After 13 straight losses to start the 2020 season, the New York Jets picked an improbable game to pick up their first win.
The winless Jets entered their Week 15 matchup as 17.5-point underdogs and went on to win outright over the Rams, 23-20.
To put this upset into context, the Jets are one of the two biggest underdogs to win outright since 1995. Washington beat the Cowboys back in Week 14 of that year, 24-17, after entering the game as 17.5-point dogs.
Bettors were not deterred by the Jets being given more than two touchdowns. According to the Action Network’s Darren Rovell, 88% of the money at DraftKings was on the Rams to cover.
There were some who were supremely confident that Los Angeles would topple the winless Jets.
According to Rovell, one bettor at William Hill wagered $72,821.77 on a two-team moneyline parlay featuring the Ravens and Rams. That wager would have netted $12,586.
Baltimore easily beat the Jaguars, 40-14. Los Angeles, though, did not cooperate.
When you just needed the Rams for your parlay pic.twitter.com/Zv8vgYEiJe
— The Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) December 21, 2020
Rovell noted that the biggest standalone bet on the Rams’ moneyline was also at William Hill, where someone bet $1,000 on a Los Angeles win to net $50.
Others who backed the Jets to earn their first win this week won big. Two bettors at DraftKings put $500 down on New York's moneyline at +1000 to win $5,000, according to Rovell.
At FanDuel, only 11% of the money was on the Jets' moneyline.
There was another huge winner at FanDuel, but on a different kind of bet:
A New Jersey bettor placed a $100 bet at @FDSportsbook September that the Jets first win would be in Week 15 against the Rams.
That bettor won $12,000 today off that bet.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 21, 2020
The Jets entered the game 4-9 on the season against the spread, so a cover — especially at a big number like 17.5 — wasn't unreasonable. An outright win, though, sent shockwaves through the betting community and NFL.
