Friday, October 30, 2015

NFL Week 8 Line Moves from Vegas: Packers backed big time at Denver

Lots of interest in Sunday night's game. 
LAS VEGAS -- The Sunday Night Football game with Green Bay visiting Denver has just about everything you could want in a regular season game beginning with both teams being undefeated at 6-0. You've got two marquee quarterbacks and two defenses that rank statistically as the best in the league. However, when you look at the betting patterns across Las Vegas sports books, it's clear who the public likes in this game and it isn't the home team.

Denver has one of the better home field advantages in football, and the wise guys have been there to scoop up +3-flat with Denver at places like the South Point when it was available Monday through Thursday, but the public is siding with the Packers no matter what the number is.

"Our biggest parlay game of the week so far is Arizona at about a 10-to-1 ratio (cash taken) and next is the Packers at 8-to-1," said South Point sports book director Bert Osborne.

The Cardinals are fast becoming America's (betting) favorites weekly and they're laying 'only' 5-points with them on the road at Cleveland. However, it's very telling how the public feels about Denver when the Broncos are at home -- a trend they loved the past three seasons -- and they still like laying points with the road team.

Who can blame them? Green Bay has covered five of six this season with a QB that has a 15-to-2 TD/INT ratio while Denver's QB has a 7-to-10 ratio that includes three pick-6s. Still, Denver is 4-2 ATS thanks to its own defense that has returned four turnovers for TDs. The public obviously thinks that is more about luck than talent, and maybe they're right.

The big difference with the top two public games is that almost three times the amount bet on parlays off the board have been on Green Bay compared to Arizona. It's already a big event on a Friday. With this being the final "get-back" game of the day, that number will only rise as most bettors stagger their bank-rolls by start times. In quite a few cases, the late game cash wagered comes from the ATM with hopes of salvaging some kind of profit on the day.

Read More Here.....All the Money Moves at VegasInsider.com

Friday, October 23, 2015

NFL Week 7 Vegas Moves: Are Panthers Really this Good?

Who are the betting in Las Vegas this week?
LAS VEGAS -- Perhaps the most interesting game of the week is Sunday night when Philadelphia plays at Carolina (-3) where there's a couple of questions bettors have to answer before going to the bet window. Are the Eagles really back to being who we thought they were and are the Panthers really as good as they're showing?

The Eagles have won its last two games despite quarterback Sam Bradford throwing five interceptions. Does that mean they're resilient, or does that mean they just played bad teams and got lucky? Can we really call two solid performances against the suspect Saints and Giants a true fix of the issues that plagued them in bad losses to the Falcons, Cowboys and Redskins?

Carolina (5-0) is one of five undefeated teams left in the NFL and have exceeded its rating by covering four of the five games, including a huge come from behind 27-23 win at Seattle last week. Are they overachieving or has QB Cam Newton finally come of age and ready to take his team rating into the upper-echelon of the league?

Las Vegas oddsmaker Kenny White doesn't think so, at least not yet. "They may be 5-0, but I still have about 13 teams rated higher than them, including the Eagles who I have almost 4 points better."

If White's rating assessment is correct, then the Eagles should actually be favored in this one. But that's where the public perception comes into play that sometimes trumps actual ratings.

Last week the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook had the Panthers as 2 ½-point favorites for this game in their Week 7 Early lines, which shows they thought Philadelphia to be a half-point better at that juncture before Carolina's upset win at Seattle as a seven-point road underdog. That goes a long way in the public's mind, and so far through Friday, they're firing away on the Panthers this week, which makes -3 the correct number no matter what any rating shows.

