Sportsbooks Rally Sunday Comes Up Short, Public Wins Week 12
Scott Morris | November 29, 2016
NFL Week 12 was won by the public as the leftovers from Thanksgiving were too much for sportsbooks to make up even though the two favorites on Sunday that were most heavily bet – New England and Seattle – did not cover.
Most books came up on the short end for the weekend as plenty of leftovers from turkey day cashed on teasers and parlays.
One online book said it was way down starting Sunday’s games and could not make up the difference. Favorites on Sunday were 5-6-1 against the number. Monday’s results did not help any either, as Green Bay covered as a 4-point road dog.
Normally, a 5-6-1 day for the favorites would spell victory for sportsbooks, but the Thursday games carried too much parlay and teaser liability with them that was able to cash on Sunday.
Tampa Bay held on to beat Seattle 14-5. The Seahawks were 6-point chalk. The Buccaneers were one of two dogs on Sunday to win outright.
However, the teasers killed the books in Week 12. If bettors took every side on the Thursday teasers, they would have gone 5-1 with Indianapolis the only loser.
Many cashed on that same day, but liability for many shifted to Sunday for the books, with half of the 12 games on the Sunday schedule having both sides on teasers meaning regardless of the side bet, the six games cashed for the public bettor.
Because of that, on many sportbooks, the two-team 6-point teaser has become the bettors’ best friend and there could be changes to that on books come next season.
The biggest damage on Sunday came from the game between the Giants and Browns. Both teams were bet on heavily with small straight bets, parlays and teasers that quickly added up to large money.
At the same time, sharp money bet hundreds of thousands on sportsbooks for Cleveland. Despite the amount of sharp money action, most books said that as much as 85% of the cash wagered on the spread was laying points with New York.
In the end, the Giants won by 14 to cover as the Browns did the typical things they do, commit errors.
With only 4 games left for Cleveland, no matter how high the spread is, the public will bet against the Browns. The Browns are currently on a six game run of 0-6 ATS and have not covered in 10 of their 12 games this season.
