2021 NFL Playoffs Divisional Round Premium Betting Picks By Top NFL Handicappers
Last weekend’s first-ever Super Wild Card Weekend featuring 6 playoff games in a dizzying 34 hours was a huge success and tv ratings bonanza. It’s pretty safe to say 14 teams is the new minimum number of NFL playoff teams moving forward. The games were great for those of us who love betting and unlike many Wild Card weekends we didn’t have many blowouts. Let us recap the Wild Card weekend in terms of betting, then look forward to next weekend.
NFL 2021 Wild Card Weekend Saturday Betting Recap
Nfl Playoff Gambling
NFL betting with all available match odds, including pre-match and live moneyline, spread, totals and props, plus division, playoff and Super Bowl odds. Enter Saturday’s game, the Packers, who’ve skyrocketed in Super Bowl odds in online sports betting since the preseason, are 65-31-4 against the spread in home games started by Aaron Rodgers. They’re also 10-5-1 against the spread when Rodgers has two weeks between games (i.e. Playoff or regular-season bye). NFL Divisional Playoff Betting Trends January 11, 2021 - Trend Dummy Two big home favorites, two small home favorites feature in the 2021 NFL Divisional Playoffs and the betting trends appear to favor those home teams in each case. One of the best features on the NFL Vegas Odds is the Open Line. This numbers consists of the first betting line received from one of our Las Vegas or Global Sportsbooks. The opening line varies depending on the sportsbook but it provides a clear-cut rating that the oddsmakers use. The Buffalo Bills square off against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional round of the 2020 NFL Playoffs on January 16, 2021 at 8:15 PM ET on NBC. The contest’s over/under is set at. The game marks the 10 th meeting between the teams in a series the Ravens lead, 6-3.
In the Saturday early game, the Bills played sloppy most of the game allowing Philip Rivers to keep the Colts in it and actually had the ball late with a chance to win or tie like Rivers usually does. In the end, the Bills knocked down a hail mary to win 27-24. The Colts covered the 6 point spread and the Total pushed at 51.
The middle game was an NFC West divisional struggle between bitter rivals Los Angeles and Seattle. The game turned on a Russel Wilson pick 6 in the second quarter and led to the Rams outpacing Seattle the rest of the way for a 30-20 win and the cover as 3 point dogs. The total easily went Over the 42.
In the late game, Tom Brady and the Bucs traveled to play Washington in a game many thought contained the least drama. No one thought Washington ever had a chance to win, the only drama was would Tampa cover the number that ran anywhere between 8 and 10 points depending on when and where you got it. The Bucs 31-23 win left most of the betting public upset but the total easily went Over the 44.
NFL 2021 Wild Card Weekend Sunday Betting Recap
The early game on Sunday was the most anticipated game for many fans with the Ravens and Titans playing in the playoffs for the second straight year. Not many predicted a defensive struggle but Baltimore’s defense came to play. They totally shut down 2,000-yard rusher Derrick Henry and held the Titans to only 51 yards rushing. That made their 236 rushing yards enough for the 20-13 win and the Cover as a 3 point road favorite. The total went WAY Under the 54.
The middle game proved to be another NFC mismatch with no one really believing the Bears had any chance to win the game outright. New Orleans used the game as kind of a scrimmage, never wanting to put Brees in danger until the Bears’ offense could prove they could score. They couldn’t so New Orleans scored the easy 21-9 win, barely covering the 11 points they were favored by. The total went way Under the 48.
In the wildest playoff game in years the Browns defense scored on the very first play on a fumble recovery on their way to a 28-0 first-quarter lead. That pretty much took any Steelers backers out of the game but there were many people who teased the Steelers and were hoping for a comeback all night. That didn’t happen of course as the Browns won 48-37 covering as 6 point dogs. The total was a lock to go Over by halftime.
Nfl Playoff Gambling Lines
NFL 2021 Divisional Playoff Saturday Betting Preview
Saturday, January 16th 4:35 Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers
Line: Packers -6.5 Total: 45.5
The Green Bay Packers will
Saturday, January 16th 8:15 Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
Line: Bills -2 Total: 50
NFL 2021 Divisional Playoff Sunday Betting Preview
Sunday, January 17th 3:05 Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs
Line: Chiefs -10 Total: 57
Saturday, January 16th 6:40 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
Line: Saints -3 Total: 52
In his 13th season as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback, Aaron Rodgers has never played in an NFC Championship at Lambeau Field and, prior to Saturday’s Divisional game vs. the Los Angeles Rams, he’s played in only six home playoff games. Those shockingly modest numbers are bad for the Packers during a largely underachieving run with one of the best players in NFL history, and they’re bad for bettors who enjoy cashing tickets for Aaron Rodgers’ home games.
Enter Saturday’s game, the Packers, who’ve skyrocketed in Super Bowl odds in online sports betting since the preseason, are 65-31-4 against the spread in home games started by Aaron Rodgers. They’re also 10-5-1 against the spread when Rodgers has two weeks between games (i.e. playoff or regular-season bye). Those numbers are others in the books and on the field are making the Packers the most popular bet of NFL Divisional weekend.
On BetMGM, as of Thursday, the Packers were 6.5-point favorites over the Rams after opening as 7-point favorites. Despite history favoring underdogs when the line moves in their favor (as noted in NFC Divisional predictions) and the Rams’ recent run of road covers, 81 percent of tickets are on the Packers, by far the highest share of the weekend. Seventy-five percent of the handle is also on the Packers. If they cover, it would be their third straight home playoff win against the spread; they covered last year vs. the Seattle Seahawks and four years ago against the New York Giants.
Elsewhere, 67 percent of tickets (and 50 percent of handle) are on the Buffalo Bills (-3) at home vs. the Baltimore Ravens, 66 percent of tickets (and 59 percent of handle) are the on Cleveland Browns (+10) on the road vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, and 52 percent of tickets (but only 45 percent of the handle) are the Tampa Buccaneers (+3) on the road vs. the New Orleans Saints.
The Packers are also the most popular total bet; seventy-nine percent of all Packers-Rams total tickets are on the over (currently 45.5 after opening at 46.5), while 69 percent of the handle is on the over. Similar numbers in the other three games: 75 percent of tickets (and 82 percent of the handle) on the Ravens-Bills over, 78 percent of tickets (and 89 percent of the handle) on the Browns-Chiefs over, and 73 percent of the tickets (and 78 percent of the handle) on the Buccaneers-Saints over.
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Andrew Doughty is a writer for BetMGM and host of High Motor by BetMGM, an NFL and college football podcast available on Apple Podcasts and everywhere else. He has written for Sports Illustrated, HERO Sports, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter: @adoughty88.