Read More Here.....VegasInsider.com

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Westgate's Early NFL Week 8 Lines: Packers -3 EVEN at Denver

How will Rodgers fare against Denver's defense?
WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK
NFL WEEK 8

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015

DOLPHINS
PATRIOTS -10.5

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015
LIONS
CHIEFS -2.5 @ LONDON, ENGLAND

VIINGS -2.5 -120
BEARS

BUCS
FALCONS -8

GIANTS
SAINTS -2

49ERS
RAMS -6

CARDINALS -4
BROWNS

BENGALS
STEELERS xxxx

CHARGERS
RAVENS -2

TITANS
TEXANS xxxx

JETS -3
RAIDERS

SEAHAWKS -5.5
COWBOYS

PACKERS -3 EVEN
BRONCOS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
COLTS
PANTHERS -3.5

Thursday Night NFL Props from Las Vegas: Seahawks vs 49ers

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK
NFL PROPOSITIONS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2015

SEAHAWKS @ 49ERS


FIRST SCORE OF THE GAME WILL BE:
TOUCHDOWN -135
ANY OTHER SCORE +115

TOTAL GROSS PASSING YARDS BY: RUSSELL WILSON (SEA)
OVER 232.5 -110
UNDER 232.5 -110

TOTAL TOUCHDOWN PASSES+INTERCEPTIONS BY: RUSSELL WILSON (SEA)
OVER 2.0 -110
UNDER 2.0 -110

WILL MARSHAWN LYNCH (SEA) SCORE A TOUCHDOWN?
YES -130
NO +110

TOTAL COMPLETIONS BY: COLIN KAEPERKNICK (SF)
OVER 18.0 -110
UNDER 18.0 -110

TOTAL TOUCHDOWN PASSES+INTERCEPTIONS BY: COLIN KAEPERKNICK (SF)
OVER 2.0 -110
UNDER 2.0 -110

TOTAL RECEPTIONS BY: ANQUAN BOLDIN (SF)
OVER 4.0 -125
UNDER 4.0 +105

TOTAL QB SACKS BY: BOTH TEAMS
OVER 5.5 -110
UNDER 5.5 -110

TOTAL POINTS BY: SEAHAWKS
OVER 24.0 -120
UNDER 24.0 EVEN

TOTAL POINTS BY: 49ERS
OVER 18.0 -110
UNDER 18.0 -110

Monday, October 19, 2015

Colts back-door TD good for Las Vegas

Books do well in Week 6 NFL action.
After sweating through 11 games in Sunday's NFL Week 6 action, most of the bettors’ success at the end of the day hinged on the “Deflategate” rematch between the Patriots andColts. There had been some give and take by both the sports books and bettors as they each won a few of the many thrilling games on the day, but the big payoff for both sides would come down to whether or not the Patriots would cover as 8 ½-points at Indianapolis.

"The Colts make or break the day for us," said Station Casinos sports book director Jason McCormick just as the game kicked off. "We're loaded on the Pats and hoping they come out deflated."

Deflated they would not be, but it took lots of nail biting by books and bettors and the spread was coming into play. The books looked like they were in shape on the Colts first when they would march down the field in a an impressive opening score and then were leading 21-20 at the half, but then the Patriots defense tightened up and held a 34-21 lead until Indianapolis got the back-door cover touchdown with 1:19 to go.

"That last touchdown by the Colts was good news for us. We had got as high as 10 with the Patriots," said the Stratosphere's Hugh Citron.

The good news for the house almost quickly turned into miraculous news for holders on Patriots bets as the ensuing on-side kick was nearly converted into a Rob Gronkowski TD. It was a moment in every sports book crowd where the audience collectively held their breath and the ultimate bettors' dream almost turned into reality. Gronkowski, in as part of the good hands team, jumped out to secure the kick for the Patriots and appeared to have a clear run down the sideline until accidently stepping out of bounds. The Gronk really looked as though he wanted that score.

The win moved the Patriots to 5-0 on the season and joined the Panthers, Broncos (6-0), Bengals (6-0) and Packers (6-0) as the only remaining undefeated teams. The Panthers and Bengals would be the only one of those teams to cover the number on Sunday, and for Cincinnati, who is now 5-0-1 ATS, they are becoming a thorn in the sports books side as bettors are flocking to a team that just keeps covering. On Sunday, the Bengals (-3) turned a close game at Buffalo into a 34-21 rout.

CG Technologies vice-president of risk management Jason Simbal described his books' day as "decent" and said their worst games was the Bengals and that they "actually needed Seattle."

