Spread Odds
The Spread is based on a rough projection of a score for every matchup, although oddsmakers have a good idea of what side the betting public will want to bet and usually saddles that team with an additional point or three. The same goes for the Total, which projects the combined number of points expected in a contest.
- Feb 27, 2020 If the favorite wins by the spread exactly, it is called a 'push' and all bets are refunded. In the example, if Boston wins 88-84, then it is a push and no one collects a profit. If you see 'half-odds' (a 4.5-point spread, for example), this is to make a 'push' impossible.
- Spread: Also commonly referred to as the line or spread, a negative point spread value (-15.5) indicates that team is favored by 15.5 points. A positive value (+15.5) on its opponent means that.
NFL Playoff odds and point spreads are here for the divisional round this coming weekend. They can’t be considered too surprising. Fresh off their bye in the wildcard round, the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs boast the biggest point spread of the weekend against the upstart Cleveland Browns. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers are seven-point favorites against the Los Angeles Rams.
In the two other games, we can expect close affairs with the point spreads being much more narrow. That includes the Bills at -1.5 against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. As for the other NFC game, the New Orleans Saints are three-point favorites over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Below, we give you NFL Playoff odds and point spreads for all four games in the divisional round with interesting blurbs the bettor inside of you might want to know.
Updated: Jan. 13, 10:00 PM EST
Related: NFL Playoff schedule, predictions
NFL Playoff odds and point spreads: Saturday’s divisional round action
Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers
Time/station: 4:35 PM EST, Fox
NFL Playoff odds and point spreads: Packers -6.5 (over/under 45.5)
Update: Jared Goff expect to start for the Rams
Rams quarterback Jared Goff has been abysmal since starting the season off strong, leading to renewed questions regarding his status as the Rams’ future at this position. Over the course of his past nine starts, last week’s win over the Seahawks included, Goff has thrown nine touchdowns while committing 13 turnovers.
Related: Why a Jared Goff trade makes sense in 2021
What’s equally troubling here for the Rams when we look at their NFL Playoff odds this January is the fact that Goff has tallied 14 touchdowns against 14 turnovers in his past 12 road starts dating back to last season.
Given the nature of the injury to his throwing thumb, it really is hard to imagine Goff being able to keep pace with Aaron Rodgers in the Wisconsin winter at Lambeau Field. This is magnified by the fact that Green Bay won its final four regular-season home games by an average of 16 points. Take the Packers and the points here. Don’t think twice about it.
Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
Time/station: 8:15 PM EST, NBC
NFL Playoff odds and point spreads: Bills -2.5 (over/under 50.0)
How good has Western New York treated the Bills since a Week 6 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs? It’s pretty darn remarkable. And it has us thinking Buffalo’s NFL Playoff odds, at least until the conference championship game, are pretty darn good. Buffalo is 6-0 in its past six home games. The team is averaging 36 points and a resounding 380 total yards per game during that span.
Related: NFL Power Rankings – Ranking each team for NFL Playoffs.
Despite the Ravens’ recent hot streak (six-game winning streak), this has us questioning the point spread with Buffalo at a -2.5. Last week’s win over the Titans included, the Ravens are 7-2 away from M&T Bank Stadium. However, four of those wins came against the Eagles, Texans, Bengals and Washington Football Team (19-43-2 combined record). It’s going to be a whole new ball game against the red-hot Bills. Expect Josh Allen and Co. to cover here.
NFL Playoff odds and point spreads: Vegas odds for Sunday’s games
Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs
Time/station: 3:05 PM EST, CBS
NFL Playoff odds and point spreads: Chiefs -10.0 (over/under 57.0)
Update: Browns activate CB Denzel Ward from COVID-19 list
Consider this. Kansas City finished the regular season 14-2 following a Week 17 loss to the Chargers with their starters resting. The Chiefs’ final seven wins of the season came by an average margin of 4.5 points per. This has not been the dominant Patrick Mahomes-led team we have seen in recent season. It could also have us questioning the defending champs NFL Playoff odds heading into Sunday’s game against an upstart Browns team.
Related: NFL defense rankings – Examining the top defenses in the NFL.
At the very least, there’s an open question whether this 10-point spread is based more on reputation than anything else. After blowout losses against the Ravens and Steelers earlier in the season, Cleveland final three losses during the regular season came by an average of seven points. This represents some food for thought. While it still makes sense to go with Kansas City here, avoid the points.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
Time/station: 6:40 PM EST, Fox
NFL Playoff odds and point spreads: Saints -3.0 (over/under 52.0)
Oh, what a tangled web we weave when attempting to analyze this game from a betting perspective. Drew Brees has been absolutely brilliant at home in his career, winning 65% of his starts at the Superdome. He’s also 7-2 at home with 19 touchdowns against four interceptions in the playoffs. Heck, Brees and his Saints handled Tampa Bay during the regular season. That included New Orleans outscoring its NFC South counterparts by a combined margin of 72-25 in two games.
Related: Tom Brady statistical comparisons
Then, we have one Tom Brady. He just recently became the oldest quarterback to throw a touchdown in the history of the postseason. NFL Playoff odds have also favored Brady during an illustrious career that has seen him win six Super Bowl. At issue here for Mr. Brady is his career 5-4 postseason record away from Gillette Stadium (not including the Super Bowl, of course). He’s 20-4 in New England. Despite this, I am willing to go against the grain and pick a minor upset. It really is hard to bet against GOAT, even if it could mean Drew Brees’ final game as an NFL quarterback.
The Los Angeles Lakers started the season 10-0 on the road, but they’re looking to avoid a three-game losing streak on Saturday night against the Celtics. If you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, moneyline odds and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet on BetMGM.
The game tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ABC.
The Lakers (14-6) have dropped back-to-back games to the 76ers and Pistons, thought the team was without Anthony Davis against Detroit. The Celtics are returning home after a four-point loss to the Spurs in San Antonio on Wednesday, but will quickly head back out west for the three-game road trip following Saturday’s game.
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
Point spread: Lakers -2.5Money line: Lakers -135 / Celtics +110Over-under: 218.5Place your legal, online sports bets in CO, IA, IN, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.
READ: 2021 NBA Mock Draft consensus 1.0: The complete first round
Advice and prediction
This is a really good spot for a Lakers bounce-back performance, especially as it’s expected that Davis will return to the lineup.
What Are Point Spreads? Betting Point Spreads Explained
Both he and James are listed as questionable, but LeBron has been listed as questionable all season and hasn’t missed a game. I’m not reading too much into the Lakers’ collapse in Detroit, which came on the second night of a back-to-back following a last-second loss to Philadelphia.
The Celtics blew out the Lakers last year in Boston by 22 — but that Celtics team had a top-5 defensive rating, while Boston has slipped to 18th this season. LeBron James is going to be extra motivated to stop the Lakers’ slide, and there’s very little chance they endure another seven-minute scoring drought like they did in Detroit. Take the Lakers -2.5.
Prediction: Lakers 112, Celtics 107
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
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