Wild Card Weekend Pros vs. Joes: Sharps 'all-in' on Steelers

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Before you make your NFL bets for Wild Card Weekend, it's worth knowing which side other bettors are backing - especially on games drawing sharp action.

We talked to Jay Rood, Bet.Works' chief risk officer and theScore Bet's head trader, to see how sharps and public bettors are playing this week's slate.

Colts @ Bills (-6, 51.5), Saturday, 1:05 p.m. ET

One of the games drawing the most activity ahead of the weekend is the opening contest - with bettors taking a position against the hottest team in football.

The Bills have covered eight straight games against the spread and opened as 7-point favorites in this one. A sharp play at +7 brought this line down to 6.5, and while there was some decent two-way action at that number, additional Colts money has nudged this line even further toward the underdogs.

As of Friday afternoon, Buffalo has seen four times as many tickets, but Indianapolis has drawn five times as much money on straight bets and a 6-to-1 advantage on the moneyline. Still, strong parlay support for the Bills suggests this line could again be on the move.

"It looks like the market is creeping back," Rood said. "I would imagine we're going to see a lot of Bills money show up between now and kickoff."

Rams @ Seahawks (-3.5, 42.5), Saturday, 4:40 p.m.

Even with a quarterback controversy brewing for the Rams, sharp bettors are all over the 'dog in this divisional rematch against the Seahawks.

Los Angeles opened as a 5-point underdog and took some sharp money at that number. Wiseguys have continued to play the Rams at +4.5 and +4, even as the Seahawks pull twice as many bet slips on straight bets. The moneyline also skews heavily toward the Rams, while parlay bettors are playing the Seahawks at a nearly 4-to-1 clip.

"This is definitely a Pros-versus-Joes game," Rood said. "We're getting heavier sharp play on the way down, but we're still getting plenty of Seahawks money."

Buccaneers (-8, 44.5) @ Washington, Saturday, 8:15 p.m.

There hasn't been much activity to speak of in this tilt, which features the only playoff team with a losing record.

Those who are playing this game like the Buccaneers, who enter the weekend riding a 5-to-1 advantage in tickets and a 10-to-1 advantage in money on straight bets. Those splits are similar in the parlay market, though some bettors are taking a shot on Washington on the moneyline.

Ravens (-3.5, 54.5) @ Titans, Sunday, 1:05 p.m.

This is the lone rematch from last year's postseason. The Titans bested the Ravens a year ago, but bettors are split on which side to back this time.

The game opened at Ravens -3.5 (even) and is still priced at that mark after some remarkably split activity. The ticket count is within two bet slips on either side as of Friday afternoon, Rood said, and the money wagered is within $200. Even the parlay activity is within almost $75 on either side.

There's a slight lean on the moneyline to the Titans (+155), which is to be expected given the price. Still, it isn't enough to raise concern for oddsmakers ahead of Sunday.

"This is an odd game," Rood said. "I would have thought we'd get a little more 'dog money here."

Bears @ Saints (-9.5, 47.5), Sunday, 4:40 p.m.

This is another contest in which neither side has a clear advantage in tickets wagered. Those who have bet to this point are backing each team in separate markets.

Parlay bettors are favoring the Saints, who own a 2-to-1 advantage in tickets and money wagered and have an ever-so-slight edge in straight-bet ticket count. Yet one half-limit play on Bears +10 has given the road team a 10-to-1 edge in money as of Friday.

"Pretty much the only notable play we've taken was that Bears +10 bet when we opened," Rood said.

Browns @ Steelers (-6, 47), Sunday, 8:15 p.m.

If bettors are taking one clear position this week, it's on the Steelers, who opened as 3.5-point favorites and have been targeted by big money throughout the week.

A handful of sharp plays at -3.5 bumped this line to -4 early, but as the Browns' COVID-19 outbreak reshaped the game, bettors kept playing Pittsburgh at -4 and -4.5. Another limit play at -5 forced this line even higher, and while there's been some sharp buyback on the Browns at +6, the money is still 2-to-1 toward the Steelers at this number.

All told, Pittsburgh has drawn 100 times as much money on an 8-to-1 ticket count advantage, and neither trend appears likely to reverse anytime soon.

"The last game of the weekend is going to be the big sweat, especially with pros on the Steelers and Joes probably lining up on the Steelers, too," Rood said. "It's an all-in game."

(Odds source: theScore Bet)

C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.

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