzz file, with contributions from David Purdum, Doug Greenberg and others, goals to supply followers with a have a look at the sports activities betting tales which can be driving the dialog.
Key hyperlinks: Sports activities betting dwelling | NFL odds web page | Faculty soccer odds web page | ESPN BET
Sept. 13: Ravens, Chargers, Jonathan Taylor amongst hottest NFL bets
David Purdum: Because the soccer weekend approaches, here is a fast overview of which groups and gamers have obtained probably the most assist from bettors at sportsbooks this week:
Baltimore Ravens -8.5 (vs. Las Vegas Raiders): The Ravens have garnered extra betting curiosity than some other staff this week at a number of sportsbooks. They’re tops at DraftKings within the variety of bets and the amount of cash wagered. At BetRivers, there had been extra bets on the Baltimore cash line – the percentages to win the sport straight-up – than some other NFL guess on the board.
Los Angeles Chargers -5 (at Carolina Panthers): The Chargers minus the factors is the most well-liked unfold guess at BetMGM, each by variety of bets and amount of cash wagered, and the second-most in style at DraftKings in each classes behind the Ravens
Getting into the week, the Chargers entered the week as a consensus 4.5-point favourite. The road grew as excessive as -6.5 on Tuesday, earlier than settling again at -5 as of Friday.
Of word at BetRivers’ sportsbooks: Whereas the Chargers have attracted the majority of the unfold bets (89%), the underdog Panthers have garnered 81% of the cash that had been wagered as of Friday. In reality, more cash had been guess on the Panthers than some other NFL facet getting into the weekend.
Indianapolis Colts working again Jonathan Taylor Anytime TD: Taylor has been the most well-liked decide to attain a landing of any participant provided at ESPN BET. He is listed at even cash at ESPN BET to attain in Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
Sept 12: Dolphins drawing heavier betting motion regardless of current points with Payments
Doug Greenberg: For the primary time since Tua Tagovailoa’s very first begin in opposition to the Buffalo Payments, the Miami Dolphins are favored in a recreation in opposition to their division rivals, displaying a -2.5 level unfold at dwelling for “Thursday Night time Soccer”.
In that preliminary matchup, the ultimate recreation of the 2020 common season for each groups, the Dolphins had been 3-point dwelling favorites. The Payments would go on to win that one 56-26 for a canopy margin of 33 factors, the most important within the seven video games the 2 sides have performed in opposition to one another within the Tagovailoa period.
Buffalo has largely dominated the sequence, having been a favourite in each recreation since that first one, previous to Thursday’s contest, and posting data of 4-2-1 in opposition to the unfold and 6-1 straight up. The Payments additionally present a mean cowl margin of 11.9 within the sequence. Miami’s solely covers over that interval had been each within the 2022 season once they gained a recreation straight up as 4-point underdogs and lined a 7-point underdog unfold within the different. The Payments lined each of final season’s conferences and QB Josh Allen is 11-2 outright in opposition to the Dolphins together with the playoffs.
Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped bettors from supporting the Dolphins’ unfold en masse for “Thursday Night time Soccer.” At ESPN BET, Miami -2.5 has 58.3% of the bets and 71.9% of the deal with, which can have performed a task in shifting the road from its opener at a decide ’em to its present place. BetMGM additionally reviews 54% of the tickets and 61% of the cash on the Dolphins unfold.
“Bettors are everywhere in the Dolphins tonight; a Payments cowl is right for the sportsbook,” mentioned BetMGM senior buying and selling supervisor Tristan Davis. “Moreover, we’re cheering for anybody aside from Josh Allen and Tyreek Hill to search out the top zone.”
The sportsbook reviews huge legal responsibility on Allen for an anytime landing, whereas Hill has taken some huge cash to attain the primary landing. ESPN BET additionally says that Allen is its most-bet anytime TD scorer, in addition to the most well-liked decide for non-TD props (over 250+ passing yards).
Whereas it is in all probability a a lot much less vital quantity of complete deal with, Buffalo is getting some love as a small underdog on the moneyline. ESPN BET has 66.9% of its bets on the Payments to win, whereas BetMGM reviews 67%.
