Thursday night's Colts/Titans game...

I don't know how much of this is accurate, I only put it together from listening to ESPN Radio.

Before the game, the announcer was saying that 73% of the bettors were taking the Colts and giving the 4 points; I would have done the same, FWIW.

The Titans scored on the last play of the game to make it 30-28. That td didn't matter to the game's outcome, the ball was snapped with 4 seconds on the clock (although I'm sure it mattered to the Titans).

Jeez, what a kick in the teeth for bettors, and what a sigh of relief heard from bookmakers all across the land. I'm really glad I don't bet sports, that would have been a JL "stone cold lock" in my eyes, taking the Colts -4.

This would be an instance were the bookmakers will may be happy to have an unbalanced book (prior to the event).

If they can offer -4 at 11-10, but be getting +4 at effectively 2-1, they've created themselves a big edge (if they truly believe the 50/50 line is +4). How much this actually goes on, I don't know, but it seems some of the old school line makers would do this on some games were they had a strong opinion).

Quote: Mosca

I don't know how much of this is accurate, I only put it together from listening to ESPN Radio.

Before the game, the announcer was saying that 73% of the bettors were taking the Colts and giving the 4 points; I would have done the same, FWIW.

That doesn't seem reasonable to me. For one thing I thought that game closed at Colts -3 (-130), Titans +3 (+110). For another, I don't think the books would want to be that unbalanced.

A friend of mine had $10,000 on Colts -3 and is feeling pretty sick about the ending.

Thanks for the insight. I would suppose that if the line moved back to 3, that would mean that the amount bet on each team was a lot more even than the 73% stated by the announcer. Still, I'd hate to see my bet depending on the pride of the teams involved, after the game result has already been decided! I just got no stomach for that sort of thing. I'd have taken the Colts all day long on that one.

Quote: Mosca

Still, I'd hate to see my bet depending on the pride of the teams involved, after the game result has already been decided! I just got no stomach for that sort of thing. I'd have taken the Colts all day long on that one.

Those meaningless last second scores will make the difference in bets sometimes. I had Titans money line that game, so it didn't affect me. In the Colts/Bears Super Bowl in the last seconds the Colts had virtually clinched the game and were in easy field goal range on 4th down, but went for the 4th down anyway. I'm still not sure why. Some say it was to show some grace, and not rub the Bears faces in the defeat. It made the difference in the over/under bets, as well as lots of my props (fortunately in a good way).

I heard once there was a basketball game where a player scored 2 points for the other team deliberately at the last second by making a basket the wrong way. It made no difference in who won the game, but did effect the point spread. Has anyone else heard this story?

Quote: Wizard

I heard once there was a basketball game where a player scored 2 points for the other team deliberately at the last second by making a basket the wrong way. It made no difference in who won the game, but did effect the point spread. Has anyone else heard this story?

Nate Robinson did that last year, but the shot was just after the buzzer and didn't count. Otherwise, a Google search turns up no hits; however I might have not chosen search words correctly.

lol, I had Colts -2.5 in a weighted picks league that I'm in for cash. I'm in 2nd place for the year, and am 101-91 overall. I picked the Colts as my top weighted game that week, while the guy that's in first took him as his lowest. Hurts my chances big time, unless he somehow loses his 7-pt game too. :|