Championship week in college football has concluded, leaving only Monday Night Football to wrap up Week 14 of the NFL. This past Saturday witnessed several unexpected outcomes that influenced the College Football Playoff landscape, while the NFL also had its share of surprising results, with notable favorites falling short of expectations.
Here’s a recap of the weekend’s events, highlighting insights from BetMGM Sportsbook:
**Key Trends from the Week**
Oregon was the biggest draw in betting during the Big Ten Championship, attracting the highest volume of bets and funds on Saturday as they faced off against Penn State. The Ducks emerged victorious with a score of 45-37, with an impressive 73% of the bets and 72% of the total money supporting them.
In the NFL, the Miami Dolphins secured a tense six-point overtime victory against the New York Jets, which resulted in a push for bettors, as Miami was favored by six points going into the game. An overwhelming 84% of the bets and 88% of the money were placed on the Dolphins, despite the Jets leading 23-15 as they entered the fourth quarter.
In golf, Scottie Scheffler claimed the Hero World Challenge title in the Bahamas, finishing at an astonishing 25 under par and winning by six shots. He started the event as the frontrunner with odds set at +220, and went on to garner the highest percentage of bets (16%) as well as the most money (37.8%) during the pre-tournament betting phase.
**Noteworthy Upsets of the Week**
The most significant upset in college football occurred when Georgia triumphed 22-19 over Texas in overtime, despite being a three-point underdog. Only 36% of the bets and 30% of the money were wagered on Georgia for this game.
In the NFL, the Bills versus Rams matchup resulted in a surprising outcome as well. The Rams, who were 3.5-point underdogs, managed to outscore the Bills with a thrilling 44-42 victory, despite receiving just 25% of the bets.
Additionally, the Seattle Seahawks pulled off a notable upset by defeating the Arizona Cardinals 30-18 on the road. Seattle was a 2.5-point underdog and attracted only 31% of the bets and just 20% of the money placed on the game.
**Looking Ahead**
In other news, Juan Soto reportedly signed with the New York Mets on Sunday night, leading to a significant shift in World Series betting odds. The Mets’ chances jumped from +1200 to +700 after the news broke, placing them with the second-best odds in Major League Baseball, while the Los Angeles Dodgers hold the top spot at +350.
Hal Egeland, a trading manager for BetMGM, commented, “Juan Soto joining the Mets greatly enhances their World Series winning potential. The shift from +1200 to +700 for a single player is monumental, indicating that Steve Cohen and the Mets are making serious moves.”
The Atlanta Braves (+800), New York Yankees (+900), and Philadelphia Phillies (+1200) complete the top five teams with the best odds for the upcoming season.
