Sunday saw no shortage of storylines stemming from NFL Week 12 odds.
The Lions nearly blew up all the moneyline parlays of the public betting masses. The Chiefs nearly did likewise. And how about the Cowboys’ stunning comeback against the Eagles?
Perhaps most interesting, though: The popularity of a two-win underdog on the road, facing another two-win team. Bettors normally don’t pay attention to such teams, but that wasn’t the case Sunday.
“Bettors couldn’t get enough of the Browns. The Raiders were our biggest need of the [Sunday] late kicks,” said John Murray, vice president of The SuperBook. “I have to believe it’s because the Raiders didn’t play well last Monday night, and Cleveland having a much better defense, getting points.”
So, it wasn’t the public getting swayed by Shedeur Sanders’ first NFL start?
“It’s hard for me to believe people saw Sanders last week and said, ‘I want to bet on that guy,’” Murray said, alluding to the rookie QB’s showing off the bench in a loss to Baltimore.
Regardless, bettors were on the right side. More on that matchup and the weekend that was, as oddsmakers at sportsbooks across the country recap NFL and college football betting.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
Son of Prime
Sanders’ Browns closed as 3-point underdogs vs. the Raiders. Cleveland got out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead on two Quinshon Judkins touchdown runs and ultimately won 24-10.
The highlight for Sanders: A swing pass to Dylan Sampson that turned into a 66-yard fourth-quarter touchdown. But it wasn’t as if Deion Sanders’ son went haywire. He finished just 11-of-20 for 209 yards, with one TD pass and one interception.
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s defense didn’t give up a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter. So there’s certainly something to Murray’s analysis. The Browns recorded 10 sacks, including three from Myles Garrett.
The Cowboys — more on them a little later — always take plenty of bets, and were playing in the same time slot as the Browns on Sunday. And yet …
“The Cowboys were popular, but the Browns were even more so, at least in terms of dollars,” SuperBook risk manager Casey Degnon said. “We needed the Raiders to win and cover.”
And that was at one of the biggest sportsbooks in Vegas, home of the Raiders. Nationally, Cleveland proved to be a popular play, as well.
“There are tons of Browns bets today,” BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said, just before kickoff.
Assuming Sanders starts in Week 13 at home against the 49ers, we’ll see if Browns action actually becomes a trend.
Moneylines and Overtimes
Each Sunday of the NFL season, oddsmakers lament that if they can’t beat moneyline parlays, then it’s likely going to be a good day for the public betting masses.
That was the case Sunday.
Sure, quite a few underdogs covered the point spread — eight in all, including three outright winners — but sportsbooks typically need to see at least one popular favorite lose outright, and that didn’t happen.
“Anytime you have a lot of favorites winning, the moneyline parlays are going to add up,” Degnon said.
The Lions, 14-point home favorites vs. the Giants, shockingly didn’t lead for even one second of regulation. But Detroit tied the game at 27 on a last-minute field goal, then won 34-27 in overtime.
The Chiefs were a much smaller home favorite of -4.5 vs. the Colts. Like New York, Kansas City didn’t lead once in regulation but tied it at 20 on a final-second field goal, then won 23-20 in overtime.
Other popular teams also delivered wins, most notably the Patriots, Ravens, Seahawks and Rams, with L.A. the only one of those four to cover the spread. But Degnon said the Rams’ 34-7 blowout of the Buccaneers on Sunday night provided a little relief.
“It was a losing day for us overall,” Degnon said. “But keeping that game below 50 points, even with the Rams scoring 34 points, was a better ending to the day than we thought we were getting.
“The Bucs winning would’ve been a better result. But Rams and Under was actually a winning outcome. The total was a big swing for us.”
How ‘Bout Them Cowboys?
Dallas entered Week 12 at a lackluster 4-5-1 straight up (SU) and 5-5 against the spread (ATS). Yet the Cowboys were a trendy home underdog, against an Eagles squad that was 8-2 SU/7-3 ATS.
Key reasons why: Philadelphia scored just 26 points across its previous two games, while Dallas tends to score plenty of points. And the public betting masses love points.
However, in this instance, Dallas — a 3-point ‘dog — ended up in a 21-0 second-quarter hole and looked as cooked as a Thanksgiving turkey. But the Cowboys didn’t give up another score, rallying for a 24-21 victory that ended on a 42-yard Brandon Aubrey field goal as time expired.
So that was another W for the bettors. South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews echoed the sentiments of several bookmakers.
“Dallas-Philly was a huge, huge game. We needed the Eagles to win by more than 3,” Andrews said.
That matchup, coupled with the Browns’ modest road upset, help seal The SuperBook’s fate for the day.
“The late games didn’t go our way. Not a good day for us. On to Week 13 we go,” Murray said.
On Campus
College football Week 13 odds didn’t have a legit marquee matchup. But a couple of big brand names still drew plenty of action, and BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said bettors generally had a good day.
“Oregon and Texas covering were huge results for BetMGM players,” Magee said.
Oregon was a 10.5-point home favorite vs. USC and won 42-27. Texas got into a high-scoring shootout with Arkansas and prevailed 52-37 as a 9.5-point home favorite.
BetMGM got a little money back on the Saturday night ACC clash between Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech. The Panthers were 2.5-point road underdogs and took out the Yellow Jackets 42-28.
“Pitt outright over Georgia Tech bailed us out of a tough day,” Magee said, adding that Oklahoma’s 17-6 win over Missouri was helpful too, with the Sooners 4.5-point home favorites. “We took an ocean of money on Mizzou in the last half hour before kickoff. It was a mix of public money and a few high-stakes bets.”
Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on X: @PatrickE_Vegas.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
