NFL Betting Action For Week 16 (2008)
Carrie Stroup and Don Shapiro of Gambling911.com discuss the NFL betting action that is coming in on various teams and games as a whole.
Dan Shapiro: Carrie, when we look at the NFL betting action for Week 16 it seems that everyone is all over the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend. Action is reported as high as 95 percent at some online sportsbooks including 92 percent at Sportsbook.com
Carrie Stroup: The oddsmakers have reacted, moving the line from Tennessee Titans -1, where it opened, to Steelers -2 ½ last I checked.
Dan Shapiro: Can Tennessee beat Pittsburgh though? Suddenly, Gambling911.com has the Steelers ranked number two after the Giants and the oddsmakers have Pittsburgh with a little longer than 3/1 odds of winning the Super Bowl. Tennessee has nearly 5/1 odds of winning the 2009 Super Bowl
Carrie Stroup: It's not going to be easy. In fact, I would argue that right now anyway, the Steelers are playing better football than the Giants and let's face it Don, every game for the Steelers this season seemed to be a marquee matchup. I am going to argue that few teams have had as tough a schedule as the Pittsburgh Steelers yet we're looking at an organization that's 11-3. Tennessee has not had nearly as tough a schedule.
Don Shapiro: Yet when we look back at the last four games in this series, the Titans have had their way with the Steelers 3 of 4 times. Even as an underdog in 2002 they won by 8 points.
Carrie Stroup: The Titans lost their last game in 2005 to the Steelers but we do have to be careful here in that they've gone 8-2 in this series over the last 10 dating back to 1999 and this could be the best Titans team we've seen over that time period.
Don Shapiro: Probably the most bet on game of the weekend, would you say?
Carrie Stroup: Certainly the Steelers will be among the top 3 most bet on teams of the weekend. In terms of games, we know that Carolina vs. the New York Giants is going to be huge with very important Playoffs connotations. This is a Sunday night game, which will traditionally be one of the most wagered on of the weekend even if the competition were less appealing.
Don Shapiro: And there we have pretty even action on both sides at New York -3 ½ . Your opinion on the Panthers - Giants game, Carrie?
Carrie Stroup: I'm gonna say Carolina pulls this off here. I know you're a big Giants fan Don. Not what you wanted to hear but look at the past history between these two teams. Carolina's gone 7-2 over the last 9 head-to-heads and New York has been showing signs of weakening the past two weeks.
Don Shapiro: Carolina had around the same odds as Tennessee to win the 2009 Super Bowl coming in at about 6/1 odds at Sportsbook.com. What other games do we see getting heavy action heading into Sunday?
Carrie Stroup: The Eagles were getting around 80 percent of the action against the Redskins. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers - also struggling in recent weeks - were getting 82 percent of the public action against San Diego. The Texans were getting 95 percent of the action at -7 against Oakland. The game itself probably won't get as much betting activity. Dolphins were 75 percent of the action at -3 ½ on the road in Kansas City. My personal favorite, and the public loves them too, New England -8 against an Arizona team that can't win on the East Coast, will be facing brutal weather conditions and really has nothing more to gain. If this isn't a blowout - forget the 8 points - New England doesn't belong in the Playoffs.
Don Shapiro: There you have it folks. Thanks Carrie.
Carrie Stroup: Thank you Don, and let me remind Gambling911.com readers that Sportsbook.com is now offering 5 percent cash back on lost bets made during the holiday season. Conditions do apply. check them out here