Sept 10: Allen makes large MVP odds leap after Week 1
Greenberg: After one week of NFL play, two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes continues to face atop the MVP oddsboard after finishing 71% of his passes for 291 yards, a landing and an interception within the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ win over the Baltimore Ravens. His odds to win the league’s highest particular person honor for a 3rd time moved from +500 earlier than the season to +375 at ESPN BET.
However by far the most important mover for MVP betting after Week 1 was Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen. The 28-year-old, who’s searching for his first MVP honor in his seventh NFL season, put up a monster recreation in Buffalo’s 34-28 win over the Arizona Cardinals, passing for 232 yards and two touchdowns, whereas dashing for 39 yards and two extra scores.
The efficiency moved his MVP odds from +1000 previous to Sunday’s recreation to +550, putting him proper behind Mahomes and permitting him to leapfrog C.J. Stroud (+850) and Joe Burrow (+1600, down from his opener of +900). Jalen Hurts (+1100), Brock Purdy (+1600) and Lamar Jackson (+1600) spherical out the highest MVP candidates.
Forward of final Sunday, Allen ranked fourth in MVP betting, taking 7% of bets and deal with at ESPN BET. Since kickoff on Sunday, Allen has taken a number one 16% of tickets and 25% of cash, which probably performed a think about his odds shortening. At BetMGM, Allen now has 8.5% of the deal with, behind solely Mahomes (14.1%), Stroud (8.8%) and Jared Goff (8.8%).
Goff did not have the flashiest of opening weeks, nevertheless it was sufficient to get his Detroit Lions a primetime win in opposition to his former staff, the Los Angeles Rams. Goff sits at +1800 after opening at +4000 and has taken 8% of bets and seven% of deal with since Sunday noon. He is additionally firmly within the prime 5 total for tickets and cash at DraftKings.
Two different quarterbacks who noticed elevated motion off of sturdy Week 1s embody Dak Prescott (+1800) and Baker Mayfield (+7500). Because the begin of play on Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys QB has taken 20% of deal with, behind Allen and Mahomes at 22%, whereas the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign caller has taken 14% of bets, behind solely Allen.
Sept 7. Notre Dame suffers largest level unfold upset in three seasons
David Purdum: Notre Dame entered the week with a powerful highway win over Texas A&M below its belt and 16-1 odds to win the nationwide championship. The Preventing Irish’s title odds tumbled all the best way to 75-1 at ESPN BET after an epic upset loss to Northern Illinois on Saturday in South Bend.
The visiting Huskies from the MAC had been 28.5-point underdogs and round 25-1 to win the sport outright. They pulled the most important upset of the season thus far and the most important level spread-wise since 2021.
Notre Dame had been 51-1 when favored by no less than 25 factors since 1978, in accordance with ESPN Stats & Information, however the Irish could not shake the Huskies, who took the lead with a subject aim with lower than a minute to play and withstood a last-gasp drive by the Irish that ended with a blocked subject aim.
There have been some, however not quite a bit, of bettors who believed within the Huskies. BetMGM reported that 67% % of the money-line bets on the sport had been on Northern Illinois. Chris Andrews, veteran Las Vegas bookmaker with South Level on line casino, mentioned he took a complete of $12 in money-line bets on Northern Illinois. He joked that his boss might afford the payout. The Huskies are the most important underdogs to tug an outright upset since Kansas beat Texas in 2021 as a 31-point underdog.
Sept. 6: Texas attracting lopsided betting motion in opposition to Michigan
Purdum: The Texas Longhorns opened as 3.5-point highway favorites in opposition to the Michigan Wolverines means again in April at ESPN BET. 5 months later, the No. 3 Longhorns are favored by greater than a landing over the No. 10 Wolverines and attracting lopsided motion at sportsbooks heading into their showdown in Ann Arbor.
