As the conference championships approach, bettors are showing strong support for the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, who are set to play against the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams, respectively. Despite some late movement towards the underdogs, sportsbooks are hoping for the favorites to cover the spreads.
Public sentiment is largely behind the Patriots, who are favored by 4.5 points against the Broncos in the AFC final. The Seahawks are also favored in their matchup against the Rams, with both teams drawing significant betting interest from three major sportsbooks. BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee noted the popularity of both favorites, stating, “Both favorites are popular with bettors this weekend in the conference championship games.” He added that a Broncos victory would be the best outcome for the sportsbook.
Recent betting trends indicate that while the Broncos and Rams have attracted some wagers, the Patriots are seeing over 70% of bets at both DraftKings and theScore Bet. Although BetMGM has recorded a smaller percentage of bets on the Patriots, the overall trend still leans heavily in favor of New England. Interestingly, BetMGM has reported the least amount of money on the Patriots, suggesting that they would prefer to see an underdog victory.
Heading into the first game on Sunday, theScore Bet has recorded a high percentage of handle on the Patriots, with a notable 69% of the total handle. The Broncos, however, have garnered nearly 60% of moneyline wagers. “The Patriots laying points has been our most popular market across the two games, but there are some Broncos believers out there,” said Adrian Horton, theScore Bet”s North American senior director.
In terms of player props, New England running back Rhamondre Stevenson”s over 47.5 rushing yards is generating considerable interest. The over/under line for the game is set at 42.5, with 80% of the handle at DraftKings favoring the over, while theScore Bet shows nearly 60% of the money on the under.
In the NFC matchup, the Rams find themselves in an unfamiliar position as underdogs for the first time this postseason. The two teams split their regular-season meetings, but bettors appear to favor the Seahawks, who boast a strong defense at home. DraftKings reports that the Seahawks are receiving 80% of the wagers and 76% of the handle, while other sportsbooks show a similar trend.
BetMGM has seen the Rams receive a slight edge in handle for the late Sunday game, with the moneyline at DraftKings nearing even; the Seahawks hold 56% of the tickets and 55% of the handle. Interestingly, BetMGM indicates that the Rams have attracted over 70% of the bets, while the Seahawks have captured 70% of the handle.
As for the total points, the over/under at BetMGM has seen 85% of the money on the over 46.5, contrasting with DraftKings, which reports 56% of the handle on the same line. Notably, Seattle receiver Rashid Shaheed”s over 1.5 rushing yards is the most popular player prop at BetMGM, whereas Rams receiver Puka Nacua leads the betting for both anytime and first touchdown scorer markets.
Last week, sportsbooks experienced a sigh of relief with the early playoff exits of the Bears and 49ers, easing concerns regarding overall liabilities in the futures market. Now, the focus shifts to the Rams and Patriots, who, while still a concern, represent a lesser threat. Horton explained, “From a futures perspective, Rams and Patriots action came on strong in the second half of the season, but we”ve already settled most of our top liabilities from the overall market with the Eagles, Bills, and Bears eliminated before the conference championships.” He emphasized that their current position is favorable, with any of the remaining teams being acceptable outcomes for the sportsbooks.
With the announcement of Drake Maye as a potential Super Bowl MVP candidate, betting activity has surged for Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who has emerged as a popular long shot following the injury to starting quarterback Bo Nix. Stidham has drawn a significant number of tickets and holds a notable percentage of the handle, trailing behind Maye.
