The weekend witnessed a resurgence of underdog victories in both college football and the NFL, with several heavily favored teams experiencing unexpected losses. According to insights from BetMGM Sportsbook, a notable shift in betting patterns was observed during this period.
Analyzing the notable trends, four college football teams that were supported by over 70% of the wagers failed to meet the spread on Saturday. A key highlight was the Oregon Ducks, who were favored by 13.5 points against Wisconsin but ultimately only secured a narrow win of 16-13, with 82% of the wagers placed on them. Other teams, including Louisville (-20.5 against Stanford), Tennessee (+9.5 at Georgia), and Notre Dame (-22.5 against Virginia), also fell short for their backers in a disappointing day for favored teams.
In the NFL, a similar pattern emerged with two out of three heavily bet teams failing to cover the spread on Sunday. The Detroit Lions stood out as the most bet team and successfully covered the 13.5-point spread against the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, both the Green Bay Packers (-5.5 at Chicago) and the Baltimore Ravens (-3 at Pittsburgh) did not manage to cover their respective spreads. Green Bay narrowly won thanks to a last-minute blocked field goal, whereas Baltimore was unsuccessful in their matchup.
The highly anticipated clash between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs attracted nearly equal betting action. The Bills, who were positioned as 2.5-point favorites, received 49% of the total bets and 51% of the money wagered. With a final score of 30-21, quarterback Josh Allen secured his fourth victory against the Chiefs in the regular season.
In a boxing spectacle, Jake Paul triumphed over Mike Tyson on Friday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Paul was favored at -190, while Tyson stood at +190. Interestingly, Tyson was the more popular choice among bettors, capturing 84% of the wagers despite Paul receiving 41% of the total money.
The most significant upset in college football came when Louisville, ranked 19th and a 20.5-point favorite, unexpectedly lost to Stanford with a score of 38-35. The Indianapolis Colts registered a surprising upset in the NFL as they secured a 28-27 victory over the New York Jets as 4-point underdogs, attracting 70% of the betting volume. Pittsburgh (+3) also pulled off an upset by defeating the Ravens, garnering 48% of the bets but only 35% of the money wagered.
Looking ahead, following the Chiefs’ defeat to the Bills, a new frontrunner has emerged with the shortest odds to clinch the Super Bowl title. The Detroit Lions have surpassed Kansas City, currently holding odds of +375, while the Chiefs now sit at +425. Other notable teams include the Baltimore Ravens at +750 and the Philadelphia Eagles at +850, both offering odds better than +1000.