Tag: Spread

Lorenzo’s Locks: Pats, Packers and Cardinals lead the Week 14 slate

This week’s bets cover an AFC matchup with playoff implications, an elite team facing the Lions and Green Bay’s surge.

After going 2-1 last week, USA Today’s Lorenzo Reyes is back at .500 on the year (21-21) and looking to keep things rolling with the Patriots (+2.5), Packers (-4.5) and Cardinals (-13.5) in Week 14.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).
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A simple scoring error in an Illinois State game is a huge headache for sportsbooks everywhere

The nightmare scenario strikes again

While most bettors on Saturday were sweating out the Army-Navy game or prepping their parlays for Week 14 of NFL action, sportsbooks around the country were focusing in on an otherwise unimportant men’s basketball game between Illinois State and Chicago State.

It wasn’t really the play on the court that caught the attention of gamblers, but instead an extremely bizarre accounting error on the scoreboard. Somehow, a single made free throw by Illinois State with 40 seconds remaining in regulation was not reflected in the final score. That one point likely had bettors going wild as the Redbirds won, 80-71, but failed to cover a 10-point consensus spread.

The line may have shifted depending on sportsbook (Tipico and Caesars were among those offering ISU -9.5), but the impact was all the same. And it left bettors and books asking the same question:

How could this happen?

Video from the game shows Illinois State’s Josiah Strong made both free throws, though only one was recorded. The two teams continued to play, ending the game before the score could be adjusted.

Strong noticed the mishap, too, and probably wants his point back as much as anyone. Whatever led to the mistake had a number of books trying to correct the issue over the weekend.

PointsBet decided to payout all bets on either side of the spread. Caesars did, too.

Fortunately, there was no residual impact on the Over/Under. The over 137.5 cashed easily.

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Bills are rare but understandable underdog in Week 14 vs. Buccaneers

#Bills are rare but understandable underdog in Week 14 vs. #Buccaneers:

The Buffalo Bills are not used to having the “underdog” word thrown their way in 2021.

But that is the case in Week 14.

As the Bills (7-5) look to right the ship against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3), Buffalo is not the favorite. Rather, the defending champs are.

The Bucs have opened as a 3.5-point favorite ahead of Sunday’s game. That line comes to us via Tipico Sportsbook (access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list).

Throughout this season, there was only one other time that the Bills were an underdog. That contest was Buffalo’s Week 5 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Bucs being the favorite certainly makes sense. Yes, they’re defending champions, but Tampa also has won three-straight games.

Meanwhile. the Bills have had no sense of consistency.

Since that prior mentioned Chiefs game, one which Buffalo won on Oct. 10, the Bills have alternated winning and losing ever since.

On one hand, that leaves some disappointment. But the Bills have bounced back from losses very well, so there could be some reason to take Buffalo as the underdog this week against the Buccaneers.

But if some other wagers are more your speed, the over/under has opened at 52.5. That’s the highest of any Week 14 game in the NFL as things currently stand.

The moneyline sits at Bucs (-174) and Bills (+146).

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Tipico: Saints are home underdogs again vs. Cowboys in Week 13

Tipico: Saints are home underdogs again vs. Cowboys in Week 13

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Sports bettors haven’t been high on the New Orleans Saints through their four-game losing skid, and the tide doesn’t appear to be close to changing this week. The latest odds from Tipico Sportsbook have the visiting Dallas Cowboys favored to win on Thursday night by a 4.5-point margin — taken with the over/under of 47.5 and that’s a projected final score in the neighborhood of Cowboys 26, Saints 22.

That would at least be more entertaining than the 31-6 drubbing Saints fans were saddled with on Thanksgiving last week. If this team isn’t going to be any good, they should still try to make it a good time. Putting some points on the board would help.

The good news for Saints fans is that Dallas has lost three of their last four games, with the sole win coming in a 43-3 blowout over the Atlanta Falcons (so, hey, we can laugh about that). The Cowboys have been reeling for most of a month now between various injuries, COVID-19 absences, and bizarre coaching decisions. They’ve been prone to turnovers and are sloppy football with a ton of penalties going their way. It’s a winnable matchup for New Orleans.

But almost every game the Saints have lost this season looked winnable up to a certain point. Hopefully they’ve done a better job of self-scouting and getting healthy so that they can avoid their first five-game losing streak of the Sean Payton era.

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Bills get less love in spread at Saints after blowout loss to Colts

#Bills get less love in spread vs. #Saints after blowout loss to Colts:

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The spread always involves a few moving factors.

All things considered, it’s good to see the Buffalo Bills still have some faith instilled in them ahead of their meeting vs. the New Orleans Saints.

But it’s shrinking.

Heading into their Week 12 meeting with the Saints on Thanksgiving Day, the Bills (6-4) open as four-point favorites. That line comes to us via Tipico Sportsbook (access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list).

Last week, Buffalo was named a 7.5-point favorite before hosting the Indianapolis Colts.

The Bills were then blown out by the Colts. That’s likely keeping the spread pretty low in the Bills’ favor on Thursday, even more so than the game being a home one for New Orleans.

