Money leaning toward a side for Thursday’s Steelers-Vikings game

The money is leaning toward the favored Minnesota Vikings for Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Viking are consensus 3½-point home favorites at Las Vegas sportsbooks with the total at 44½. Resorts World has the total at 45.

Circa sportsbook manager Chris Bennett said it took some money on Vikings -3 (-115) early Thursday, “and since then very little action on the side.”

Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said 52 percent of tickets were on the Steelers but that the money was weighted toward Minnesota.

“We’re clearly Steelers fans in terms of amount bet at this point,” he said via text message.

Esposito said 58 percent of tickets at Station Casinos were on the over.

Bennett said Circa was seeing balanced action on the total.

“I wouldn’t classify any of it as decidedly sharp or square,” he said via text message.

Both teams are fighting to stay in the playoff race.

The Vikings (5-7) are coming off an embarrassing 29-27 loss to the previously winless Detroit Lions on the final play. The Steelers (6-5-1) survived a late 2-point conversion attempt to edge the rival Baltimore Ravens 20-19.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.