Stations' McCormick said the day was "solid but not great as the Bills and Redskins let them down."

The Stratosphere had a similar story with the first 11 games.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Updated Westgate 2015 World Series Odds

Can the Cubs really win for the first time since 1908?
2015 WORLD SERIES
DODGERS 6
ROYALS 11-4
BLUE JAYS 2
METS 6
CUBS 11-4

2015 NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT
DODGERS 2
METS 3
CUBS EVEN

ALCS SERIES PRICE
BLUE JAYS -135
ROYALS +115

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Updated Westgate College Football Thanksgiving Weekend Spreads

Ohio State was -14 a few months ago vs Michigan. Now -1. 
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015
TEXAS TECH
TEXAS -1.5

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015
IOWA -1
NEBRASKA

WASHINGTON ST
WASHINGTON -8.5

MISSOURI
ARKANSAS -9.5

OREGON ST
OREGON -17.5

BAYLOR -3
TCU

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2015
KANSAS ST -27.5
KANSAS

OKLAHOMA PK
OKLAHOMA ST

NORTHWESTERN -7
ILLINOIS @ CHICAGO, IL

OHIO ST -1
MICHIGAN

PENN ST
MICHIGAN ST -10.5

WISCONSIN -4.5
MINNESOTA

ALABAMA -10.5
AUBURN

FLORIDA ST
FLORIDA -3

GEORGIA -3.5
GEORGIA TECH

LOUISVILLE
KENTUCKY -1.5

OLE MISS -6.5
MISSISSIPPI ST

CLEMSON -11.5
SOUTH CAROLINA

VANDERBILT
TENNESSEE -10.5

UCLA
USC -3

NOTRE DAME
STANFORD -4.5

NORTH CAROLINA
NC STATE PK

VIRGINIA TECH -3
VIRGINIA

BYU -3
UTAH ST            
      

Monday, October 12, 2015

Las Vegas sports books luck out with strong 49ers performance

Everyone had the afternoon 3-teamer at the South point book.
A three-team parlay pays 6/1 odds (Bet $100 to win $600) in Las Vegas and during Sunday's NFL Week 5 action almost everyone in town had a winning three-team combination in the afternoon games with the favorites of Arizona, New England and Denver covering.

“You just have to win one of those late game and things would be okay. Just one,” said theStratosphere's Hugh Citron.

All three of those favorites would cover the number and it set the books up with a huge risk figure heading into Sunday night's football game with the Giants as seven-point home favorites over the 49ers.

No one wanted the 49ers. Huge parlays were waiting to cash if the Giants beat down the traveling 49ers like everyone else had this season. Two San Francisco road games this season; average score: 12-45.

“We're looking at nearly a seven-figure loss on the day if the Giants cover with the OVER mixed in with the Rangers and OVER in pro baseball,” said MGM Resorts CP of race and sports Jay Rood as the late game was just getting started.

Following the Giants 30-27 win (no cover) and the Blue Jays 5-1 win in the ALDS, Rood and the rest of the sports book directors around town could take a deep breath of relief having just dodged a bullet. It still turned out to be a loss on the day, but it wasn't a complete disaster.

Things could have been much worse as the perfect storm was brewing with the public riding several popular teams.

Three squads -- Green Bay, Atlanta,Cincinnati – entered Week 5 with perfect 4-0 marks against the spread. Only the Packers would cover on the day among the three, but the timing of the late games and only three teams to choose from had everyone on the same parlay and books can't escape a 6/1 payout odds no matter how much wise guy money they might get on the other side.

The public had a no-brainer three-teamer in the afternoon. "Let's see. Three games kicking off after 1:00 p.m. PT, huh? Hmm, Arizona should kill the Lions. The Cowboys have no shot against the Patriots and Denver has beat the tar out of Oakland seven straight games. Yes, I'll have a three-team parlay for $20, please."

That type of betting sequence was happening all over Las Vegas from 12:30 to 1:05 pm on Sunday and for the third time in five weeks it was enough to beat the books. That's crazy stuff. The books don't lose in football consistently, but going 2-3 against the public is a pretty big deal in Las Vegas. The casino bean counters are now getting snarkier with their comments in weekly executive meetings.

