NFL odds Week 10: Wacky wins and bad beats
Some are already calling the Minnesota Vikings' 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday the NFL Game of the Year.
Bettors who backed the Vikings would agree. Gamblers who wagered on the Bills, not so much.
Welcome to the world of wacky wins and bad beats in sports betting.
Each week, we'll recap the betting plays that had some people cashing in and others tearing up their tickets in frustration. To paraphrase famed broadcaster Al Michaels, "those plays are significant to some."
Let's dive into this week's craziness!
Bills star quarterback Josh Allen was listed as questionable early in the week because of an elbow injury and did not practice Wednesday and Thursday. Allen's uncertainty caused the line quickly to go from Buffalo as high as -9.5 points to around -3 at most sportsbooks.
Allen was then listed as active early Sunday, and the odds went back to Buffalo -6.5 at many sites, including FOX Bet.
Allen played but ended up making two critical mistakes late as the Vikings pulled off the upset.
The Bills, holding a 27-23 lead, stopped the Vikings on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. However, Allen fumbled on the next play, and Minnesota recovered for a touchdown and a 30-27 lead.
Allen then shined as he completed passes of 20 and 15 yards and, combined with a pass interference penalty, led to a tying field goal with two seconds left in regulation.
The Vikings kicked a field goal on the opening possession of OT, giving Allen and the Bills one more chance. Allen drove the Bills to the Minnesota 20 but threw a game-ending interception to Patrick Peterson near the goal line.
Vikings bettors who took the 6.5 points or played the moneyline (+220, bet $10 to win $32 total) cashed in on the upset.
Patrick Peterson seals Minnesota's 33-30 OT victory over the Bills
We would be remiss if we didn't mention the one-handed catch by Minnesota's Justin Jefferson on fourth-and-18 that some are calling the Catch of the Year.
Fitting for the Game of the Year, no?
Minnesota's Justin Jefferson makes a one-handed grab vs. the Bills
Parlay bettor a TD short
Not to be overlooked was a phenomenal catch by Buffalo's Stefon Diggs on third-and-15 late in the third quarter for 25 yards.
Diggs failing to score a touchdown cost one bettor who had a $10, eight-way in-game parlay. The bettor hit seven legs, but Diggs couldn't get into the end zone.
Had Diggs done so, the bettor would've collected $1,810 (+1800).
Chiefs play Keep Away
Jaguars backers who took the 9.5 points were hopeful after a touchdown by Jacksonville cut its deficit to 10 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The best way for a favored team to keep ahead of the spread? Play Keep Away.
Jacksonville pinned Kansas City on its 10 with the kickoff. A three-and-out would give Jaguars backers a chance to cover.
But a gutsy call by the Chiefs kept Kansas City backers in the money. The Chiefs went for it on fourth-and-2 from the Jacksonville 43 with about three minutes to go, and Patrick Mahomes completed a pass to tight end Travis Kelce for a 4-yard gain to retain possession.
The Chiefs then picked up another first down, and Mahomes took a knee to run out the clock and cover for Chiefs bettors.
Missed XP costly
A missed extra point in the Chiefs-Jaguars game cost one bettor.
Leading 14-0, the Chiefs scored a touchdown late in the first half, but kicker Harrison Butker missed the extra point. It was Butker's second XP miss of the season.
The Chiefs went on to win 27-17. One bettor needed a 28-17 final to collect $99,180 on a $5 final-score parlay (+1983500).
Packer backer
Green Bay entered Sunday on a five-game losing streak, but that didn't stop a bettor from laying down some serious cash on the Packers against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Packers won in overtime, 31-28. The bettor netted a profit of $79,800 on their $42,000 bet.
Playing it safe doesn't pay off
Texans bettors who took the 5.5 points against the New York Giants lamented Houston kicking a field goal instead of going for a touchdown late in the 24-16 loss.
The Texans trailed 24-13 when Houston had first-and-10 from the New York 17 with 44 seconds to go. Houston got sacked for a 10-yard loss on the next play, then kicked a field goal instead of going for the end zone.
The Giants recovered the onside kick and covered for New York bettors.
Significant to some
The Los Angeles Rams were playing out the string in what would be a 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Trailing 27-10, backup quarterback John Wolford threw a 3-yard TD pass to Van Jefferson, pushing the point total to 44 points.
The Over/Under was 38.5 points.
Wild weekend in college football
Time running out, trailing by 13 points and facing fourth down and 28? Not a problem for Rutgers bettors against Michigan State.
The Spartans had just kicked a 48-yard field goal to increase their lead to 27-14, much to the approval of bettors who gave the 10 points.
Rutgers drove to the Michigan State 4-yard line, but those bettors breathed easier after two holding penalties, an incompletion and a sack.
The Scarlet Knights faced fourth and 28 from the 31, but QB Gavin Wimsatt completed a TD pass to Shameen Jones with 47 seconds to go. On fourth down!
Rutgers bettors who took the points soon were celebrating, while Michigan State backers who laid the points were likely muttering and shaking their heads.
Did CFP committee notice?
No. 8 USC (-34.5) was comfortably ahead of Colorado when the Buffaloes scored a TD midway through the fourth quarter to make the score 48-17 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Trojans took over at their 25 and marched down the field as the clock ticked down. Ahead by 31 points, the Trojans threw four times and recovered their own fumble on a running play.
On second and goal from the 14, the Trojans completed a pass to the Colorado 3 with less than a minute to go.
Take a knee and run out the clock?
Nope, the Trojans scored on a running play to make the final 55-17, much to the chagrin of bettors who took the 34.5 points.
Missed extra point costly
West Virginia scored a TD with 33 seconds left in the first half to cut Oklahoma's lead to 10-6.
But the Mountaineers (+5 first half) botched the snap on the extra point, and Oklahoma's Billy Bowman scooped up the ball and returned it 88 yards for two points.
Sooners 12, Mountaineers 6 instead of 10-7. Ouch!
Kick to cover
UNLV (+8.5) was trailing Fresno State 37-27 late in the fourth quarter Friday night.
The Rebels faced third and 12 from the Fresno State 16. Instead of taking two shots in the end zone, UNLV kicked a field goal to make it 37-30.
Bettors who took the points thought the celebratory fireworks were appropriate.
Overs and Unders
No. 20 Notre Dame (-17) led Navy 35-13 at halftime, but the Fighting Irish sputtered in the second half as their drives ended in a punt, interception, punt, punt, punt. The Midshipmen covered, losing 35-32. … Under 46 bettors in the Vanderbilt-No. 24 Kentucky game were sitting pretty as the Commodores led 7-6 at halftime. Those bettors sweated out the finish as the teams combined for 32 points after halftime, but the Under still covered as Vandy pulled the upset 24-21. … Missouri (+15.5) backers were holding out hope in the second half after the Tigers scored a TD to cut the deficit against No. 5 Tennessee to 28-24. That just made the Volunteers mad as they scored 38 straight points to blow up the spread and the over (57.5) as UT won 66-24. … No. 3 Michigan (-30.5) covered against Nebraska by kicking a 43-yard field goal with 1:17 to go to make it 34-3.
Stay tuned for more of the wackiness!
And if you want to join in on the fun (or madness), head over to FOX Bet for all your wagers.
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