Additionally, even though Buffalo is the favorite, the Saints could be down a few starting players later this week, including running back Alvin Kamara. Because of that, one could have predicted a higher spread.

Time will tell how much the line does move this week. Injuries on both sides could make a difference. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds might return for the Bills as well.

In addition to the spread, the over/under for the contest in New Orleans is 46.5.

The moneyline sits at Bills (-210) and Saints (+176).

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Let’s hope this courtside fan didn’t follow Rajon Rondo’s mic’d-up gambling advice

Oh no, Rondo.

Some athletes are aware of what Vegas is saying about their team on any given night. Others are very much not.

Rajon Rondo might fall into the latter camp.

Understandably fired up towards the end of a victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night, the Los Angeles Lakers guard chatted with a courtside fan, saying he hoped they put “10 racks” on L.A.

There was just a slight problem with Rondo’s advice: the Lakers didn’t cover the spread.

Heading into the matchup with the Pistons, Los Angeles was favored at -6.5 and -300 on the moneyline, per Tipico Sportsbook. The Lakers won, 121-116, failing to cover by one possession.

The Lakers weren’t even covering at the time Rondo made his comment. The next play saw Los Angeles allow a layup to Jerami Grant, too, all but ensuring the Pistons would beat the spread.

Following the ejection of LeBron James for elbowing Isaiah Stewart in the third quarter — and nearly setting off the NBA’s wildest brawl since, well….you know — the Lakers pulled themselves together to snap a three-game losing streak. That may have boosted their egos a bit. Especially when Detroit led by as much as 17 in the second half after James got tossed.

The reality is the Lakers are 9-9 on the season and a league-worst 6-12 against the spread. Rondo is great at a lot of things, but maybe don’t take betting advice from him.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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On Site: A balanced Eagles backfield prepares for the Saints

On Site heads to Philadelphia ahead of Week 11

Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal checks in with On Site as the Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) attempt to run all over the New Orleans Saints (+105) in Week 11.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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Bills open as TD favorite over Colts in Week 11

#Bills open as TD favorite over #Colts in Week 11:

Despite the Buffalo Bills losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars two weeks ago, they were still two-touchdown favorites heading into last week against the New York Jets.

When it was all said and done, the Bills (6-3) blew that spread out of the water in a 45-17 win.

Following that, in little surprise, Buffalo is favored again in Week 11.

At home against the Indianapolis Colts (5-5) next weekend, the Bills have opened as 7.5-point favorites. That line comes to us via Tipico Sportsbook  (access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list).

This one isn’t the simplest ones to predict, though.

While the Bills blew out the Jets last week, the Colts did cough up a big lead against the Jaguars, hanging on 23-17.

Then again… they did beat the Jags unlike Buffalo…

And making picking this game even more difficult might be the recency bias. In the Colts’ last five games? They have won four of those. They’re pretty hot right now.

But in the direct recent history between these two sides, in last season’s AFC postseason, Buffalo beat Indy 27-24.

However, if the spread isn’t your thing, we at least have some other numbers to consider: The over/ under has opened at 49.5.

The moneyline sits at Bills (-330) and Colts (+265).

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Despite struggles with Jaguars, Bills remain big favorites over Jets

Despite struggles with Jaguars, #Bills remain big favorites over #Jets:

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The Buffalo Bills did not look good against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 9-6 loss in Week 9. However, it appears that oddsmakers believe in the idea of a bounce-back game.

In Week 10, Buffalo (5-2) will try to forget their recent loss by getting things right against their AFC East rival, the New York Jets (2-6).

While perhaps one could still expect the Bills to be the favorite in this one, Buffalo is in a big way still despite losing to the Jags.

The Bills have opened as 13.5-point favorites over the Jets. That line comes to us via Tipico Sportsbook  (access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list).

The meeting will be the first time the division rivals faceoff in 2021. The next won’t be until the season finale.

Last week, the Jets lost on Thursday Night Football to the Indianapolis Colts, 45-30. The game actually wasn’t even that close as plenty of garbage time points went up for New York.

In addition to that potentially playing a part in the Jets’ spread vs. the Bills, Buffalo did defeat them both times they battled  in 2020.

Along with the spread, the over/under has opened at 47.5. The moneyline sits at Bills (-700) and Jets (+500).

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Notre Dame-Navy Football: Perfect weather for rivalry renewal

‘Alexa: tell me what a perfect November Saturday in South Bend looks like’

No. 10 (CFP) Notre Dame looks to move to 8-1 on the year later this afternoon when they welcome Navy to Notre Dame Stadium.  Although the dislike for Navy might not be anywhere near the same as it is towards other traditional rivals of the Irish, the tradition is strong as Notre Dame has played the Midshipmen more than any other team all-time.

The weather for the first meeting between Notre Dame and Navy will be as perfect as perfect gets in early November.  The Weather Channel calls for it to be 55-degrees at kickoff, the sun to be shining all afternoon.  The only slight issue will be a southwest breeze of about 10 mph.

Related:

Notre Dame-Navy: FIW Staff Predictions

National college football experts predict Notre Dame-Navy

ESPN’s College Gameday staff predicts Notre Dame-Navy outcome