I guess the comeback comment would be "at least I didn't lose $1 million."

Read More Here.....VegasInsider.com

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Free College Football Picks: Iowa to continue its roll vs. Illinois

Illinois should have another rough day on road.
Line: Iowa -11
Total: 44
Time: 12 p.m. ET, ESPNU

The Hawkeyes have been a pleasant surprise so far at 5-0 (4-1 ATS), and there are a few trends to help sway the opinion that they keep their roll going at home on Saturday. The big one is Illinois being awful on the road. The Illini don't just lose, they rarely cover the spread, going 3-14 ATS in their last 17 road trips. Also, the home team in this series is 7-1 ATS in the past eight meetings, and the favorite is 9-3 ATS in the past 12 meetings.

More important than the trends, Iowa's true rating might not have found them yet, which makes laying the points in this spot a good play.

Pick: Iowa - 11
Predicted score: Iowa 31-10

Get more FREE college football picks here at TheLinemakers.com

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Early 2015 NFL Week 6 lines from Westgate

Patriots laying -5 at Indianapolis. Deflategate rematch...who is still angry?
NFL WEEK 6

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015

FALCONS -2.5 -120
SAINTS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2015
BRONCOS -5.5
BROWNS

BENGALS
BILLS -1.5

CHIEFS
VIKINGS -2.5

TEXANS -2.5
JAGUARS

BEARS
LIONS -6.5

REDSKINS
JETS -6

CARDINALS -2.5
STEELERS

DOLPHINS
TITANS -1.5

PANTHERS
SEAHAWKS -7.5

CHARGERS
PACKERS -9

RAVENS -3 -120
49ERS

PATRIOTS -5
COLTS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2015
GIANTS
EAGLES -3 -120

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Vegas sports books bounce back in NFL Week 4 action

Caesars Palace sports book was hopping for week 4 NFL action.
LAS VEGAS -- The Nevada sports books had lost two of the first three NFL Sunday's and needed a boost to kickoff the start of the fiscal fourth quarter after failing miserably in the third quarter with a rough baseball season. The NFL season was supposed to be the savior for the books, but it turned out to be just the opposite.

So when book directors were looking at the risk charts for NFL Week 4 action, they saw seven teams they needed to beat down as the gateway to a winning week, and those seven teams had combined to go 17-4 (81%) against the spread through three weeks. They were the popular teams. They were the teams blowing everyone out, covering spreads and making every regular betting Joe's wallet fat.

Seven Public Teams in Week 4
Carolina
Atlanta
Oakland
Philadelphia
Denver
Green Bay
Arizona

If the books were to lose five of those games, a losing day would occur. If they lost six of those games, it would be a disaster. If they lost all seven, it would be 'Black Sunday' with almost every big parlay cashing.

However, things cycled around as they usually do in pro football where the point spread eventually catches up with teams. The books would end up winning four of the seven games the public loved and it was enough of a hiccup in the popular parlay across town to make the books a winner.

"Solid day for the book," said Station Casinos sports book director Jason McCormick.
"The Jets and Dolphins all made us get up early, but it was worth it for the public who cashed on the Jets. The Bears, Redskins, Rams and Vikings were all good for the books."

The sports books barely blinked when Jay Cutler was announced as the Bears starting quarterback where the Raiders ended up closing as 3-point road favorites. But Cutler actually showed some heart and emotion in a 22-20 win. The Raiders were 2-1 ATS before the game while the Bears were 0-3 ATS. The Raiders are fun, the Bears stink and that's the way the public bet it.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Westgate updates 2015 College Football Game of Year numbers

LSU rating rising, while Ohio State's is falling. Michigan rising too.
WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK 
2015 COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES OF THE YEAR

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
AUBURN
KENTUCKY -3


UCLA
STANFORD -4

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015
CINCINNATI
BYU -7

BOISE ST -7
UTAH ST

UNLV QB-??
FRESNO ST xxxx

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2015
MICHIGAN ST PK
MICHIGAN