The consensus line was sitting at Texas -7.5 on Friday. ESPN BET reported that roughly 80% of the cash that had been guess on the sport’s level unfold was on the favored Longhorns. BetMGM mentioned Texas minus the factors was the most well-liked faculty soccer guess on the board getting into the weekend, adopted by the Tennessee Volunteers, who had been rising favorites versus the NC State Wolfpack. The Volunteers had attracted 92.3% of the cash wagered on the purpose unfold at ESPN BET.
Texas blasted Colorado State 51-0 on its opener, whereas Michigan struggled to place away Fresno State final week. Now, the Wolverines discover themselves as dwelling underdogs for the primary time since 2021, once they upended Ohio State. Michigan is the seventh reigning nationwide champion within the final 45 years to be a house underdog within the following season, in accordance with ESPN Stats and Info.
Prime 5 Week 2 faculty soccer video games by cash wagered at ESPN BET:
1. No. 3 Texas at No. 10 Michigan2. No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers vs. No. 24 NC State Wolfpack3. Iowa State Cyclones at No. Iowa Hawkeyes4. Colorado Buffaloes at Nebraska Cornhuskers5. No. 23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Syracuse Orange
See each top-25 faculty soccer recreation line right here, professional picks for Texas vs. Michigan, and extra betting suggestions in Week 2.
Sept. 5: Tennessee sees dramatic line transfer as much as 10-point favourite
Pamela Maldonado: In one of the dramatic line strikes for Week 2 of the faculty soccer season, early sharp cash on the No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers brought on an preliminary transfer from 4.5 to 7.5. On Thursday, continued betting pushed it even additional to 10 forward of their matchup with the No. 24 NC State Wolfpack.
Tennessee had a dominant 69-3 win over Chattanooga in its season opener. It was a powerful Week 1 efficiency that has bettors resulting in wager on the Vols.
In the meantime, NC State had an underwhelming opener, struggling greater than anticipated in opposition to Western Carolina and needing 21 unanswered fourth-quarter factors to seal a 38-21 win as a 32-point favourite.
This comparatively poor efficiency in opposition to an FCS opponent might need brought on bettors to lose confidence in NC State.
Worth is with the Wolfpack. Credit score will not be being given to NC State quarterback Grayson McCall, who might step by step enhance after getting back from harm. McCall suffered a concussion final October with former staff Coastal Carolina and missed the rest of the 2023 season.
McCall talked about that he had some nerves in his NC State debut, and acknowledged that the staff did not play its greatest, however mentioned he was glad the Pack got here away with the win. He additionally famous that it took a while to settle in, because it had been 313 days since his final aggressive faculty soccer recreation. The road leaping out to 10 could possibly be fairly the overreaction.
See each top-25 faculty soccer recreation line right here, and extra betting suggestions in Week 2.
Sept. 5: Week 1 options fewest highway favorites of Tremendous Bowl period
Doug Greenberg: Week 1 of the NFL is usually marked by parity in terms of betting. Whereas the soccer groups are feeling one another out on the sphere, bettors and bookmakers are doing the identical off of it, typically resulting in tight betting traces.
The lengthy opening weekend of NFL motion in 2024 has no double-digit favorites, with the Cincinnati Bengals being the most important at -8.5 over the New England Patriots, however that is not too out of the strange, as 2019 was the final Week 1 to function a double-digit favourite in any respect.
What is a little more peculiar is the benefit sportsbooks are giving to dwelling groups to start the season: In Week 1, solely two groups are favored on the highway, tied with 1991 for the fewest to start any season within the Tremendous Bowl period, in accordance with ESPN Stats and Information.
The primary highway favorites are the Houston Texans, who’re giving three factors to the Indianapolis Colts, per ESPN BET. DeMeco Ryans’ squad has been one of the hyped groups of the offseason and has the futures deal with to show it, so it ought to come as little shock that the general public is backing them to start the marketing campaign. Houston has 78.1% of the tickets and 51.9% of the deal with at ESPN BET, whereas BetMGM reviews 78% of the wagers and 81% of the cash for the Texans to cowl.
That heavy motion probably had a task to play in shifting Houston to its present place from the opening line of -1.5. The identical goes for the Minnesota Vikings, who truly opened as one-point underdogs earlier than crossing the road to turn into 1.5-point favorites over the New York Giants.
