Bettors turning out ‘in droves’ at sports books for NFL playoffs

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Jan. 14, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.

The Baltimore Ravens aren't the most popular team with Las Vegas sports book directors this week.

Bookmakers took a major hit when Baltimore covered as a 3-point favorite against the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend in the NFL Playoffs with a 30-7 victory.

"I'm still looking for the first person to bet the Chiefs," joked Jimmy Vaccaro, director of Lucky's sports books. "Let me know if you find him."

Combined with a win by the Green Bay Packers, who received lopsided action as 2-point underdogs against the Philadelphia Eagles, sports books endured a stinging Sunday after a scorching Saturday in the wild card round.

They posted a nice profit in the first two NFL playoff games with outright wins by the Seattle Seahawks, who entered as 10-point underdogs against the New Orleans Saints, and the New York Jets, who were 2-point underdogs against the Indianapolis Colts.

"Saturday was real good, but Sunday we gave it right back," Vaccaro said. "Overall, people showed up in droves."

Sports books across Las Vegas enjoyed a handle on par with an NFL regular-season weekend, when 13 to 16 games are on the board instead of four.

"Playoffs have always been good, but you're never sure how good until it happens," Vaccaro said. "A lot of people are coming off betting a lot of money on bowl games and you might have thought it wasn't going to be as good as it was."

Sports books are expecting similar volume for this weekend's divisional round. Here's a betting rundown of the four games on the slate.

Baltimore (+3.5) at Pittsburgh, over/under: 37

A field goal has decided each of the last four meetings between these AFC North rivals.

The road team won both meetings this season, while each team defended its home field two years ago.

"It's one of the easiest numbers to make," said Sean Van Patten, Las Vegas Sports Consultants oddsmaker. "Both teams are even with being at home counting as an advantage for Pittsburgh."

This matchup, which kicks off the weekend at 1 p.m. Saturday, shouldn't pose any threat for creating one-sided action for sports books.

"You'll get some strong opinions on both sides," Vaccaro said. "I don't know who we'll wind up rooting for."

Green Bay (+2) at Atlanta, over/under: 44

Van Patten and his team opened the Falcons as a 3-point favorite, but early money on the Packers has shifted the line.

"I'm not surprised to see the money coming in, but it's just hard for me to play the Packers if it's not three," Van Patten said. "If it continued the way it was going, I wouldn't be scared taking the Falcons because of the way they've played at home this year."

Atlanta went 7-1 at the Georgia Dome in 2010 and beat Green Bay, 20-17, there in November. But the Packers have looked like one of the best teams in the NFL recently, winning three straight and covering the spread in four of their last five.

Vaccaro said Green Bay's performance in those games had stuck in bettors' minds.

"The betting public has fallen in love with the Packers," Vaccaro said. "They've been the public's favorite team for the past four weeks."

Seattle (+10) at Chicago, over/under: 41

Linesmakers' general sentiment is that bettors still aren't ready to buy into Seattle.

The Seahawks became the first team in history to win a playoff game after finishing the regular season with a losing record when they beat the Saints, 41-36, last week.

"When making the line for this game, you really don't want to make it where you see money coming in on Chicago and have to root for Seattle," Van Patten said. "You've got to put it higher than you think in the beginning."

Seattle upset Chicago at home earlier in the season, 23-20. But that's not going to sway any opinions, either.

"The Bears are going to get some parlay attention," Vaccaro said. "As far as parlay cards, people are going to go with the Patriots first and Bears second."

New York Jets (+8.5) at New England, over/under: 44.5

If a situation were to arise like last Sunday with the Ravens, it would happen here with the Patriots.

Bettors remember New England crushing New York 45-3 at home at the beginning of December and are always eager to back quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick.

"The Patriots and the over seem like a natural combination because they've been knocking people's brains out," Vaccaro said.

LVSC opened the line at nine, but some early sharp money on New York knocked it down a bit. Don't expect the number to fall any further, Vaccaro said.

"There's no doubt at all the public will eat up the Patriots," he said. "It's already been drips and drabs every time you look down, and it's only Thursday."

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.