After hoarding guests’ money in the morning slate of NFL games last Sunday, the afternoon was a different story, as STN Sports Books’ wallets reopened like the government when all three favorites — Rams, Seahawks and Lions — covered, and all those games went over the total.
“The morning games arguably could have been the best slate of morning games that we’ve seen, and that was highlighted by the Dolphins’ drubbing of the Bills,” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos Sports Book Director. “That just knocked down all moneyline bets, all teasers, all parlays. Almost nothing cashed that morning, so it was really good for our side of the counter.”
Overall, favorites went 6-6-1 against the spread. Esposito added, “The Sunday night game wasn’t good except for the fact that we kept it under, which was really the key. Same thing Monday.” With all that in mind, let’s quickly review the past week in sports and peek at what’s ahead on the STN Sports App and the STN Sports Books…
NFL Rundown
While much has been made of the Colts’ ascension toward the top of the AFC, the Patriots had largely gone unnoticed in the conversation until recently, particularly after beating the Buccaneers 28-23 on Sunday.
But, is it time to start fading New England, which sits atop the AFC East at 8-2? Before the season began, New England would have been about a three-point favorite against the Jets this weekend. They are now double-digit favorites of almost two touchdowns.
“I know the Jets are without Garrett Wilson, but they’re a division opponent, and the game has a relatively low total. Yet there are almost two touchdown favorites against the Jets. I know the Patriots are a playoff team and very talented, but they’re maybe a year or two away,” Esposito said. “I think you make the case to start fading the Broncos, too.” On the flip side, the Eagles might be a team ready to strike.
“I know that’s funny to say about a 7-2 team, but they’re going to get healthy and they’ll take that next step and really put their foot on the gas when they have to. I think the Eagles team is really a little bit of a sleeping giant because I don’t think they played their best yet.”
In fact, the Detroit/Philadelphia line moved up a full point after the Eagles’ Monday night win. They’re now favorites of nearly a field goal on this weekend’s Sunday Night Football game. Other teams seeing early love are the Buccaneers as underdogs at Buffalo, and the Vikings as a small home favorite against the surging Bears.
Sure, the Packers got beat at home on Monday Night Football, but Esposito likes Green Bay to bounce back next weekend as they travel to New York to face the reeling Giants, who fired their coach, might have lost their starting quarterback and lost yet another double-digit lead last week (their fourth of the season).
Green Bay enters the game as a favorite of more than a touchdown. “I think this is the one team that the Packers can, somehow, have a good performance against and beat a team that might be really demoralized,” Esposito said. The Cheeseheads are coming, so the Giants better hope they’re not lactose intolerant.
Last Man Standing
STN’s Last Man Standing Competitions are rapidly nearing an end, as entries continued to get wacked like a mafia foe. After last week’s games, only four of 7,141 entries remain in the hunt for the $150,000 prize in Station Casinos’ Last Man Standing NFL completion. Over in the college football contest, which carries a $100,000 prize, five entries from a field of 3,318 remain active.
VGK
Guests who blindly back the Vegas Golden Knights (so, basically all of you) are experiencing something they’ve rarely seen: losses. The VGK aren’t bottom dwellers, but they’ve been fairly mediocre of late, going 1-4-1 in a recent home stretch. That record is uglier than Lake Mead’s white bathtub ring. Despite the struggles, fans aren’t jumping off the bandwagon, particularly when the team plays inside the Fortress.
“They have not been great at home of late,” Esposito said. “The fact that the Knights had some games go under, lost, or haven’t covered on the puck line in games they’ve won has really been good for us from the business side.”
Bets To Know
ICYMI, Early Cash Out is now available in the STN Sports App. So night owls can get into the action just like the regular 9-to-5-ers. If you have a live bet and feel like taking the money and running, check the app for the opportunity.
Weekly Winners
One STN guest got luckier than an airline passenger with an on-time departure over the weekend, hitting a 10-team college football half-point parlay. With a $20 bill, the guest’s 10-leg parlay included Alabama, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Clemson, Utah State, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas A&M. The odds of that happening? +74900.