ESPN BET says 63.8% of its tickets and 69.8% of its deal with is on the Vikings to cowl, whereas BetMGM reviews 70% of bets and 69% of deal with.
This matchup, even with the large line transfer, is quite a bit nearer than the opposite within the eyes of bettors. FanDuel notes that 55% of tickets and 66% of deal with is on the Giants to cowl the underdog unfold, and, additional, all three books report the vast majority of guess and deal with share on New York to win the sport outright, at present lined up at +105 on ESPN BET.
Sept. 4: New York Jets favored to win AFC East
Doug Greenberg: The final time the New York Jets gained the AFC East, their 40-year-old quarterback had simply began faculty and their star cornerback was 2 years previous. But regardless of not profitable their division since 2002 — tied with the Las Vegas Raiders for the second-longest energetic drought within the NFL behind solely the Cleveland Browns — the Jets discover themselves because the consensus favorites to win it this season.
At ESPN BET, New York reveals +160 odds to win the AFC East, forward of the Buffalo Payments (+185), Miami Dolphins (+225) and New England Patriots (+2500). The Jets opened at +275 to initially put them behind Buffalo and Miami, however very heavy motion from the betting public pressured the dramatic line motion.
Gang Inexperienced has obtained simply the very best share of bets and deal with throughout a number of of the foremost American sportsbooks, attracting 58% of deal with at ESPN BET, 67.4% at BetMGM, 50% at DraftKings and 43% at FanDuel. In all of these instances, the share of cash is bigger than the share of tickets, indicating that it is not simply small-wagers bettors taking fliers on the Jets.
To compensate, sportsbooks have lengthened the percentages on the division’s different groups, with ESPN BET shifting the Payments from +130 to +185 and the Dolphins from +200 to +225.
New York has additionally confirmed to be a well-liked guess within the convention championship market, taking 24% of the bets to win the AFC, greater than some other staff — although the deal with numbers usually are not as spectacular and fewer bettors are taking the Jets to win the Tremendous Bowl.
“Not solely do the Jets have Rodgers coming again, however they’ve been touted now for a pair years, since they’d that good draft [in 2022], that they are gonna be a contender,” DraftKings director of sportsbook operations Johnny Avello advised ESPN.
To seek out the final time the Jets had been favored to win the division, you’d have to return to 1999. That season, Vinny Testaverde tore his achilles within the second quarter of the opening recreation, eerily harking back to what the promising Jets went by way of final season with Rodgers.
Sept. 3: Florida State joins unlucky firm after two outright upsets
Greenberg: The faculty soccer world was abuzz final December about how undefeated ACC champion Florida State was snubbed from the Faculty Soccer Playoff. That discourse was a serious cause why FSU got here into this season ranked as a top-10 staff, each within the preseason AP ballot and within the betting odds to win the nationwide championship.
However simply two weeks into 2024 faculty soccer season, the dialog has shifted enormously. After two large upset losses to Georgia Tech (+10.5) and Boston Faculty (+16.5), the Seminoles grew to become simply the third FBS staff since 2010 to lose its first two video games outright as a double-digit favourite, becoming a member of 2015 Wyoming and 2017 Baylor, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Consequently, Florida State’s future odds have plummeted. The Seminoles fell from 35-1 to 200-1 to win the nationwide championship at ESPN BET, +150 to 20-1 to make the playoff and +300 to 25-1 to win the ACC. The staff now sits eighth with Miami (+185) at present the brand new favourite.
Bettors might need seen Florida State’s decline coming. Earlier than the season, the Noles had simply 1.8% of deal with to make the playoff and 1.2% of deal with to win the nationwide championship at BetMGM.
The Seminoles are extremely unlikely to remain in AP Prime 25 at 0-2, which might make them the third staff since 1989, together with 2007 Michigan and 2008 Clemson, to fall out of the Prime 25 within the season’s second week after being ranked inside the highest 10.
The Seminoles have a bye in Week 2 earlier than going through Memphis in Week 3 at dwelling on Sept. 14.
