By Patrick Everson
FOX Sports activities Playing Author
For almost all of those that guess on NFL Week 3 odds, the outcomes weren’t as unhealthy as Week 2, which weren’t as unhealthy as Week 1.
However the backside line stays: In Week 3, oddsmakers nonetheless acquired the higher of bettors, with sportsbooks posting one other successful week.
A lot of that was spurred on by the Indianapolis Colts – 4.5-point underdogs – nabbing a 20-17 outright upset of the visiting Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
Earlier than that sport, BetMGM vp of buying and selling Jason Scott had this to say:
"We're determined for the Colts to cowl or hopefully win."
From his mouth to God’s ears, apparently – to the chagrin of public bettors.
Giddy Up
In Weeks 1 and a couple of, the Colts had a extreme hitch of their giddy up. Indy opened the season with a surprising 20-20 tie at Houston. Then extra stunning, Matt Ryan & Co. acquired blanked 24-0 at Jacksonville in Week 2.
However lastly enjoying a house sport – and determined for a win – the Colts acquired a victory in opposition to the most effective groups within the league. Indy stifled the usually high-octane Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs. And in doing so, lots of parlays/moneyline parlays/teasers tied to the Chiefs went up in flames for bettors.
"The Colts’ win was an incredible outcome for us," Scott stated.
John Murray, govt director of The SuperBook, stated that contest – together with Miami’s 21-19 victory over Buffalo – definitely overcame a few choices that fell in favor of bettors.
"It was positively very constructive with the Colts and Dolphins successful," Murray stated. "Though we did give again a great chunk on the Bengals, Ravens and Eagles. The general public loves these highway favorites. Win some, lose some."
Bettors Again Birds
Certainly, a number of sportsbooks in Vegas and throughout the nation reported very sturdy help for the Ravens. Baltimore, a 2.5-point favourite at New England, delivered a 37-26 victory for the purchasers.
Ditto for the Eagles. Philadelphia closed as a 6-point favourite at Washington and dispatched the Commanders 24-8.
As for Cincinnati, the defending AFC champion lastly acquired its first win and canopy of the season. The Bengals had little hassle on the highway in opposition to the New York Jets, successful 27-12 as 6.5-point favorites.
Catbird Seat
WynnBet senior dealer Chris Youn famous constructive outcomes from the Eagles and Colts and a few cool cats: the Jaguars and Lions.
Jacksonville, a 6.5-point highway underdog after the Chargers’ late choice to start out Justin Herbert, shockingly boat raced Los Angeles 38-10. And whereas Detroit misplaced 28-24 at Minnesota, the Lions coated the 5.5-point unfold.
"General, a great Sunday for us. We gained huge on the Eagles, Jaguars, Lions and Colts," Youn stated, whereas noting the Denver Broncos’ outright Sunday night time win – an 11-10 slog over the San Francisco 49ers – was additionally a great outcome.
Actually, that sport was good for many bookmakers, as the general public piled on Jimmy G and the Niners.
"The Broncos had been our first Sunday night time win of the NFL season," BetMGM’s Scott stated. "It was a really good weekend for bookmakers."
Touchdown on the Quantity
Chris Andrews, sportsbook director on the South Level, pointed to a shocking sport through which bettors did properly Sunday: the slightly nondescript Texans-Bears matchup.
Andrews opened Chicago as a 2.5-point residence favourite and toggled between -2.5 and -3 a few occasions over the course of the week. The closing line Sunday pregame was Bears -3.
Then Chicago gained by precisely 3 factors, 23-20. So all people who guess Bears -2.5 gained, and all people who guess Bears -3 or Texans +3 acquired a refund. It’s the form of outcome that makes bookmakers pull their hair out.
"The Texans-Bears sport falling on the quantity was horrible and a foul outcome for us," Andrews stated.
On Campus
Whereas the bookmakers typically had a great Sunday, a number of had an excellent higher Saturday with school soccer.
"We had been a winner on each, however extra so on school soccer," TwinSpires Sportsbook director of retail sports activities Zachary Lucas stated.
Casey Degnon, senior danger supervisor at The SuperBook, echoed that sentiment.
"We had a great Saturday in school soccer," Degnon stated. "Notre Dame successful in Chapel Hill was an incredible outcome for us, as was Maryland overlaying in opposition to Michigan, together with that sport going beneath the whole."
Notre Dame, typically not wanting like a workforce that was ranked fifth within the preseason, went to North Carolina as a 3-point underdog. The Preventing Irish proceeded to place up no factors within the first quarter. However they then caught fireplace with a 24-point second quarter and rolled to a 45-32 victory.
In the meantime, Maryland was a wholesome 17-point underdog at Michigan. However the Terrapins caught round just about all sport, dropping 34-27 whereas simply overlaying the unfold.
Razing Canes
Then there was Center Tennessee State’s shocking 45-31 upset of Miami, with the Hurricanes a 25.5-point favourite. Imagine it or not, BetMGM noticed a good variety of Center Tennessee moneyline tickets, at +1600 (16-1) to drag the outright upset.
"Center Tennessee State moneyline [was] a small loser for us, truly," BetMGM dealer Seamus Magee stated. "The largest guess on MTSU was $250."
That led to a pleasant little $4,000 win for that buyer.
Over at The SuperBook, Degnon stated just one buyer thought to make an MTSU guess, at +1500.
"Three {dollars} on MTSU moneyline," Degnon stated.
In order that netted a whopping $45. However hey, the return-on-investment share was large!
Patrick Everson is a sports activities betting analyst for FOX Sports activities and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He beforehand labored for Covers and is a distinguished journalist within the nationwide sports activities betting area. He’s primarily based in Las Vegas, the place he enjoys {golfing} in 110-degree warmth. Comply with him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas.
