NFL, CFB: Volutpat Recap: Chiefs Loss Was ‘Best Exit Book’

Sunday was less than ideal for the public betting masses, with underdogs and Unders making it a rough day in NFL Week 7 odds. 

Then bettors tried to drag the car out of the ditch by backing a trendy underdog on Sunday night.

“They were dreaming of a Chiefs win to get them out. But all that did was make things worse,” BetMGM trading manager Adair Horne said Sunday night.

Oddsmakers from Las Vegas and across the country chimed in to recap the weekend that was in NFL and college football betting.

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At BetMGM, the Chiefs were among the most popular teams to cover the spread on Sunday, by both tickets and money. By ticket count, Kansas City was the most-bet moneyline underdog, with the public optimistic about a modest road upset in Seattle.

But K.C. didn’t even score until the final two minutes of the third quarter, and even then, it was only a field goal — a 50-yarder from Harrison Butker. And that was it, as the 3-point underdog Chiefs lost to the Seahawks 20-3.

“The best result for the book was Seattle [beating] The leaders said, “We started the day with three undefeated teams and two of them were completely lost.” and the one could not cover the other.’

Along with the Chiefs (5-1), the 49ers (6-1) took their first loss of the year. And like KC, San Francisco is a popular game, as is a 2.5-point favorite at Atlanta.

San Fran appeared to be on its way to a 7-0 lead after a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. But the Falcons scored the next 23 points en route to a 29-20 victory.

The Vikings made it 6-0, against the Cubs in a rock fight, 16-10. But as Horne pointed out, Minnesota didn’t cover for the 7-point home favorite.

In Sunday’s first game, in Paris, the Steelers won and covered in a 16-10 victory as the 3-point favorite of the Saints vs. But then, at the 1 pm ET kickoffs, things turned to a few favors — and a lot of bets.

The loss to the 49ers put the first dent in the ever-popular money paralysis. But perhaps as notable as the Giants — a 10.5-point road underdog — beat the Texans 27-21 in overtime.

Houston, the biggest favorite in Week 7, was pretty much considered a free bingo space in financial paralysis, as were the Rams in Week 6 and the Cowboys in Week 5. That’s three straight weeks in which the biggest favorite on the board has clearly lost.

The Panthers were 3-point home favorites against the Buccaneers, who were recovering from quarterback Baker Mayfield’s dislocated thumb. Carolina turned it over four times, including a punt and an eighty punt for a touchdown and outscored 42-13.

And before the Dolphins won, the 3.5-point Road Dogs upset the Jets, 28-25.

“The first table was generally favorable, with several paralysis of the popular crowd to trouble,” said Caesars Games head of football marketing Joey Feazel. “The Giants’ overtime wins over Houston and Atlanta over San Francisco clinched the second- and third-biggest bank legs, while Tampa Bay’s blowout of Carolina helped the other pick heavily.”

“Indianapolis’ defense against Minnesota also helped. And even though Miami’s victory wasn’t what we needed, it was still a popular currency for the Lakers.” [parlay] leg.”

Added Horne, speaking more to the whole day: “They hit a bunch of Unders, and very few favorites covered the spread. And they didn’t have the public on their side.”

Miami earning its first win was not positive for bettors (Getty Images).

The Lions beat the Packers 20-17 on a last-second field goal, but the 3.5-point home favorites didn’t cover. The Rams were easily covered as 3.5-point road favorites vs. the Raiders. winning 35-21. But Las Vegas was more popular on Sunday, so BetMGM won that event.

And the Unders: The Over was 7-5 in Sunday’s 12 games, but the unders came in some of the significant matchups. The Packers-Lions closed with a total of 55.5 for the week — and the season, for that matter — and the state was all over the place.

No one, perhaps.

Ditto for the Giants-Seahawks, where the punters fully expected the game to be easy before the 43.5 total. He got barely half of that.

The Bengali army was the only one that was surrendered to the state. A week ago, Cincinnati opened as a 3-point road underdog vs. Baltimore. But that number was moving to Cincy, as it became clear that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (ankle) would miss another game.

By the time Kickoff arrived on Sunday, the Bengals were a 3-point favorite, with a 6-point swing line. Cincy quickly dug itself into a 13-0 halftime lead, and it looked as if the team’s bet was going to take it on the chin there, too.

But the Bengals did the rest of the scoring with four Joe Burrow TD passes to post a 35-13 blowout. This was a boon not only for pregame bettors, but for many who jumped into the coin game with the Bengals bottom.

“The Bengals delivered for bettors from every angle,” Feazel said. “Cincinnati was backed up before kickoff, and after Baltimore opened up a 13-0 lead, we licked our minutes while Bengals bettors found better in-play prices.

“Cincinnati then scored 35 points, cash and pregame and live support in an emphatic way. It was a costly performance. But the paralyzing division created by the Giants, Falcons and Buccaneers helped stop the book.”

Sunday was National Tight Ends Celebration Days. Judging the state, he was ready for a feast.

But when the 49ers’ George Kittle — easily the most popular tight end among bettors — didn’t find the end zone, that was part of the picture.

“National Tight Ends Day Generated Plenty of Action, But Avoid Picking Up the Celebration Tab,” Feazel said. “George Kittle led all players by a country mile, in both money and tickets to count for a touchdown. But he was kept out of the end zone and finally landed the key bookend.”

George Kittle’s failure to get to the end zone cost him better on Sunday (Getty Images).

That said, there are a few minor tight end wins for the few who bet on them.

Tight end Mason Taylor was +4000 to score two touchdowns, but he did. Rams tight end Davis Allen pays even bigger dividends at +8500 to score two touchdowns. A $100 bet on that proposition netted a profit of $8,500.

College football’s Week 8 odds proved to be a give and take between bettors and bookies. Unlike Week 7, when the sports books posted huge wins.

“It was so-so for Saturday’s book,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said. “Funnily enough, our best result of the day was clearly the play in South Carolina.” [market]. They live in Tennessee, we got a lot of money there.”

The Vols trailed just seven minutes into the first quarter. That’s when the in-game Tennessee backup started rolling in, hoping the Vols would come back and win the game outright as a 2.5-point road dog.

The tie came quickly, with Tennessee actually taking a 21-point halftime lead. But in a much lower-scoring second half, the Vols netted just their fourth field goal, and South Carolina 27-24 on a 48-yard field goal as the season expired.

Key item for bookies: Sizable dogs Cincinnati and Central Florida are clearly winning.

Cincy had a 10.5-point lead and beat Texas Tech 37-24. UCF topped BYU in one game, winning 39-31 in double overtime as a 7.5-point home ‘dog’.

but, finding a public road, he wins a distinguished man for two.

“LSU and Miami are two big events for betting on Saturday,” he said.

UNC was a 7-point road favorite vs. Auburn, which was coming off a horrendous road win over Georgia. But in the Tigers vs Tigers battle, LSU was the winner by no means, leading 31-10 at the half and coasting to a 38-17 victory.

Miami, coming off a Week 7 big scare from Florida State, put Pittsburgh in a 31-7 halftime hole and rumbled to a 52-23 victory and a 20.5-point home favorite.