Sportsbooks Hope to Survive Week 17 of NFL With Heavy Betting on Jets, Steelers
The sportsbooks will be holding their collective breaths as two heavily wagered on favorites will need to provide a cover, that being the Jets and Steelers.
“It goes without saying that New York controls its own destiny and will land a spot in the Playoffs with a road win against Buffalo,” Don Shapiro of Gambling911.com points out. “76% of the wagering action was on the Jets and this game is seeing some of the heaviest volume overall.”
Rex Ryan, who previously coached the Jets, may have other ideas in mind. The Bills had high hopes in Ryan's first season following his dismissal from the Jets. Ryan promised Buffalo its first Playoff appearance in 16 years, but instead missed out once more.
Ryan is already 1-0 against his former team after a 22-17 victory over the Jets in a Thursday night game in Week 10.
There is some indication that oddsmakers fear New York will win and ultimately cover the spread as the trend has been for this line to move upwards from -1.5 to -3 over the past week.
Pittsburgh is also seeing 70% of the action versus Cleveland. They can advance into the Playoffs with a Jets loss Sunday. Here, too, the line has moved up from Steelers -10 to either -10.5 or -11 over the course of this past week.
- Ean Lamb, Gambling911.com
