Sharp bettors show up for Bills-Patriots Thursday NFL game
Sharp money is showing up on both sides of the “Thursday Night Football” matchup between the visiting Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots.
The Bills are 3½-point favorites at most Las Vegas sportsbooks. Circa Sports listed the Bills at -4 on Thursday afternoon.
The total is 43½.
“There is a decent amount of betting interest,” Westgate SuperBook director John Murray said via text message Thursday. “Sharps playing it both ways. Patriots +3.5 (-110) and Bills at -3.5 Even and -3 (-120). Good handle game.”
The Bills opened as 5½-point favorites at most sportsbooks before the line dropped during the week.
Buffalo attracted 54 percent of the ticket count, according to Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito, and he called it a classic Joes vs. Pros game, though with the public backing the underdog.
“Public all over the Pats. Sharps on the Bills,” he said via text message. “Big game for both teams.”
Buffalo is tied for first in the AFC East with Miami at 8-3 and edged the Lions 28-25 on Thanksgiving for its second straight win.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is 11-3 straight-up and 10-4 against the spread in prime-time games, according to @Bet_Labs. Buffalo is 10-2 straight-up in its last 12 prime-time games.
The Patriots are 6-5 after losing to Minnesota a week ago and 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games as underdogs.
“Sharps on Pats +4 or better,” South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said via text message. “Pretty even at 3.5.”
At BetMGM, 77 percent of the of tickets and 75 percent of the handle are on the Bills.
Caesars Sportsbook reported that Buffalo has seen 77.2 percent of the spread tickets and 63.2 percent of the spread handle, but the seven largest bets are on the Patriots.
That includes a Nevada bettor who wagered $20,000 on Patriots money-line (+175).
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.