NFL, CFB Weekend Betting Recap: Bettors Enjoy ‘Champagne-Popping’ Sunday

Favorites and Overs are the lifeblood of the public betting masses. In NFL Week 1 odds, specifically in Sunday’s early games, the public got a transfusion that ultimately carried the day. “The first NFL Sunday of the season was a champagne-popping day for bettors, while the book was left cleaning up the corks,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said. Oddsmakers from Las Vegas and across the country chimed in to recap the weekend that was in 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. On any given NFL Sunday, all favorites need to do is win — not necessarily cover the spread — for the betting masses to have a big day. And the favorites did so this week, often in high-scoring affairs, an even better outcome for the customers. “Seven of the eight [early] favorites won outright, six games flew over the total — many reaching that mark by halftime — and eight of the 10 most popular touchdown scorers found the end zone,” Feazel said. Those seven favorites were the ones that mattered. The eighth favorite was the Titans, who were -1.5 vs. the Jets and lost 23-10. But let’s be honest: Who’s taking Tennessee? I wouldn’t bet the Titans with your money. The reason outright winners matter more than covering the spread is moneyline parlays. The public loves to thread together NFL moneyline favorites, looking to turn a little into a lot. But Sunday nearly fell apart for bettors when the Saints forced the Lions to overtime, tied at 24. However, Detroit then won 31-30 to clinch countless moneyline parlays, after a gutsy New Orleans move failed. “The biggest decision came in Detroit, where the Saints’ 2-point conversion attempt in overtime had the book on its knees with anticipation,” Feazel said. “Unfortunately for the book, the attempt was unsuccessful, locking in one of the biggest results of the day in the bettors’ favor.” Feazel said the Jaguars, Ravens and Bengals also saw substantial moneyline parlay play in the early games, and all delivered wins. On the spread, the Bears, Jags, Bengals and Eagles were the most popular plays, and only Philadelphia failed to cover, in the marquee late-window game. After a late Commanders touchdown, the Eagles — 6-point favorites — stopped the 2-point attempt to preserve a 24-22 victory. And as Feazel alluded to, a bunch of Overs came in, led by the Bears’ 59-37 blasting of the Panthers, with a total of 47.5. BetMGM trading manager Adair Horne echoed Feazel’s sentiments. “What the bettors got right was basically the entire early slate,” Horne said Sunday night. “There were plenty of successful parlays and same-game parlays for the bettors. “Today was one for the bettors, after a bit of a bloodbath for them Saturday with college football.” BetMGM customers’ biggest successes: However, Horne said the book got a little back in the four-game late window and especially in the Cowboys-Giants Sunday night tilt. New York was a 3-point home underdog and won 28-20. “Cowboys vs. Giants was a lovely result, with the Giants getting an upset,” Horne said. “The next-best result for the book was the Cardinals surprising an overhyped Chargers team. Then third-best was the close Commanders vs. Eagles game.” Indeed, Arizona pulled a stunner, going to L.A. as a 9-point underdog and winning 26-14. And as noted above, Washington came within a whisker of forcing OT in Philly, covering as a 6-point underdog. The NFL props of First Touchdown Scorer and Anytime Touchdown Scorer are wildly popular in every game. Anytime Touchdown was the main pain point for bookmakers on Sunday. And again, that pain came quickly. Several of the most-bet players found the end zone in the first half of the early games: As Feazel mentioned above, eight of the 10 most popular anytime TD bets cashed on Sunday. “There was a time when the book only had to sweat the main markets,” Feazel said, pointing primarily to the spread, moneyline and total. “With the evolution of the product and increased market depth, Anytime Touchdown Scorers are now firmly front and center. “Given their popularity, the liabilities can pile up fast.” As Horne noted above, BetMGM had a big Saturday in college football Week 2 odds. The only exception was the Ohio State vs. Texas showdown. The Longhorns trailed 23-3 entering the fourth quarter, then surprisingly rallied for a 24-23 victory. Texas failed to cover as a 2.5-point home favorite, but there was a ton of moneyline action on the Longhorns to simply win the game, regardless of margin. “Texas winning outright was big for the bettors,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said. “But it was a great day for the house Saturday. Michigan and Oklahoma State winning outright were parlay killers.” Michigan was a 5.5-point home underdog vs. Oklahoma and notched a 17-10 upset. Oklahoma State was a 24.5-point home ‘dog vs. Oregon and shocked the Ducks 39-31. That’s the same Cowboys squad that, in Week 1, lost to Tulsa 24-10 as a 13.5-point road favorite. South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews concurred with Magee on college football results. “All in all, it was a pretty good Saturday,” Andrews said. “Michigan beating Oklahoma was really good, and Oregon losing was really good. Ohio State-Texas wasn’t actually a big decision for us. But we had great two-way action.”