Following the Latest Developments in Sports Betting as the Opening Week of NFL Approaches
Detroitisthriving! The Motor City took the Kansas City Chiefs down a notch in the NFL's season opener, giving defending champions a surprise loss on Thursday. While All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce was out with a knee injury, the Lions secondary throttled Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense in the second half.
As speculation swirled around Kelce's potential absence, line fluctuations flared up across the betting world. With most sportsbooks listing the Chiefs between -4 and -4.5, FanDuel even dropped the line to Kansas City -3.5. By Thursday evening, bets on the Chiefs made up a staggering 51% of the total handle, according to a DraftKings spokesperson. Say what you will about frantic bettors, but when the NFL releases its schedule, the Chiefs had ambitiously been pegged as 7-point favorites back in the spring.
Fast-forward to Sunday, and we're just 72 hours away from the first Sunday of the NFL season. Teams will release their respective injury lists on Friday, giving bettors a stronger clue about which crucial players might be on the fence for their Week 1 games. Over the course of this week, Sports Handle has steadily kept tabs on football-related news surrounding the betting industry through daily live blogs.
Take a stroll down memory lane with us and revisit the mind-blowing moment when Packers kicker Chester Marcol scored a touchdown in the 1980 season opener against the Bears - the very moment that in-game betting, props, and touchdown-scoring kickers didn't even exist yet. Packers took a 6-point underdog win against the Bears, who were led by legendary running back Walter Payton.
Switching gears, Panthers wideout D.J. Chark won't be in Sunday's game against the Falcons. He's out with a hamstring injury, which means rookie quarterback Bryce Young will be without one of his top targets for his NFL career debut. Falcons remain favorites at -3.5, but the absence of Chark might impact same-game parlays with Adam Thielen (ankle - questionable), Laviska Shenault, and rookie Jonathan Mingo potentially stepping up to fill the void.
In the world of college football, Colorado backers have been flocking to the windows for Saturday's home opener against Nebraska. Even though Colorado is a 21-point underdog at TCU after a successful debut under Coach Prime, they've been receiving more betting action than the majority of the NFL teams this week. Expect more excitement as the B1G slings some gridiron action!
On the injury front, a number of key players are sitting out their team's opening games. Among the absentees are Packers wideout Christian Watson, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead, Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones, Seahawks safety Jamal Adams, and Giants wide receiver Wan'dale Robinson, to name a few.
Denver's got your back if you're hankerin' for straight-shootin' sports coverage with a touch of wit! Have a productive day and remember, football is just around the corner! (Sorry for any cowboy-ish jargon, had to get our bronco-riding spirit out somehow.)
Note: While investigating Travis Kelce's injury, we detected that he may have a strained ligament in his knee, potentially impacting the Chiefs' offensive strategy and overall team performance. However, the specific betting lines for the regular season opener weren't disclosed in our search results.
Detroit's victory over the Chiefs showed that underdogs can surprise, even in sports betting, as the Lions took a 6-point win against the defendants of the NFL title. FanDuel offered a moneyline of Kansas City -3.5 in the season opener, but most sportsbooks initially listed the Chiefs between -4 and -4.5. Frenetic bettors made up 51% of the total handle for the Chiefs, despite the Chiefs being ambitiously pegged as 7-point favorites in the spring.
The football season is nearly upon us, and teams will reveal their respective injury lists on Friday, potentially influencing wagers and line movements. In the meantime, bettors can follow sports-related news and industry trends through platforms like Sports Handle.
Remember the historic moment when Chester Marcol scored a touchdown for the Packers in the 1980 season opener against the Bears, an event that paved the way for in-game betting, props, and touchdown-scoring kickers in the NFL.
Injuries to D.J. Chark and Adam Thielen, among others, could affect same-game parlays for the Falcons and Panthers, as Chark's absence might leave Bryce Young without one of his top targets for his NFL career debut.
Colorado has been receiving significant betting action despite being a 21-point underdog against Nebraska in college football, showing that underdogs can always attract attention in sports betting.
A number of key players, such as Christian Watson, Marlon Humphrey, Terron Armstead, Chandler Jones, Jamal Adams, and Wan'dale Robinson, will be missing their team's opening games, which might impact the odds and betting strategies for those matches.
For a dose of straight-shootin' sports coverage with a touch of wit, tune in to Denver's coverage as we gear up for the start of the NFL and college football seasons.
