Raiders Bettors, Sportsbooks Cash In Big On Boneheaded Patriots Play
The Raiders only commanded 20% of moneyline bets
It never pays to do dumb things. Unless you're someone who bet the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, and the people doing dumb things are the New England Patriots.
The Patriots and Raiders looked to be headed for overtime Sunday afternoon -- tied, 24-24, with zero seconds remaining in regulation. At that point, New England running back Rhamondre Stevenson could have drifted out of bounds and sent the game to OT. Instead, he pitched it to Jakobi Meyers, sparking one of the most unbelievable sequences the NFL has ever had to offer.
The ending left everyone who watched it stunned, but also helped make a little bit of cash for those riding Las Vegas.
The Raiders were 1.5-point favorited entering the matchup, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. That number, with the Patriots coming off a win and the Raiders coming off a loss, didn't really entice bettors. Las Vegas commanded only 47% of the bets and 46% of the handle on the line, and an even less impressive 20% of bets and 48% of the handle on the moneyline. That, of course, is good news for the books.
Patriots bettors lost their bets, and minds, on the final play -- which could have been avoided if the referees didn't make a certain call just seconds prior.
The result put an end to an early trend Sunday, which saw all six underdogs cover the spread during the early slate. If the Patriots were able to come home with a win, Sportsbooks would have missed out on capitalizing on one of the most insane plays the NFL has ever seen.
