NFL playoffs are where it’s at
The league’s post-season is a very enticing proposition for bettors
The numbers don’t lie when it comes to the popularity of the NFL playoffs. Almost 2.4 million Canadians watched the Kansas City Chiefs-Buffalo Bills thriller on CTV last weekend, while the 42 million viewers glued to that AFC divisional game on CBS made it the mostwatched television program in the U.S. since last year’s Super Bowl. The four divisional games had an average audience of 37 million viewers south of the border.
The game was an overwhelming winner for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Association; it was the largest single event for ProLine-Plus with an increase of 48 per cent in total wagers compared to the previous high, the Bills’ victory over New England the weekend before. That coincided with ProLine-Plus offering pre-match prop bets on player performance for the first time.
Winners took the over on passing yards by the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and the Bills’ Josh Allen, along with receiving yards by Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and the Los Angeles Rams’ Odell Beckham Jr., OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti said. The sportsbook came out on top when Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady and Bills receiver Stefon Diggs didn’t cover the over on rushing and receiving yards
“In the past, we have offered ingame props only, so they were not available until the game had already started,” Bitonti said. “We will be offering a further four additional customized player prop markets this weekend (for the conference championship games), including longest TD, longest rush, longest pass completion and longest field goal.”
Ellen Hyslop, co-founder of The Gist all-female sports media company, isn’t surprised by the postseason engagement. “We created a fantasy contest for the wild card, divisional and conference games, and hit our limits for players well before the entry deadline,” Hyslop said. “There’s this additional level of excitement with the NFL and the one-and-done format.”
The Star asked two experienced sports bettors for some guidance in placing wagers for Sunday’s games: Bet within your means. “Rule No. 1 is figure out what your objective is,” said Harley Redlick. “If this is just entertainment, keep the limits small and bet big parlay payoffs for fun. If you want to take this seriously, bankroll management is essential. Never bet more than five per cent (of your bankroll) on a single game. And, betting requires time and research.”
Put your money where your heart is. “If you’re a Bengals fan, bet on them to win the game,” Redlick said. “Every fan likes it when their team has the ball. So, if you’re a Rams fan, bet the under on completions by (49ers QB Jimmy) Garoppolo. The fewer passes he completes, the better off your team is.”
Think twice about parlays. “Parlays (betting on more than one event) and teasers (combining bets on different games) exist to take your money,” said Pat Mayo of Mayo Media Network. “Professional bettors aren’t making a ton of parlay bets. They’re like a lottery ticket.”
But maybe not same-game parlays. Combining multiple bets in a game can add to the fun of watching the contest with friends. “They can be pretty fun, combining individual play props with which team will lose,” Mayo said. “Put down $10 and you could win $400. Just remember, if you’re not betting those for entertainment value, you shouldn’t be betting.”
Find second-half value. If you’re getting together with a group of friends (with physical distancing, of course), Redlick suggests placing prop bets before kickoff and then regrouping at halftime. “You loaded up (before the game) on the Bengals to keep it close, and the Chiefs are up 20-3 at the half. Maybe you go double or nothing, or figure out if the final score will go over the total in the second half. Maybe you get out of jail and you’ll learn the thrill of breaking even.”
Remember patience is a virtue. “There are only two games so don’t feel like you have to get your money down right away,” Mayo said. “Watch the game for 15 minutes and then get to the live (betting) market.”