OREGON -7.5
WASHINGTON

OKLAHOMA -7.5
KANSAS ST

LOUISVILLE
FLORIDA ST -8.5

FLORIDA
LSU -9.5

USC -2.5
NOTRE DAME

PENN ST
OHIO ST -21.5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2015
TEMPLE
EAST CAROLINA -1.5

CALIFORNIA
UCLA -7.5

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015
MEMPHIS -8.5
TULSA

UTAH ST -3.5
SAN DIEGO ST

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015
UTAH
USC -9

KANSAS ST
TEXAS -1

TENNESSEE
ALABAMA -13

AUBURN
ARKANSAS -4.5

CLEMSON -5
MIAMI FL

FLORIDA ST -4.5
GEORGIA TECH

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015
NORTH CAROLINA
PITTSBURGH -3

WEST VIRGINIA
TCU -13

OREGON -2.5
ARIZONA ST

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015
LOUISVILLE -10.5
WAKE FOREST

LOUISIANA TECH -11.5
RICE

WYOMING
UTAH ST -26.5

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
CLEMSON -7
NC STATE

OLE MISS -7.5
AUBURN

USC -7
CALIFORNIA

FLORIDA
GEORGIA -5.5 @ JACKSONVILLE, FL

MICHIGAN -11.5
MINNESOTA

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015
MISSISSIPPI ST -3
MISSOURI

BAYLOR -14.5
KANSAS ST

NEVADA -3.5
FRESNO ST

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015
TEMPLE -8.5
SMU

BYU -7
SAN JOSE ST

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015
MICHIGAN ST -7.5
NEBRASKA

MINNESOTA
OHIO ST -27

TCU -6.5
OKLAHOMA ST

LSU
ALABAMA -7


ARKANSAS
OLE MISS -13.5

AUBURN
TEXAS A&M -10.5

FLORIDA ST
CLEMSON -3

NOTRE DAME -5.5
PITTSBURGH

ARIZONA
USC -17

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015
VIRGINIA TECH
GEORGIA TECH -7

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015
USC -14.5
COLORADO

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2015
OREGON
STANFORD -4

GEORGIA -7
AUBURN

ARKANSAS
LSU -10

ALABAMA -8.5
MISSISSIPPI ST

OKLAHOMA
BAYLOR -13.5

BYU
MISSOURI -3 @ KANSAS CITY, MO

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2015
EAST CAROLINA -10.5
CENTRAL FLORIDA

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015
CINCINNATI -6
SOUTH FLORIDA

AIR FORCE
BOISE ST -14

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2015
TCU PK
OKLAHOMA

BAYLOR -10.5
OKLAHOMA ST

MICHIGAN ST
OHIO ST -10


MICHIGAN -7
PENN ST

LSU
OLE MISS -4

GEORGIA TECH PK
MIAMI FL

ARIZONA
ARIZONA ST -6.5

USC -3
OREGON

UCLA
UTAH -1

CALIFORNIA
STANFORD -9.5

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015
TEXAS TECH
TEXAS -2.5

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015
IOWA
NEBRASKA -2

WASHINGTON ST
WASHINGTON -9.5

MISSOURI
ARKANSAS -6.5

OREGON ST
OREGON -21.5

BAYLOR -1.5
TCU

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2015
KANSAS ST -24
KANSAS

OKLAHOMA -2.5
OKLAHOMA ST

NORTHWESTERN -8.5
ILLINOIS @ CHICAGO, IL

OHIO ST -4.5
MICHIGAN


PENN ST
MICHIGAN ST -14.5

WISCONSIN -7
MINNESOTA

ALABAMA -10.5
AUBURN


FLORIDA ST
FLORIDA -1.5

GEORGIA -6.5
GEORGIA TECH

LOUISVILLE
KENTUCKY -2

OLE MISS -6.5
MISSISSIPPI ST

CLEMSON -7.5
SOUTH CAROLINA

VANDERBILT
TENNESSEE -10.5

UCLA
USC -7


NOTRE DAME
STANFORD -4.5

NORTH CAROLINA
NC STATE PK

VIRGINIA TECH -3
VIRGINIA

BYU -4.5
UTAH ST

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2015
TEXAS
BAYLOR -24.5

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2015
ARMY
NAVY -14.5 @ PHILADELPHIA, PA



