The best part about sports is that it can be such a great source of entertainment while also offering great opportunities for money-making! No matter what type of sport you follow, there is likely an opportunity for your to bet on the games and win some money. Hoosiers, Buckeyes, and sports fans around the country have a chance to make some serious cash when the Indiana vs Ohio State college football teams collide on the field this weekend. One of the top betting opportunities this year involves picking the winner of the game. You will find details below about how much you can win should you choose to take the plunge and make some wagers on that game!
What Will the Margins Be Like On This Game?
Many people will be watching this game to see how the Buckeyes fair against one of the most prolific passers in NCAA history. Unfortunately, injuries have sidelined Braxton Miller for the season. The betting public is unaware of what to make of that fact considering the QB has only lost twice in his last eight games. The bookmakers probably do not feel the same way considering they have listed the Ohio State vs Indiana game as a 7.5 point “over/under” on ESPN. Most sportsbooks see this as a dangerous game to bet on with the betting public expecting the Buckeyes to roll up big points.
To get a better idea of what to expect from the betting public on this game, let’s take a look at some of the other big games this year and their respective betting lines. We will analyze these games from a purely statistical standpoint to get a clearer picture of the betting trends for each matchup.
Which Teams Are More Likely to Win The AFC And NFC Championship Games This Year?
The AFC Championship Game features the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the NFC Championship Game features the Dallas Cowboys going up against the Arizona Cardinals. The AFC is widely regarded as the weaker of the two conferences this year, and with the exception of last year’s AFC Championship game where the Steelers beat the Jaguars, the team with the better record in the regular season has gone on to win the game. It really is that simple!
With these teams having something to play for, as well as their status as the two best teams in their respective conferences, the betting public has placed a lot of AFC Championship and NFC Championship games this year. The over/under for AFC Championship games is currently at 6.5 points, and the under/over for the NFC Championship is at 7 points.
There is no question that the top contenders in each conference are well aware of what is at stake and have something to prove. With the regular season behind them, these teams are going into the playoffs as serious contenders for the title!
How About The Divisional Round?
In the wild card round of the playoffs, the winner of each game advances to face their respective conference’s champion in the divisional round. The NFL’s playoffs always provide for some great matchups, and the matchups are worth betting on!
The playoffs begin at the end of the month, so we will keep an eye out for some great betting opportunities then. For now, let’s take a look at some of the most interesting matchups for this year’s NFL playoffs.
Nashville Predators vs Chicago Blackhawks: The NHL’s two most popular teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs. The over/under for this game is 8 points, and some bookmakers are offering a free bet to anyone that can make the total come in under 8.5 points.
The Nashville Predators are just 12-13 on the season and have not shown this year that they are remotely close to being a championship team. They were the subject of a major trade early in the season where they gave up James Neal and Jason Spezza in exchange for Paul Gaustad, Ryan Johansen, and Gabriel Bourque. While the GM that made that deal probably wishes he could take it back, the trade turned out to be one of the best in franchise history. The problem is that the Preds are still unable to produce like a championship team, and they are certainly not good enough to beat the Blackhawks. The Blackhawk defense has been the best in the league this year, and they are still hungry for more playoff wins.
Houston Texans vs New England Patriots: The AFC West rivals get a chance at redemption in the first round of the playoffs. The Houston Texans are the defending Super Bowl champions, but they are going to have a tough time moving past New England in the AFC!
The Patriots, on the other hand, have plenty to play for this year, and they have a legitimate chance to get back to their second-straight Super Bowl. If you bet on the Patriots, you essentially have to lay the points as they are a team that is always good for a touchdown on any given Sunday. The under/over for this game is 6.5 points, and the betting public seems to agree as there has been a lot of action on this game with New England fans wanting to get in on the action. The Texans will be difficult to beat at home, but New England is going to give it their best shot!
Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants: The defending Super Bowl champs will play the winner of this year’s NFC East divisional round matchup. Philadelphia is 12-4 on the season and will look to continue their dominance of the NFC in the playoffs. In the other division, the New York Giants are 13-3 and looking for another playoff win to go along with their Super Bowl triumph. This game has the potential to be a real blowout!
The Eagles are going to try to prevent their turnover problems from getting the best of them in the playoffs. They are tied for fourth in the league with 25 turnovers this year, and it ultimately cost them the game in Week 17. The over/under is 8 points for this game, and there is always plenty of action on this game with the Eagles and Giants looking to prove something in this year’s playoffs.
There is no question that these two teams are among the best in the NFL and have something to prove. Each team is going into the playoffs as a serious contender for the championship and have something at stake with these games!
St. Louis Rams vs Seattle Seahawks: The NFC West rivals will meet in the first round of the playoffs. Seattle, the defending Super Bowl champions, get an early shot at revenge against the Rams as the under/over for this game is 9 points.
St. Louis is a surprise team this year as they are 13-3 and have won three of their last four games heading into the playoffs. The Rams are still searching for their first post-season victory and are going to have their hands full with the defending Super Bowl champs!
This game is going to be a lot more competitive than one would think, especially considering how well the preseason betting was going for Seattle. The line opened at 11 points before settling at 11.5 points after the teams trimmed the preseason games down to the final 8. It will be interesting to see how this game shapes up once the regular season begins!
San Francisco 49ers vs Atlanta Falcons: The NFC West rivals will meet in the first round of the playoffs. Atlanta will try to continue their season-long winning streak as the over/under is 10 points.
San Francisco is going into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed and have already dispatched of their first round opponent, the Green Bay Packers. The Niners are the second-best team in the NFC this year, and they will have their hands full with Atlanta in the first round!
This could be the ultimate revenge match for the Atlanta Falcons who were steamrolled by the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. The first matchup saw the Falcons blow a 21-0 lead and eventually lose by 24 points. No one expected that sort of comeback, and it gives credence to the notion that some teams are better off lucky than good!