Sharp bettors back side, total in Raiders-Steelers game

A week aft crisp bettors backed the Raiders successful their wild overtime triumph implicit the Ravens astatine Allegiant Stadium connected “Monday Night Football,” they’re betting against them successful Sunday’s crippled astatine Pittsburgh.

The Steelers were statement 6½-point favorites Friday astatine Las Vegas sportsbooks. The enactment opened astatine 5½ astatine the South Point earlier moving up amid enactment connected the favorite.

“It was a operation of crisp bets and the public,” South Point sportsbook manager Chris Andrews said.

Andrews besides took crisp enactment connected nether the total, which was down to 47 aft opening astatine 48½.

“That’s a beauteous large determination connected the under,” helium said.

The Raiders, +225 connected the wealth line, went implicit for the 13th clip successful 17 games (13-3-1) successful their 33-27 triumph implicit Baltimore. The Steelers kept the Bills’ high-powered discourtesy successful cheque successful a 23-16 upset triumph astatine Buffalo.

“The Raiders are successful a pugnacious spot aft winning an overtime crippled connected Monday and having a abbreviated week, and traveling from the West Coast to the East Coast,” Westgate SuperBook vice president of hazard Ed Salmons said. “All that being said, I would not beryllium laying the Steelers successful that game.

“Their violative enactment got demolished (at Buffalo). They couldn’t tally the shot astatine each and threw thing but 3- to 7-yard passes.”

Andrews, a autochthonal of the Pittsburgh area, agreed the Steelers’ violative enactment is their biggest concern.

“I deliberation they’re going to beryllium close successful the playoff hunt.” helium said. “Their defence whitethorn beryllium the champion successful the league. (Quarterback Ben) Roethlisberger looks truly good, the receivers are good, and (running back) Najee Harris is good. The large question is the violative line. It can’t beryllium immoderate worse than past year.”

Red Rock Resort sportsbook manager Chuck Esposito said the enactment going to 6½ astatine Station was mostly a merchandise of an array of injuries connected the Raiders, including season-ending ones to starting close defender Denzelle Good and seasoned antiaircraft tackle Gerald McCoy. And moving backmost Josh Jacobs connected Friday was ruled retired for the crippled due to the fact that of toed and ankle injuries.

“And conscionable from the mode they celebrated aft winning the crippled connected ‘Monday Night Football’ successful beforehand of each their fans,” Esposito said. “It’s pugnacious to inquire them to question crossed the state close now.”

The Raiders excelled connected the roadworthy past season, going 6-2. But, aft opening with a 34-24 location triumph implicit the Saints connected “Monday Night Football,” they mislaid 36-20 astatine New England successful Week 2.

The summons number and wealth wagered connected the crippled astatine Station was astir identical arsenic of Friday, but Esposito expects precocious enactment to travel successful connected the Raiders.

“I inactive deliberation we’ll spot Raider Nation backmost them,” helium said. “The Thursday earlier the Raiders-Ravens, 58 percent of the tickets were connected the Ravens. But, by crippled time, adjacent to 70 percent was connected the Raiders.”

The Raiders person covered 7 of their past 8 games against the Steelers.

Contact newsman Todd Dewey astatine tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 connected Twitter.