Bad Beats #11
Close only counts in horseshoes. If you’re betting on sports, being close is just a bad beat. Maybe you missed the over by a point. Maybe your team doesn’t cover the spread. Maybe the underdog actually won the game. Each week produces new sports betting upsets.
Here’s a look at this week’s bad beats:
1. NFL – Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders Moneyline (12/26/20)
If you didn’t see the end of this game, well you sure did miss a thrilling fourth quarter. If you’re a Las Vegas Raiders fan, proceed with caution. The Raiders were +115 on the moneyline, and boy were they really close to winning.
With 2:55 left in the game, Miami took the lead 23-22 after quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick passed to Myles Gaskin for a 59-yard touchdown. With 19 seconds left in the game, the Raiders took the lead 25-23 after Daniel Carlson scored 22-yard field goal. That could have been it. It seemed as if the Raiders would walk away with the win. But don’t sleep on Fitzmagic!
Fitzpatrick found Mack Hollins for a 34-yard gain. Additionally, a 15-yard penalty was enforced due to “roughing the passer” call against the Raiders. This put the Dolphins in field goal range, and with one second left, Jason Sanders kicked a successful 44-yard field goal on 2nd and 10. The Dolphins defeated the Raiders 26-25, and Raiders moneyline bettors…lost some money.
2. NFL – New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens O/U (12/27/20)
Let me just start this one off by giving a special shoutout to those under bettors. The over/under for this game was set at 43.5 prior to kickoff. With 1:59 left in the game, the Baltimore Ravens were up 27-13. At this point, the total was at 40 points. At 2nd and goal, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbled the ball, and the New York Giants recovered it. The Ravens lost their chance of scoring, and those who bet the over got screwed over.
If the Ravens hadn’t fumbled the ball, and instead scored, the points total would have gone over 43.5. Over bettors, I am sorry Lamar hurt you on Sunday.
3. NFL – Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys O/U (12/27/20)
The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 37-17 as 3-point underdogs on Sunday. But this bad beat was all thanks to Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. The over/under was set at 50.5 prior to kickoff. The Cowboys were up 30-17 after Cowboys kickers Greg Zuerlein kicked a 21-yard field goal. At this point, the under was still safe, as the points total was at 47.
Now, fast forward a bit with 1:53 left in the game. Lamb ran it into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown, and the Cowboys went up 37-17. Great. Fantastic. Superb. But for under bettors, this was not fine and dandy. In fact, it was the opposite. Lamb’s touchdown pushed the points total over 50.5. The fun thing about sports betting, and sports in general, is that nothing is truly over until the clock hits zero. So, if you bet the under, you’re probably really not a huge fan of CeeDee Lamb right now.
4. NBA – Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards O/U (12/27)
Another bad beat with the over/under, but this one took place on the hardwood. The over/under was set at 231.5. With five seconds left, the total was under 231.5 points. The Orlando Magic led 118-113, making the total 231 points. But Washington’s Davis Bertans got a personal foul, and Orlando’s Markelle Fultz was sent to the free throw line.
Over bettors were praying that Fultz would make the free throws. Under bettors on the other hand, were praying he wouldn’t. Well, sorry under bettors, but he made both free throws, and that pushed the points total over 231.5. The Magic defeated the Wizards 120-113.
