2023 Odds: Sportsbooks win huge in NFL Week 1 due to unlikely underdogs

Patrick Everson

FOX Sports Betting Analyst

As NFL betting and college football betting collided over the course of this weekend, each bookmakers and bettors acquired loads to love — and never like. 

All issues thought of, the bettors most likely got here out forward, for which they beautiful a lot must thank Coach Prime and his Colorado Buffaloes.

It was Colorado’s monumentally well-bet sport in opposition to Nebraska that set the desk for a profitable weekend on the purchasers’ aspect of the counter. But the bookmakers actually acquired some a reimbursement, each within the NFL Week 1 odds market — together with a ridiculous $1 million windfall — and the college football Week 2 odds market.

Time to recap the soccer betting weekend that was.

Bullish on Buffaloes

The variety of bets made and amount of cash wagered on Colorado was mind-boggling. Said BetMGM Nevada’s Scott Shelton previous to Saturday’s Big Noon Kickoff on FOX:

“The ticket rely on Colorado is loopy. There’s not an NFL crew with as many unfold tickets as Colorado. Colorado has 4 occasions as many bets as any professional crew.”

Now granted, that was earlier than Saturday’s Nebraska-Colorado contest. Surely as NFL Sunday took over, there have been loads of tickets and {dollars} on the professionals. But it is doubtless the Buffaloes nonetheless ended up with way more tickets and money than most NFL groups.

As Fanatics Sportsbook identified in a pregame launch: “Coach Prime is obstructing out the solar at this time.”

And Coach Deion Sanders & Co. made all these bets repay. Colorado rolled 36-14 as a 2.5-point residence favourite. BetMGM dealer Seamus Magee took it in stride whereas seeking to Week 3, with Colorado already a 23-point residence favourite vs. rival Colorado State.

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“It’s a horrible outcome for the ebook,” he mentioned of the Buffs’ huge win and canopy. “But we’ll be OK. I’m wanting ahead to seeing what the deal with is subsequent week in opposition to Colorado State.”

Colorado is already a 23.5-point residence favourite in that contest.

South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews mentioned his store did not get beat up practically as dangerous as others on the Buffaloes. That’s as a result of he took some huge play on the underdog Huskers. Still, on Twitter previous to kickoff, Andrews — with four-plus a long time of seeing all of it in sports activities betting — marveled on the sharp vs. public motion on Nebraska-Colorado. 

The wiseguys typically acquired beat by backing Nebraska. Though you would possibly recall in FOX Sports’ midweek soccer betting nuggets piece final week, Paul Stone mentioned he preferred Colorado.

NFL Payback

Shelton made a really prescient level as BetMGM Nevada paid out all these Colorado winners at its Las Vegas sportsbooks on Saturday afternoon.

“Colorado bettors would’ve been higher off if that sport was the final sport of the weekend. They all would’ve pushed again to California with their pockets bulging,” Shelton mentioned. “Instead, all of them have seed cash for the remainder of the school slate at this time and an unpredictable NFL card [Sunday]. We want them the perfect.”

Oddsmakers grabbed a bit of that seed cash in one of many early video games Sunday. In the NFL Week 1 odds market, bettors have been on the Washington Commanders unfold as if the sport had already been performed. The public could not get sufficient of Washington -7. Or, extra precisely, the general public wished no half by any means of the Arizona Cardinals.

Commanders protection shines with two turnovers in win over Cardinals

Defense shined with two turnovers that led to 10 factors within the Washington Commanders’ 20-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

At BetMGM, point-spread ticket rely was 5-to-1 and cash 9-to-1 on Washington. That included a $200,000 guess at -7. Other books have been equally flooded with Commanders unfold bets.

But the Cardinals went and made it a aggressive sport, dropping 20-16 whereas overlaying the unfold on the street. It could not have been a extra excellent consequence for Andrews, who recounted his day on the South Point.

“We gained just a few, we misplaced just a few. There weren’t a complete lot of huge selections. Except one,” Andrews mentioned. “They laid the 7 with the Commanders, however there was additionally loads on the Cardinals on the moneyline. We wanted it to land anyplace from Washington by 1 to six factors.

“So that was a giant winner. That was the large one of many day.”

Million-Dollar Miscue

FanDuel Sportsbook doubtless recovered a lot — and maybe all — of its loss on Colorado in a single fell swoop Sunday. A FanDuel buyer thought sufficient of the Seahawks to guess a whopping $1 million on Seattle -4.5 vs. the Los Angeles Rams.

But the Seahawks gave up the ultimate 23 factors of the sport and misplaced 30-13. That’ll go away a mark, for positive. Not fairly as massive a play, however absolutely a stinger, reported by Ben Fawkes: A Caesars Sports buyer put $400,000 on Steelers +3 vs. the 49ers. San Francisco rumbled to a 30-7 victory.

I Like Big Bets and I Cannot Lie

As demonstrated by a few the aforementioned wagers, cash was flying quick and livid on each NFL and school soccer betting the previous few days. Following are just a few extra:

– $182,500 Houston +10 vs. Ravens at DraftKings (loss)

– $100,000 Eagles -6 (+115) vs. New England at BetMGM (loss)

– $100,000 Panthers-Falcons Over 39.5 at DraftKings (loss)

– Two $55,000 Bengals-Browns Under 47.5 bets, from completely different prospects. Under cashes simply, every bettor income $50,000.

– $115,000 Colorado -2.5 (-115) vs. Nebraska. Bettor income $100,000.

– $110,000 Oregon–Texas Tech Under 68.5. Bettor will get an incredible sweat as Oregon wins 38-30 on an interception return for a TD. Bettor income $100,000.

And talking of Oregon-Texas Tech, pour one out for anyone who guess the Red Raiders on the unfold. Texas Tech, which closed as a 4.5-point underdog however may very well be had for as much as +7.5 early final week, was trailing 31-30 with the ball within the ultimate minute.

In different phrases, the Red Raiders have been overlaying all numbers. Until that decide six and the next further level. Then they weren’t overlaying any numbers. A real dangerous beat and a complete intestine punch.

Such is life in soccer betting. So maintain it cheap. Never guess greater than you’ll be able to afford to lose. Enjoy the Bills-Jets Monday nighter!

Patrick Everson is a sports activities betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He 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. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas

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