**GAME MUST BE PLAYED WITHIN 8 DAYS OF SCHEDULED DATE FOR ACTION

**GAME MUST BE PLAYED AT DESIGNATED SITE

Updated Super Bowl 500 odds to win from Westgate

Cardinals back up to 14/1 after loss to rams Sunday.
2016 SUPER BOWL 50
@ LEVI'S STADIUM, SANTA CLARA, CA
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

SUPER BOWL 50 GAME LINE

NFC -2 TOTAL 53.5
AFC

SUPER BOWL
SEAHAWKS 6
PATRIOTS 4
PACKERS 5-2
BRONCOS 10
COWBOYS 50
EAGLES 40
COLTS 25
LIONS 100
SAINTS 100
RAMS 60
49ERS 500
CARDINALS 14
STEELERS 30
RAVENS 40
BENGALS 10
TEXANS 80
CHARGERS 50
CHIEFS 60
GIANTS 30
PANTHERS 20
FALCONS 14
DOLPHINS 100
BEARS 500
VIKINGS 50
BILLS 40
BROWNS 500
REDSKINS 100
JETS 25
BUCS 500
TITANS 80
JAGUARS 200
RAIDERS 100

Free Monday Night Football Pick: Lions at Seahawks

The Lions travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks on Monday night (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), their first trip to CenturyLink Field since suffering a 32-20 loss as 10.5-point dogs in 2009. The Lions are not only winless, they're also 0-3 against the spread to start 2015, while the Seahawks are looking to win their 10th Monday night game in a row.

Line: Seahawks -10, Total: 43

Line movement: The reigning NFC champions sat as 10-point favorites at multiple Las Vegas bet shops about 24 hours before kickoff, with some venues dealing -9.5. The total, meanwhile, is holding firm at 43 after a slight adjustment from 43.5 on Tuesday. Check our odds page for current point spreads and totals.

Trends that matter: The UNDER is 10-4 in the Lions’ last 14 Monday games….The Seahawks are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 Monday games, including 8-1 in the last nine….The Lions are 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games....Detroit has lost its last 11 against the spread visiting an NFC West opponent.

Get the FREE MNF Pick Here on TheLinemakers.com

Saturday, October 3, 2015

FREE NFL Week 4 Picks: Panthers to beat Bucs fifth straight time

Panthers usually handle Tampa Bay and should again on Sunday. 
Line: Carolina -3 (-120), Total: 40
Time: 1 p.m. ET, Fox

The Panthers have had an easy go of it, getting off to a 3-0 start against teams with issues. By no means have they looked great, which is why they’re laying just a field goal at Tampa Bay this week. But they do just enough to get the job done, and that should be enough to beat the Bucs for the fifth straight time (3-1 ATS).

The past three meetings have stayed UNDER, and that looks to be the way to go here as well. Carolina has stayed UNDER in 10 of its past 12 against the NFC South, and the Bucs have stayed UNDER in 11 of their past 13 overall.

The plays are Panthers -3 and UNDER 40.

Predicted score: Panthers 20-10

NFL Week 4 Money Moves in Vegas; Cards may be undervalued

Arizona Cardinals could be underrated.
LAS VEGAS -- Move over Seattle, Green Bay and New England. The betting public has a new favorite team joining the group that's routinely featured the most on parlays across every sports book in the Las Vegas valley.

Meet the Arizona Cardinals who have jumped out to an impressive 3-0 start, but have endeared themselves more with the betting public by covering all three of its games by an average score of 42-16.

What's not to like about them? They don't just win and cover, they crush teams, and the games go OVER the total. It's a parlay bettors' side-to-total delight and the two-teamer at 13/5 odds (Bet $100 to win $260) is 3-0 with the Arizona-OVER combination this year.

The more bettors win on a team, the more they love them and they go for the ride as long as the roll goes. In Week 3 action, the Cardinals were the most one-sided wagered team of the week and were the major culprit of making the sports books losers on Sunday for the second time on the early season.

