Rovell: Bookmakers Conflicted as Super Bowl Liabilities Meet in NFL Divisional Round

Rovell: Bookmakers Conflicted as Super Bowl Liabilities Meet in NFL Divisional Round article feature image
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Chris Graythen/Getty Images. Pictured: Drew Brees.

This week is a weird one for bookmakers at the Circa in Las Vegas.

That's because when they look at where their liabilities lie, they're quite conflicted.

Circa sportsbook manager Chris Bennett tells the Action Network that the book has the most liability on the Saints to win the NFC, but that New Orleans would be one of the best winners for them of the Super Bowl.

"I have no idea who to cheer for," Bennett said.

Bennett said that the Saints' opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, would be a slightly negative loss for the book if they won the Super Bowl. New Orleans is a 3-point favorite this weekend.

Meanwhile, the longshot Cleveland Browns, who are 10-point dogs to the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend, would be the absolute best result for the book.

But Eric Osterman at the Superbook says he'd love to take out both the Buccaneers and the Browns, two big liabilities for the book.

Action on the Browns-Chiefs game hasn't been too brisk at either the Superbook or Circa, but Bennett says he's waiting for the number to fall below 10 so that bettors can then tease below a field goal.

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"I know some people like this at the 10 number," said Eric Osterman at the Superbook. "But Andy Reid is hard to bet against."

Nearly every book, including the Superbook, William Hill and DraftKings, report the tickets and money being at about 50-50 for this game.

Osterman says his book's biggest need this week is for the Rams to at least cover (+6.5). Money is lopsided 80-20 in the Packers favor on the game at their book. Others have even more liability — the largest we've seen is 90% on Green Bay at DraftKings.

Osterman says the book has taken 70% Ravens money against the Bills and some additional Ravens moneyline bets. Others in the market are more tilted towards the Bills — getting 63% of the money at William Hill and 70% of the money at DraftKings.

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