NFL Week 2 Pros vs. Joes: Big money on Steelers, Eagles after Week 1 wins
Before you make your NFL bets this weekend, it's worth knowing which side other bettors are backing - especially on games drawing sharp action.
We talked to Jay Rood, Bet.Works' chief risk officer and theScore Bet's head trader, to see how sharps and public bettors are playing this week's slate.
Saints (-3.5, 44.5) @ Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
The game drawing the most activity in the early going is this NFC South clash, and bettors are backing the road favorites so far.
The Saints have seen twice as much money wagered on a 3-to-1 advantage in bets placed, moving the line from an opening 3 up to 3.5. Parlay bettors are even more skeptical of the Panthers, betting against them at a 7-to-1 clip. Rood expects the line to stick at 3.5, though, despite the heavy public run.
"That'll be a pivotal game for us in the morning," Rood said. "We'll need the Panthers, for sure."
Raiders @ Steelers (-6.5, 47), 1 p.m.
While the public is all over the Saints, pro bettors have targeted the Steelers in the morning slot, betting them from -5.5 up to -6.5 as of Saturday morning after last week's win as an outright 'dog.
Bettors have placed twice as many wagers but a whopping 30 times as much money on Pittsburgh, which is also drawing a narrow advantage in parlay activity over the Raiders. Ultimately, though, this is a decision that'll be decided by a handful of sharp plays.
"Looks like it's more of a Pros game than a Joes game," Rood said. "We're gonna need the Raiders big time."
49ers (-3, 49.5) @ Eagles, 1 p.m.
Sharps haven't focused on this one quite to the extent of Steelers-Raiders, but the Eagles are still drawing plenty of big-money bettors after an impressive Week 1 showing against the Falcons.
As of late Friday, Philadelphia was running nearly even in bet count with the 49ers but had pulled 15 times as much money wagered on the point spread with a 9-to-1 edge on the moneyline, too. That comes despite parlay bettors placing twice as much money on the Niners - suggesting a potential run of public money yet to come on the road favorites in the straight-bet market.
"I think we'll start to pull in some 49ers money at kickoff," Rood said. "We'll see if we outpace the early action or not."
Chiefs (-3.5, 54.5) @ Ravens, 8:20 p.m.
Here's an early decision that should surprise no one: The public loves the Chiefs, betting on Patrick Mahomes and Co. in a potentially dangerous road spot against the reeling Ravens.
Baltimore has covered 10 of its last 11 games as an underdog but is being bet against at a 7-to-1 clip in money on eight times as many bet slips. It's even more lopsided in the parlay market, where bettors have placed 30 times as much money on the defending AFC champions.
Rood says he hesitates to move this game off 3.5, especially with the Ravens on the other side. If the money keeps rolling in, though, he may have no choice.
"It's light activity so far, but it's all Chiefs," Rood said Friday. "I don't see that slowing down over the course of the weekend until kickoff. It's lining up to be a little ugly."
C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.