The question is whether or not Arizona's roll will last.

Are they for real?

Bettors are now having to lay larger numbers with Arizona as its rating has jumped about four points since the season began. In the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook’s early Week 4 lines last week the Cardinals were -4 for Sunday's home contest against the Rams. On Friday, the Cardinals were -7 (EVEN) after opening Sunday night at -6.

Is there too much of a rating adjustment on Arizona making their opponents more attractive for wise guys at the bet windows, or could the ratings still be low? One of the sharpest professional bettors in Las Vegas, Jeff Whitelaw, had a surprising take on the Cardinals and where they stack up among the rest of the teams.

"Before last week’s game, someone asked me who I thought the best teams in the NFL were and I said Green Bay, New England and then Arizona, and he was a little surprised by my answer. But you have to look at everything they're comprised of which is a great coach, solid defense, outstanding special teams play, an offensive line that is much better than expected and then a healthy Carson Palmer."

It's quite eye-opening to hear someone like Whitelaw mention Arizona before Seattle, a team the Westgate currently has as a six-point home favorites over the Cardinals for their Nov. 15 meeting in updated NFL Games of the Year numbers. It's an indication the Westgate currently has Seattle rated 2.5-points higher on a neutral field over Arizona.

"Right now, I think Arizona might be every bit as good as Seattle. The Seahawks have that pedigree and the Cardinals really haven't played anyone yet, but they're burying those teams that have been placed in front of them, and it's not like Arizona just snuck up on us. They were 11-5 last season with Palmer playing in only six games (6-0)."

Whitelaw says he expects Arizona's rating to climb even higher and there should still be value on them the next few weeks until its true rating levels off, which would then put them right up there the elite teams in the league.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Free Week 5 College Football Selections: Roll Tide between Hedges

Alabama and Georgia last met in 2012 SEC Title game.
Line: Georgia -2, Total: 54.5
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Will Alabama really start SEC play at 0-2 for the first time since 1990?

Nick Saban has recruited better than anyone over the past few seasons, yet still can't manage to get a top-flight quarterback into the program, which cost them dearly against Ole Miss. The field-goal kicking game has also been struggling. However, what they do well is control the ground game, and they should be able to neutralize Georgia running back Nick Chubb and put all the pressure on QB Greyson Lambert, who has looked outstanding thus far, but against opponents not nearly as good as Alabama.

Alabama is an underdog for the first time in 72 games, but calling Georgia the favorite is subjective and based on how big a home-field edge you give the Bulldogs between the hedges. There's a big difference between home-field value against South Carolina and against Alabama. When the Tide rolls into town, cut their opponents’ home rating in half. So while you might give Georgia +6 at home against South Carolina, the advantage may be only +2 to +3 against Alabama. And we have Alabama rated about 4-points better than Georgia on a neutral field, so by this logic, Alabama should be -1 on Saturday.

Look for the line to drop, so if you're on board with Alabama, get all you can on the money-line as soon as possible.

Predicted score: Alabama 38-24

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Ravens-Steelers Thursday Night Selection: Vick starting is huge factor

Will Steelers tone down offensive playbook for Michael Vick?
The storylines are obvious when one of the NFL’s fiercest rivalries continues Thursday night (8:25 p.m. ET, CBS, NFLN). The Ravens, who had aspirations of another Super Bowl coming into the season, are 0-3 for the first time in franchise history. The Steelers have won two in a row since losing the season-opener at New England, but will have to rely on Michael Vick with starting QB Ben Roethlisberger out 4-6 weeks with a sprained MCL.

Line: Baltimore -2.5, Total: 44

Line movement: How big is the move from Roethlisberger to Vick? Pitt was a 3.5-point favorite when the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook posted this game a week in advance. After Sunday’s Week 3 action, the Ravens opened -2.5 at most Vegas books and have been bet to -3 (even) at some venues. The total has hovered around 44 and 44.5.

Get the free selection here on TheLinemakers.com, plus video with Micah Roberts and Kenny White discussing match-up.