Public Siding with Steelers
We’re still a few hours away from kickoff between the Steelers and Jaguars for Sunday’s NFL Divisional Round matchup. Here’s a snap shot of which side public bettors are on for this playoff game.
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Steelers are 7-point home favorites to beat the Jaguars, who also opened as 7-point underdogs. For much of the week, the line moved to 7.5 but sometime Friday the line dropped back down to the key number of 7, which is where it has stayed.
As for the total, the number hit the board at 41 and that’s where it currently sits at most sports books. Some books are offering the over/under at 41.5 but you’ll need to shop around to find that number. Clearly oddsmakers feel great about where they posted the total for this game.
Bet NFL Divisional Round Games
So who do public bettors favor in this game? It’s not surprising that the majority of betting tickets are on the Steelers. As of Sunday morning, 63% of the betting tickets and 70% of the money is on Pittsburgh to cover the spread. Meanwhile, 56% of the betting tickets and 64% of the money is on the under.
Even though the majority of the betting tickets and money on this game is with the Steelers, the historical trends favor the underdog. In the last 10 meetings between these two teams, the underdog is an impressive 9-1. In the last four meetings, the road team is also 4-0 at the betting window.
The Jaguars have also covered the spread in four of their last five games in Pittsburgh, including in a 30-9 regular-season victory earlier this year. Jacksonville has covered the spread in 12 of its last 17 games against Pittsburgh overall, too.