Vikings cause biggest future market move September 01, 2015 3:10 AM

by Ted Sevransky

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At this late stage of the preseason, it’s very clear which NFL teams are attracting sharp money prior to the start of the regular season.

In addition, it’s very clear which teams the wiseguys are betting against, early and often. We measure and quantify this support or lack thereof with a thorough analysis of the Season Win Totals marketplace.

The markets don’t lie when it comes to measuring wiseguy support, because the results are easy to quantify. I will focus on the Season Win Total numbers from the Westgate Superbook, where the SuperContest Weekend just brought together bettors from across the Las Vegas Valley as well as across the country.

Rather than use opening numbers from the Superbook, the more accurate way to measure the effect of the preseason is to look at post-draft numbers from early June. When we compare those early June numbers with the numbers on display following the first three weeks of preseason action, we get a fairly accurate picture of market support.

The reasons that I’m starting with early June numbers and not the very first openers are twofold. First, there is a fair bit of variance with the opening numbers from one sportsbook to the next. By June, much of that variance has been ironed out.

The sharp bettors looking to play Overs will find the lowest number to exploit, while bettors looking to play Unders will find the highest number to play Under. In that way, the differences between one book and the next slowly get minimized as the markets "mature," and any outlier numbers get bet out of the marketplace.

Secondly, the very first numbers were posted before the draft and before the free agent signing period. They offer a fairly accurate representation of the "pre-training camp" betting market opinion for all 32 teams in the league. I like comparing those "pre training camp" numbers with the numbers that are bettable today.

I’m focusing on the line moves that have been 50 cents or greater. For example St Louis was lined at 8 wins with the Under at -130 back in early June. Today at the Superbook, they are lined at 8 wins with the Under at -180, a 50 cent swing.

The standard wiseguy formula for measuring NFL juice is that 50 cents of extra juice equates to about half a win. So while the win total of "8" hasn’t moved one iota, the -130 to -180 move on the juice for betting the Rams Under 8 is a fairly significant move. The wiseguys are clearly betting against St. Louis right now, an unpopular team in the markets.

The single biggest market move has come in support of the Minnesota Vikings; a “perfect storm.” At many books this summer, the Vikings were lined at 7 wins. The Superbook lined them a bit higher, at 7.5. That 7.5 was at +100 (even money) on June 2. By last week, that 7.5 was bet up to -215. Today, you can’t find a 7.5 at the Superbook – they’ve made the move to 8 with the Over 8 sitting at -135.

Why all the love for the Vikings? Let’s start with their competition within the NFC North. Green Bay hasn’t had a good preseason, with the injury bug biting their wide receiving corps in a major way. The markets aren’t particularly bullish on the Lions, expecting a drop-off from last year’s 11 win campaign. Even Bears fans aren’t excited about Chicago’s prospects for 2015, a team that’s been sinking in the markets in recent weeks.

That leaves Minnesota as the only team in the division that’s attracting Over money. When there’s only one team in a division that’s taking Over money, they tend to take a lot of it!

Minnesota came into the offseason as a fairly hot commodity. They have a second year head coach in Mike Zimmer, a guy the markets like, and a second year quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater who the markets like as well.

Zimmer’s systems and personnel are now firmly in place and the markets see Bridgewater primed for improvement in his second year as the starter. Throw in the somewhat surprise return of Adrian Peterson at running back and from a personnel and coaching standpoint, the markets have been impressed.

Then there’s the Vikings preseason success; winning and covering all four games thus far. In particular, Minnesota’s defense has looked phenomenal, shutting down opposing offenses in every game that they’ve played. For a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2009, the Vikings are white hot in the markets today, with many bettors expecting that playoff drought to end in 2015.

Three bottom feeders from last year have attracted some betting marketplace love. The Oakland Raiders were 5.5 (Over +120) in June, now they are 5.5 (Over -160). Tennessee is another bottom feeder from last year that is attracting money, from 5.5 (Over +110) to 5.5 (Over -150). And Tampa Bay has taken Over money as well, moving from 6 (Over +120) to 6 (Over -140).

That trio is a clear indicator that the markets tend look for teams to revert to the mean following a subpar campaign. But not all bottom feeders from last year are drawing market support here in the preseason.

Look no further than the Cleveland Browns, who have moved from 6.5 (Over +100) to 6.5 (Over +140). The markets sure don’t like the way Cleveland’s QB competition has played out here in August, and their opposing strength of schedule looks even tougher now than it did during the summer, especially over the back half of the campaign.

A trio of underachievers from last year are being priced that way again. The markets have reacted strongly to the endless barrage of injuries that have decimated the Giants defense here in August. New York was 8 (Over -140) in June, now they are 8 (Over +130).

The Saints were lined at 9 back in June, but the markets aren’t excited about New Orleans, pushing their win total down to 8.5 (Over -140). And then, of course, there’s the San Francisco 49ers; a team lined as high as 8.5 at some books at the opener.

The Niners were still lined at 7.5 with the Under at -160 in early June. Today at the Superbook that number is all the way down to 6.5 wins, with the Under priced at -150. Without a doubt, San Francisco has been the No. 1 wiseguy "bet-against" team of the summer.

San Fran is now a 2.5 point home underdog to Minnesota on Monday Night Football in Week 1; a game that opened with San Fran as 3.5 point favorites last Spring – clear evidence of the markets strong opinion about both of those teams.

Two Super Bowl “sleepers” have been drawing market love of late. The Miami Dolphins have moved from 9 (Over +100) to 9 (Over -150) since June. And the Philadelphia Eagles were 9.5 (Over +120) in June, but you’ll have to lay -150 to bet Philly Over 9.5 at the Superbook today.

Both the Dolphins and Eagles have seen corresponding moves in their Super Bowl odds as well; two hot teams for wiseguy support here in August.

Find Teddy at Sportsmemo.com and follow him on Twitter @teddy_covers. Email: TedSevransky@GamingToday.com