The New Year is ringing in and for the football fans that means one thing – it’s Playoff Time! And while the NFL picture just became clear and the brackets set but hours ago, the sportsbooks wasted no time to post the odds and spread on the wildcard games. Today we will take a look at the latest numbers posted by a few of the popular online betting sites to see which teams have the chance to make it further in the post season.
First, let’s begin with the teams that will have the joy of staying at home and resting in the first round of the NFL postseason. In the AFC the two teams are the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots, no surprises there. No shocker in the NFC either, with the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams securing the much needed break in the postseason. So we are left with the wildcards battling it on for a shot at the conference titles. Let’s see which football teams made it and what the sportsbooks have posted for betting odds and point spread on the upcoming weekend’s games.
AFC Wildcard Odds and Spread
Indianapolis Colts – Huston Texans: The Colts had little trouble securing the wildcard spot with a victory over the Titans last week and will travel to Houston to face the 3rd seed Texans. The popular sportsbook Bookmaker has listed the Texans as the favorite wit money line -130 and the Colts are sitting at +110 for an outright win. The spread on the Colts Texans game is currently at just -2 points chalk Huston and the over/under is at 47.5 points at Bookmaker. Keep in mind that the spread at this sportsbook is showing signs of moving and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it goes to two and a half point soon, so lock it in, if the two points appear beneficial to your betting strategy this weekend. A slight advantage for the Indianapolis bettors could be found at another popular betting site, 5Dimes, where the Colts would pay out on +115 odds, so if you are chasing the dog in this game, this sportsbook may be the better choice. The point spread here is at 2.5 points, still not close to the field goal many Indianapolis bettors would like to see.
LA Chargers – Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens and their running back quarterback have managed to impress the odds makers this week and despite the Chargers overall resume this season, there is no question that, with Lamar Jackson, Baltimore has delivered quite the surprise in the AFC, managing to secure the playoff spot coveted by all. Therefore the numbers from the sportsbooks are quite tilted towards the Ravens, who, at Bovada Sports, are sitting on a nice -140 money line to win their wild card game this weekend and move forward, while the LA Chargers are underdog with +120 odds to win the game. The Charges Ravens point spread is at the conservative -2.5 points in favor of the Ravens and the total posted by the sportsbook is at low 42 points even. But the odds makers at Bookmaker have taking it a bit further – the point spread is already a field goal chalk the Ravens there and Baltimore is holding the most favored odds of all four games this week at -150 to win the game outright, while an upset by the Charges will pay at Bookmaker on a +130 money line.
NFC Wildcard Odds and Spread
Seattle Seahawks – Dallas Cowboys: This will certainly be the most watched NFL game this weekend, even if it’s just to see whether the Cowboys really got what it takes to go more than one round further into the postseason. Well, the sportsbooks are certain that they do, Bookmaker having the Cowboys quite the favorite to overcome the first hurdle with money line of -140. Knowing that Dallas have been quite the team at home this past couple of months, the Seahawks are underdog with the betting site at -120 to win the game. The Seattle Dallas point spread is at, what appears to be the standard, -2.5 points and the total is sitting at the stingy 42 points, much to the prowess of the Dallas’ defense. The numbers are exactly the same across all the popular sports betting site, thus we move on to the final game of the Wildcard round:
Philadelphia Eagles – Chicago Bears: which is also, coincidentally, the toughest game to cap this weekend with only one sportsbook having odds on the game at this time. Of course, this will change in a few days, but if you want to lock in early odds on the Eagles Bears game this week, you have only 5Dimes to use. At the famous sportsbook, the Bears are predicted to wipe off the floor with the Eagles – Chicago is sitting on the whopping -245 to win the game this Sunday, while, what it seems to be portrayed as a major upset by the Eagles, would pay handsomely on +205 money line. The Chicago Bears are -5.5 against the spread at 5Dimes and the total set by the sportsbook is at 41.5 points, thanks to, of course, Khalil Mack.
As you can see, there is plenty of good action this weekend with
the NFL’s 2019 Wild card playoff games. And while most of the
sportsbooks seem a bit wary of the Eagles – Bears game, there is plenty
that could go against them in the other three games, making it an
interesting round for the bettors and books alike.