Non-Extra Point Costs Vikings Bettors
Mike Zimmer’s decision not to kick the extra point following Stefon Diggs’ miracle touchdown versus the Saints on Sunday cost plenty of Vikings’ bettors.
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Vikings were a 5.5-point favorite at kickoff of Sunday’s Divisional Round matchup versus the Saints. The line for the game opened at 3.5 but steadily climbed throughout the week. By Saturday evening, the spread was up to 5.5 and then bounced back-and-forth between 5 and 5.5 on Sunday.
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If Minnesota backers bet the line early, then Case Keenum’s miracle touchdown pass to Diggs in the closing seconds of Sunday’s game was also a miracle at the betting window. The touchdown gave the Vikings a 29-24 lead with no time left on the clock. But for those that grabbed the line late and didn’t bet the number down (there would have been no reason to give that 5.5 isn’t a key number in football), then Zimmer’s decision to forego the extra point was infuriating. (By rule, if a touchdown happens with no time left on the clock, teams are still required to line up for the extra point but nothing says they have to attempt the kick.)
Of course, the non-extra point attempt saved plenty of public bettors who had the Saints. New Orleans was a popular underdog play this weekend and Zimmer’s decision saved their bacon, provided they waited and got the number at 5.5
A similar situation happened at the end of a Christmas night game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders. With the Eagles leading 13-10 in the final seconds of that Week 16 game, the Raiders attempted several laterals on their final possession. Philadelphia recovered one of the laterals and returned it for a touchdown. But instead of kicking the extra point, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson decided to kneel on the final play, costing any Philly bettors a chance to push on a 10-point spread. Final score: Eagles 19, Raiders 10.