By David Purdum - espn.com
NFL underdogs covered the spread in 55.7% of games this season. That s the second-best mark for underdogs in the past 20 years, behind only 2006 (56.9%). The barking underdogs produced the most lucrative month ever for Nevada sportsbooks, which won a record $61.8 million in November.
An NFL regular season that went to the dogs and the bookmakers is over, mercifully for the betting public.
NFL underdogs covered the spread in 55.7% of games this season. That s the second-best mark for underdogs in the past 20 years, behind only 2006 (56.9%). The barking underdogs produced the most lucrative month ever for Nevada sportsbooks, which won a record $61.8 million in November.
Oklahoma, which opened as a 3-point underdog, was an 8.5-point favorite in the hours leading up to Wednesday s Cotton Bowl after several Florida stars opted out of the game.
Less than 24 hours before kickoff on Sunday against the New York Jets, four of the Cleveland Browns leading receivers were ruled out because of COVID-19 protocols.
The Browns were already expected to be without half of their offensive line and a couple of linebackers. Yet some sportsbooks still couldn t buy a bet on the Jets.
Cleveland was favored by 9.5 points before the news about the wide receivers. The line settled at Cleveland -6.5 after Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge were ruled out. That didn t matter to the majority of bettors, though. People bet on the Browns before and after the news, and by kickoff more than 80% of the money bet on the point spread was on Cleveland, at multiple sportsbooks.
Race/Sports - NFL: Browns Win Over Giants Final Nail In Coffin gamingtoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gamingtoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.