Where the action is: Betting Week 1 of the NFL
NFL football is finally back! But, with Week 1 lines being on the board for months in some cases, there has also been plenty of time for lines and totals to move. Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing action coming in on Week 1 matchups.
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills – Open: +3, Move: +2
Andrew Luck and the Colts continue to make steps forward, and the next stop is Super Bowl 50. The Colts will get started toward that goal when they open the season by visiting Rex Ryan and the Bills.
While the public is backing Luck and his new weapons, Frank Gore and Andre Johnson, smart money has come in on what is arguably the league’s best defense, according to Pete Childs of Sportsbook.
“We just booked very sharp action on the Bills this morning, forcing us down from Colts -3 to Colts -2. Eighty percent of the square action is on the Colts, making this game the ‘pro’s vs joe’s’ game of the week, where sharps and public money are on opposite sides.”
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns – Open: +2.5, Move: +3.5
Ryan Fitzpatrick will be under center when the Jets host the Cleveland Browns in the season opener on Sunday in a battle of teams hoping to earn their first playoff berths in several years.
Despite continued questions at quarterback for the Jets, bettors still prefer them over the “new” look Browns.
“With on the Browns issues both on the field and off the field, this line has shot up a half a point going from 3 to Jets -3.5, part of that action was sharp but it’s also public strictly fading this Browns team,” Childs said.
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears – Open: +4.5, Move: +6
The league’s oldest rivalry has turned one-sided over the past few years and the Packers hope to continue that trend when they kick off the season with a visit to the Bears Sunday.
The Packers have won and covered eight of their last nine meetings against the Bears, including a pair of lopsided victories last season in which they outscored Chicago 93-31 and bettors are backing that trend to continue.
According to Scott Kaminsky of The Greek, there was nothing but a steady stream of Packers money coming in since the line initially opened.
“There was no Bears money until the number hit 6.5, until some smart money finally came in on that number, putting us back to our current number of Packers -6,” Kaminsky.
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos – Total Open: 51.5, Move 48.5
Much has been made of Peyton Manning’s lackluster finish to last season, but the Ravens certainly know how well he can open one. After tying an NFL record by tossing seven touchdown passes against Baltimore to begin the 2013 season, Manning and the Broncos host the Ravens to begin the 2015 campaign Sunday.
However, the lackluster finish and the slow preseason have bettors hammering the under in this game, Kaminsky said.
“We’ve moved the total three whole points since opening, suffice to say the smart money in on the under in this matchup.”