Need something to bet on? Your options are limited.
All of the major sports leagues have suspended or canceled their seasons. This leaves bettors wagering on eSports and Aussie Rules Football.
Not great.
But there is another choice. Networks like ESPN, SEC Network and the Big Ten Network are scrambling for content to fill the airways. As a result, most are turning to broadcasting old games.
Odds are you and buddies wagered on these matchups but don’t remember the outcomes. It is one thing to recall who won, but did that team cover? What about the total? Did the game go over or under?
Below is a list of NFL games being rebroadcast on Friday, including the closing spread and total for that game. If you trust your friends not to cheat, this is a fun way to get some action.
Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints (NFL Network, 10 a.m. ET)
- Originally aired: Sept. 9, 2019
- Spread: Saints -6.5
- Total: 52
Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas against Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins. The first Monday Night Football game of the 2019 football season was expected to be a shootout as the total closed at 52 points.
With all this firepower, 69% of tickets were on the over. Were bettors right to expect a high-scoring game?
Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Chargers (NFL Network, 4 p.m. ET)
- Originally aired: Sept. 8, 2019
- Spread: Chargers -6
- Total: 44.5
Andrew Luck abruptly retired in the offseason and the Colts were forced to start Jacoby Brissett in the first game of the season. The line initially opened Chargers -3 but LA was bet up to 6-point favorites. The total also saw significant movement, falling from 48 to 44.5 points.
Without Luck, maybe bettors expected a low-scoring game that the Chargers would win easily. Let’s rewatch to see what happened.
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills (NFL Network, 8 p.m. ET)
- Originally aired: Dec. 21, 2019
- Spread: Patriots -7
- Total: 39.5
The Bills were in Foxborough for a rare late-season matchup while the division was still at stake. Buffalo entered this Week 16 matchup with a 10-4 record, New England was 11-3. A win by Josh Allen & Co. would put them in a tie for first in the AFC East.
Bookmakers favored the Patriots by a touchdown but more than 60% of spread tickets were on the Bills. Which team emerged victorious, and did they score enough to go over the low total of 39.5 points?
New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks (NFL Network, 12 a.m. ET)
- Originally aired: Sept. 22, 2019
- Spread: Seahawks -5
- Total: 44
Seattle started the season 2-0 and were coming off a road win in Pittsburgh. New Orleans just lost to the Rams in Los Angeles and were without Drew Brees (hand injury).
Would Teddy Bridgewater have enough in his first start to keep this game close or would Russell Wilson at home be too much for a depleted Saints squad?
