For the second consecutive week, numerous bettors experienced wins at the BetMGM sportsbook while placing wagers on NFL games. A notable highlight was the Philadelphia Eagles, who garnered 83% of the betting activity as they faced off against the New York Giants, covering the spread with a -3 line.
Several teams attracted significant attention from bettors this week, with the Washington Commanders boasting 79% of bets at a -9.5 line against the Carolina Panthers. This trend continued with the Cincinnati Bengals at -5.5 (72%) playing the Cleveland Browns, the Detroit Lions at +1.5 (72%) visiting the Minnesota Vikings, and the Kansas City Chiefs at +1.5 (70%) going against the San Francisco 49ers. All these squads not only covered their spreads, but also secured outright victories.
Analyzing the recent two weeks, NFL underdogs who were favored by 5.5 points or more hold a record of 2-7-1 against the spread, logging a disappointing 1-4 mark on Sunday alone.
In college football, the highlight matchup featured Georgia visiting No. 1 Texas. Despite Texas being favored by 4.5 points, they fell to Georgia with a score of 30-15. Bettors leaned towards Georgia to claim victory, with 75% of bets and 76% of total money coming in for them at +160. Conversely, the Longhorns received 53% of the bets and only 44% of the money in regards to the spread.
In the WNBA, the New York Liberty clinched the championship title after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in a nail-biting overtime finish, ending the game at 67-62. However, the Liberty did not cover the spread after being 5.5-point favorites, despite attracting 64% of the money wagered.
Upsets made headlines over the weekend, particularly on Sunday Night Football, where the Pittsburgh Steelers claimed a decisive 35-17 victory against the New York Jets during Russell Wilson’s inaugural start for Pittsburgh. The Steelers, closing as a 2.5-point underdog, did not attract substantial betting interest, with the Jets garnering 57% of bets and 70% of the money against the spread. Moneyline wagers on Pittsburgh at +120 attracted only a minimal 17% of the total funds.
In a surprising outcome, Tennessee triumphed over Alabama, winning 24-17. The Volunteers, priced at +125, emerged as the most popular underdog to bet on within all of college football that day.
On the PGA Tour, J.T. Poston emerged victorious at the Shriners Children’s Open, narrowly defeating Doug Ghim by a single shot. This win marked Poston’s third achievement on the PGA Tour. He entered the tournament with odds of +4000 and received just 1.5% of the total wagers and 0.6% of the overall betting handle before the event commenced.
Looking ahead, the World Series is set to kick off Friday night in Los Angeles, featuring the Dodgers against the New York Yankees. The Dodgers are currently favored at -130, while the Yankees stand at +110. When it comes to predicting the series duration, odds for six games are currently at +195, closely followed by seven games at +200. Odds for five games sit at +270, whereas a four-game series is pegged at +650.