NFL betting: Bettors are split on the Cowboys and Bucs ahead of their wild-card game
Bettors are split on the Buccaneers and Cowboys ahead of their wild-card matchup on Monday night.
The Cowboys are now 2.5-point favorites at Tampa Bay (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) and are getting 49% of bets and 47% of the money bet on the spread at BetMGM. The line opened at three points and has dropped a half point as bettors are torn between Dallas and Tampa Bay.
The total opened at 44.5 and has crept up to 45.5 as the majority of money is on the under. Nearly 60% of bets are on the under and those bets equal 73% of the cash.
While bettors are split on the spread, they really like the Bucs on the moneyline. Tampa Bay is currently at +120 to win the game outright and is getting 80% of bets and 73% of the cash. The Cowboys have moved from -160 to -145 to win straight up.
The Buccaneers easily beat Dallas to open the season, and the Cowboys haven’t won a playoff game since beating the Seahawks 24-22 in the wild-card round after the 2018 season. The game, however, is not going to be a referendum on coach Mike McCarthy. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was emphatic that a loss wouldn’t affect McCarthy’s future with the team.
Bettors love Buffalo and San Francisco
There’s little betting faith in the Miami Dolphins’ chances in Buffalo on Sunday.
The Dolphins opened as 10-point underdogs at the Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS) and are now 13-point dogs after 91% of the money bet on the spread at BetMGM is on Buffalo to cover.
Bettors have helped move the line after the news that Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa is still in concussion protocol and unavailable to play after suffering multiple concussions during the regular season. Third-string QB Skylar Thompson looks set to start as backup Teddy Bridgewater deals with a fractured finger on his throwing hand.
Miami beat Buffalo early in the season at home and lost to the Bills late in the season in Buffalo. Both of those games were played with Tagovailoa at QB. Miami scored just nine offensive points with Thompson at QB against the Jets in an 11-6 win to clinch a playoff berth in Week 18.
The total has dropped a point from 44.5 to 43.5 despite the action on the Bills. Over 70% of money bet on the total is on the over.
Bettors are nearly equally bullish on the 49ers’ chances of a cover against the Seahawks on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox). Just under 80% of bets and 88% of the money bet on the spread is on the 49ers to cover.
Unlike the line in Buffalo, the line in San Francisco hasn’t budged. The 49ers opened as 9.5-point favorites and are still 9.5-point favorites despite all the money on their side.
