After opening the Steelers as a minus 7 favorite, the lines-makers have swiftly moved the spread out by a field goal in some instances. Was home field advantage just added in after the fact or is there something more here than meets the eye?
The line is created to generate betting on both teams by assessing appropriate odds on each side. After the initial spread is posted, movement in the line can be attributed to sports books covering their risk. While obvious factors such as weather or injuries may offer an easy explanation for volume on a particular side of the opening line, other times it?s not as obvious. In the case of the Patriots versus the Steelers, there hasn?t been any significant news in the last week, just plenty put down on the Steelers. In this case, with all the sharp money coming in on the Steelers on the opening line as well as the ensuing public demand, the line was extended to ?9.5.
Turning to an online sportsbook, Anthony Munnelly of Sportsinteraction.com says, ?the simple answer is that the players want to bet on them? The more money that comes in on Pittsburgh, the further out the line goes?. As to why the Steelers are garnering the most attention, Munnelly offers, ?Why they are the player's choice is an interesting one, although the answer may be that most players are familiar with the Steelers but the Patriots are an unknown quantity. Kordell Stewart has been the man for some time, the Steelers are one of the great franchises - a lot has to do with profile. Equally, the Steelers were impressive against Baltimore, but the game in Foxboro was a little unusual to say the least, between the weather and some odd calls by the officials.
With smart money and public money usually offsetting each side of the line, a clear-cut favorite of both may skew the spread one way. Rob Gillespie, Operations Manager of BoDog SportsBook and Casino, that smart money, or money played by well-informed gamblers, comes in on the extremes of the line, to profit on disparities. Bookmakers are generally reluctant to move lines sharply for fear of being ?middled? and having a handicapper play on the game from both sides, risking the vigorish (generally about 10 percent) against a double payout.
?The big story around here is the action on the Steelers,? Gillespie said. ?It?s not very often an NFL spread moves 2.5 points. Early sharp action was on Pittsburgh, but the wise-guys backed off and it is the public money (and lots of it) that is rolling in over the last day or so.?
In most circles, the line for the game is at 10 points, making the jump a full three points.
So, the question we?ve got to ask ourselves is this: Did the linesmakers under-estimate the skill of the Steelers or simply the public?s enthusiasm for them? Gillespie says it?s the latter.
?The only reason I can think of is the amount of press the Steelers are getting,? Gillespie said, pointing to the Steelers highlighting major sports websites all week long. ?There are a lot of closet Steelers fans left from the 70s and they are putting their money up. Action has balanced out, looks like the public is on Pittsburgh and the sharps are on the Pats.?
?The answer may be,? Munnelly said, ?That most players are familiar with the Steelers but the Patriots are an unknown quantity. Kordell Stewart has been the man for some time, and the Steelers are one of the great franchises - a lot has to do with profile. Equally, the Steelers were impressive against Baltimore, but game in Foxboro was a little unusual to say the least, between the weather and some odd calls by the officials.?
However, Munnelly stopped short of saying that the play on the Pats was a wild one.
?The other way of looking at this is that the Patriots, at +10 with Sports Interaction, are value for money,? Munnelly said. ?Nobody knows who they are, but they've won seven straight to get this far. That can't be an accident. People say they have no chance against the Steelers, but who would have said they'd get to the Championship game after finishing in last place last year??
The line is created to generate betting on both teams by assessing appropriate odds on each side. After the initial spread is posted, movement in the line can be attributed to sports books covering their risk. While obvious factors such as weather or injuries may offer an easy explanation for volume on a particular side of the opening line, other times it?s not as obvious. In the case of the Patriots versus the Steelers, there hasn?t been any significant news in the last week, just plenty put down on the Steelers. In this case, with all the sharp money coming in on the Steelers on the opening line as well as the ensuing public demand, the line was extended to ?9.5.
Turning to an online sportsbook, Anthony Munnelly of Sportsinteraction.com says, ?the simple answer is that the players want to bet on them? The more money that comes in on Pittsburgh, the further out the line goes?. As to why the Steelers are garnering the most attention, Munnelly offers, ?Why they are the player's choice is an interesting one, although the answer may be that most players are familiar with the Steelers but the Patriots are an unknown quantity. Kordell Stewart has been the man for some time, the Steelers are one of the great franchises - a lot has to do with profile. Equally, the Steelers were impressive against Baltimore, but the game in Foxboro was a little unusual to say the least, between the weather and some odd calls by the officials.
With smart money and public money usually offsetting each side of the line, a clear-cut favorite of both may skew the spread one way. Rob Gillespie, Operations Manager of BoDog SportsBook and Casino, that smart money, or money played by well-informed gamblers, comes in on the extremes of the line, to profit on disparities. Bookmakers are generally reluctant to move lines sharply for fear of being ?middled? and having a handicapper play on the game from both sides, risking the vigorish (generally about 10 percent) against a double payout.
?The big story around here is the action on the Steelers,? Gillespie said. ?It?s not very often an NFL spread moves 2.5 points. Early sharp action was on Pittsburgh, but the wise-guys backed off and it is the public money (and lots of it) that is rolling in over the last day or so.?
In most circles, the line for the game is at 10 points, making the jump a full three points.
So, the question we?ve got to ask ourselves is this: Did the linesmakers under-estimate the skill of the Steelers or simply the public?s enthusiasm for them? Gillespie says it?s the latter.
?The only reason I can think of is the amount of press the Steelers are getting,? Gillespie said, pointing to the Steelers highlighting major sports websites all week long. ?There are a lot of closet Steelers fans left from the 70s and they are putting their money up. Action has balanced out, looks like the public is on Pittsburgh and the sharps are on the Pats.?
?The answer may be,? Munnelly said, ?That most players are familiar with the Steelers but the Patriots are an unknown quantity. Kordell Stewart has been the man for some time, and the Steelers are one of the great franchises - a lot has to do with profile. Equally, the Steelers were impressive against Baltimore, but game in Foxboro was a little unusual to say the least, between the weather and some odd calls by the officials.?
However, Munnelly stopped short of saying that the play on the Pats was a wild one.
?The other way of looking at this is that the Patriots, at +10 with Sports Interaction, are value for money,? Munnelly said. ?Nobody knows who they are, but they've won seven straight to get this far. That can't be an accident. People say they have no chance against the Steelers, but who would have said they'd get to the Championship game after finishing in last place last year??
