Indiana is one of the newest states to join the fray of legalized sports betting. On June 19, 2018, the state became the 36th in the country to allow betting on sporting events. Organizations such as Intertops and Mansion Gaming are already taking advantage of the situation and are setting up shop in the Hoosier State to provide top-notch services to sports bettors.
New York Giants Superbowl 51 Betting Championship
The New York Giants came back from down 3–0 in the Superbowl to defeat the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs 44–21 in one of the most memorable Superbowls in recent history. As the game went on, it became clear that the underdog Giants would not let this one get away from them. This was mainly thanks to their incredible defense, which limited the Chiefs superstar player, Kareem Hunt, to just 69 yards on 12 carries, and the game’s only touchdown.
After the game, the sportsbooks at books.com opened with the over/under for the Giants to score 21 points and the under for them to score fewer than 21 points. Most books were offering +225 for the over and -275 for the under. The game went under without any incidents and the underdogs delivered as expected.
Chicago Blackhawks Won the Stanley Cup For The Fourth Time
The Chicago Blackhawks will finally get a chance to celebrate their fourth Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4–2. The team’s remarkable season fell just short of a fifth championship as they lost in the Stanley Cup Final to the Washington Capitals. Chicago managed to overcome a 3–1 series deficit to win the Cup for the fourth time in team history.
With all the money on the line in the last few minutes of the game, Tampa Bay’s Anton Stralman tripped over a puck that was dropped by Washington forward, Nicklas Backstrom, and subsequently raced down the ice for what would be the game-winning goal. Backstrom was credited with the primary assist on the play.
The Hawks were represented by a full house at the top of the betting charts with 6/1 odds to win the Cup, followed by the Lightning at 5/1 and the defending champion Capitals at 4/1. Tampa Bay’s chances of winning the Cup were slashed to 29/1 from 33/1 and Chicago’s chances of winning the Cup were slightly raised to 6/1 from 5/1.
Los Angeles Rams Beat Dallas Cowboys In One Of The Most Hyped Games
LA Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman intercepted a pass from Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown in the final seconds of the third quarter to give Los Angeles a 14–3 lead. With their win, the Rams improved to 5–0 and handed the Cowboys their second loss of the season. After the game, Pro-Football-Reference.com rated the Rams-Cowboys game the second-best comeback in NFL history, just behind the 2007 New England Patriots win over the 2007 Indianapolis Colts 47–42.
The game was widely anticipated by fans and experts alike, who saw it as a battle of top defenses against each other. The Rams’ defense was highly touted all season long and was near the top of the NFL in yards allowed per game (316.7) and points allowed per game (14.7). Meanwhile, the Cowboys’ defense was rated second in the league in yards allowed per game (268.5) and points allowed per game (15.2). It was also interesting to see the Rams’ performance as rookie quarterback, Jared Goff, made his first career start in the game while the Cowboys’ star, Ezekiel Elliott, was held to just 58 yards on 14 carries.
This was a massive upset for the Cowboys, who were considered overwhelming favorites to win the game. The over/under for the Rams’ touchdown proved to be very popular with bettors, with most books listing it as a 2-team race with the Cowboys and Rams at +140 and +135, respectively. Most sportsbooks adjusted their odds in the second half, turning the game into a virtual track meet between two powerhouse defenses as the point spreads began to settle in at just a couple of points. With under a minute left in the third quarter and the Rams having the lead, most books moved the over/under for the final touchdown to just +120.
What an incredible game! It went through three quarters and 108 minutes before the final whistle without a score. The longest game in National Football League (NFL) history was not without its highlights. The only downside to the game was the weather in Dallas. Conditions were atrocious and the fans inside Texas Stadium got a clear, cold glimpse of what real football is like in the wintertime. Still, both teams played their hearts out for 120 minutes and it was a memorable day for the ages.
Indianapolis Colts Beat Jacksonville Jaguars To Secure Third Seed In AFC
The Indianapolis Colts secured the third seed in the AFC with a 33–17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, getting some help from the visiting Seattle Seahawks, who they will face in the AFC Championship next weekend. Indianapolis held the Jaguars to just 168 total yards, limiting Blake Bortles’ efficiency, and sacked him four times. Bortles was responsible for three of those sacks, while the other came from Chris Ivory.
Seattle’s win moved them to 6–2 while Indianapolis improved to 7–2. The over/under for total yards produced a nice profit for bettors, who betted heavily in favor of the Colts, seeing them as two-team favorites to beat the Jaguars at +195. After the game, most books adjusted their odds in favor of the Colts, boosting them to +240 while slashing the over/under for total yards to 174.
Denver Broncos Beat Pittsburgh Steelers To Take Home Their Seventh Lombardi Trophy
In what could be considered the greatest upset in the history of the Superbowl, the Denver Broncos defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 38–35 in what was billed as the ‘Battle of the Badges’. This year’s match-up between these two famous franchises was a rematch of last year’s Superbowl, which the Broncos won 27–17. That win was overshadowed by the mass shooting that took place at the conclusion of the game. This year, the Steelers came into the game as defending champions and were heavy favorites to win. This was mostly due to their superstar quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for a career-high 434 yards and five touchdowns, and racked up 509 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season, earning him the NFL MVP award.
The underdog Broncos had other ideas as they used a strong passing game and potent ground game to pull off the improbable win. The teams combined for just seven total punts, with both offenses hitting stride in the final quarter. By the end of the third quarter, the score was 8–7 in favor of the Broncos. That score held through the first half as neither team could muster any real offense, with both QBs going through their progressions quickly and efficiently while avoiding big mistakes.
Roethlisberger’s streak of consecutive games with at least two touchdowns ended at 37 as he threw a pick six in the fourth quarter, but he still managed to notch his 26th career playoff win. The 35-year-old threw for 3,934 yards this season, good for fifth most in NFL history. Roethlisberger also led the league with 38 touchdowns, connecting on 73% of his passes, good for second in the league. His numbers dipped a bit this year, as his passer rating dropped to 88.9, as did his completion percentage, as some pundits predicted he was playing with a broken arm. Still, Roethlisberger put up some amazing stats this year and in his illustrious career, he now has 96 career playoff victories and counting.
In a season where the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts dominated the NFL, it was clear that the postseason was going to be different as even more unexpected teams made it to the big game. As the playoffs draw near, keep an eye out for these three teams as they are poised to shock the world.