Worst gambling ‘bad beats’ of the weekend
Note: Closing lines are courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook and pick percentages are via Wunderdog sports.
San Jose State Spartans at UNLV Rebels
Closing line: San Jose State -3.5
Just minutes from the Las Vegas strip, the series of events at Sam Boyd Stadium that led to a failed cover by the hometown Rebels had those who took the points up in arms.
With just over a minute to go in the fourth quarter, UNLV led San Jose State 24-20. All the Rebels needed was a stop on fourth-and-10 to preserve not only the win but also the cover for the 47 percent of bettors who had them at +3.5. Spartans’ quarterback Kenny Potter had other things in mind as he connected with Tyler Ervin for a go-ahead 21-yard touchdown with 1:08 left. UNLV backers were still in good shape since a three-point loss would win them their bets. Instead, with four seconds left, Nicolai Bornand nailed a 49-yard field goal to tie the game. In overtime, Bornand had his 43-yard attempt blocked.
With the Spartans needing just a field goal to win, those who bet on the Rebels were seemingly in good shape. However, Tyler Ervin punched it in from 2 yards out to give San Jose State a six-point victory.
Final score: San Jose State 33, UNLV 27 in OT (San Jose State covers)
Washington State Cougars at Oregon Ducks
Closing line: Over/under 71.5
When a game goes to overtime, it almost always seems that a bad beat is coming … and this game was no different. The 39 percent of bettors who thought the total of 71.5 was too high were probably right, but as Chad Millman likes to say, “The right side is the winning side.”
Oregon led 31-21 with less than four minutes to go, and there was no reason to believe the Ducks would blow it. Why? The Ducks had won 100 straight games when they had a double-digit lead. But the Cougars scored 10 straight points, capped off by a Luke Falk 8-yard touchdown pass to Dom Williams, to send the game into overtime. Oregon got the ball first in the extra frame and scored a touchdown to go up 38-31. Those on the under were still alive as they needed a stop from the Ducks. They didn’t get one. Falk’s rushing touchdown tied it up at 38 as under 71.5 was officially a losing bet. The Cougars went on to win in double-overtime as Oregon’s streak of 100 straight wins when leading by double digits came to an end.
Final score: Washington State 45, Oregon 38 in 2OT (game goes over)
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles
Closing line: Over/under 49.5
In what ended up as the second-highest total of the NFL weekend, bettors on the under still can’t believe what happened on the last play of the game.
With 4:19 left, the Eagles kicked a field goal to go up 32-10, as folks on the under just needed to avoid two scores in the final minutes. The first score came quickly after Walter Thurmond returned a Drew Brees interception down to the Saints 4-yard line. DeMarco Murray scored on the very next play to push the total to 49. On the final drive of the game, the Saints dinked and dunked their way down to the Eagles’ 14-yard line. There was time for one last play. That play turned out to be brutal if you were on the under as Brees threw a “meaningless” touchdown to Brandin Cooks on fourth-and-8.
Final score: Eagles 39, Saints 17 (game goes over)
St. Louis Rams at Green Bay Packers
Closing line: Packers -9
It’s hard to imagine a game in which a team blew as many chances as St. Louis did on Sunday. While it seemed like the underdog Rams outplayed the Packers at times throughout the game, kicking woes and turnovers in the red zone cost St. Louis backers the cover.
The Rams drove into Green Bay territory on their final five possessions, but they didn’t score a single point on those drives. In order, St. Louis’ final possessions ended like this: Blocked field goal, missed field goal, interception, missed field goal, interception. The final interception came when the Rams were at the Green Bay 7-yard line with less than a minute left, ultimately sealing the fate of those who took St. Louis +9. How unlikely were all of those missed kicks and interceptions? Greg Zuerlein hadn’t missed a field goal all season entering the game and Nick Foles had never thrown more than two picks in a game in his career (he threw four on Sunday).
Final score: Packers 24, Rams 10 (Packers cover)