Three weeks into the NFL season, bettors are 3-0 against the books, and the trend has been troubling for sports book directors.
A majority of the betting public traditionally prefers to play favorites, and a surprisingly high number of favorites have covered the point spreads. After 46 games, favorites are 27-14-2 against the closing line, with three games going off as a pick.
The low point for the books came Sunday, when favorites won all seven morning games.
"It was an exhausting day for a lot of us," Imperial Palace sports book director Jay Kornegay said. "We were looking at Black Sunday. We had tremendous liability after the favorites went 7-0. Going into the late games, we hadn't had that situation in a long time.
"I was going to stand out on the street with a sign that said, `Will work for underdogs to cover.' "
The underdogs bounced back to win four of five afternoon games. Kornegay said Arizona's upset of Green Bay and Cleveland's upset of San Francisco were key winners for the sports books.
The books also recovered some money when Miami, a 3-point favorite, beat Buffalo 17-7 in the Sunday night game.
"All of the books had one-sided action on the Bills. The only reason the line didn't move was because it was sitting on 3. Any other number, and it would've moved," Kornegay said.
"We haven't had a winning Sunday yet. The NFL has not been kind to us. I would say for 95 to 98 percent of the books, that's true."
A year ago, it was a different story as the underdogs got off to a fast start and finished the year with a winning record.
• INDECENT PROP -- The Chicago Bears and quarterback Kordell Stewart are struggling, to put it mildly, and Stewart is the subject of an Imperial Palace proposition bet in Monday's game against the Packers.
What will Stewart throw first, a touchdown or an interception? An interception is the minus-120 favorite.
During the Bears' 0-2 start, Stewart has thrown two touchdowns and three interceptions. He has completed just 49 percent of his passes.
A majority of the betting public traditionally prefers to play favorites, and a surprisingly high number of favorites have covered the point spreads. After 46 games, favorites are 27-14-2 against the closing line, with three games going off as a pick.
The low point for the books came Sunday, when favorites won all seven morning games.
"It was an exhausting day for a lot of us," Imperial Palace sports book director Jay Kornegay said. "We were looking at Black Sunday. We had tremendous liability after the favorites went 7-0. Going into the late games, we hadn't had that situation in a long time.
"I was going to stand out on the street with a sign that said, `Will work for underdogs to cover.' "
The underdogs bounced back to win four of five afternoon games. Kornegay said Arizona's upset of Green Bay and Cleveland's upset of San Francisco were key winners for the sports books.
The books also recovered some money when Miami, a 3-point favorite, beat Buffalo 17-7 in the Sunday night game.
"All of the books had one-sided action on the Bills. The only reason the line didn't move was because it was sitting on 3. Any other number, and it would've moved," Kornegay said.
"We haven't had a winning Sunday yet. The NFL has not been kind to us. I would say for 95 to 98 percent of the books, that's true."
A year ago, it was a different story as the underdogs got off to a fast start and finished the year with a winning record.
• INDECENT PROP -- The Chicago Bears and quarterback Kordell Stewart are struggling, to put it mildly, and Stewart is the subject of an Imperial Palace proposition bet in Monday's game against the Packers.
What will Stewart throw first, a touchdown or an interception? An interception is the minus-120 favorite.
During the Bears' 0-2 start, Stewart has thrown two touchdowns and three interceptions. He has completed just 49 percent of his passes.
