Pro bettors, public on opposite sides of Steelers-Giants game Monday
LV REVIEW JOURNAL SUBSCRIPTION
The Steelers-Giants “Monday Night Football” game at Pittsburgh shapes up as a pros versus the public matchup at sportsbooks.
Professional bettors backed the Giants +6½ at the Westgate SuperBook, which caused the consensus line to dip to 6. The betting public is all over the Steelers -6, with 85 percent of the tickets at Station Sports and 82 percent of the spread bets at BetMGM on Pittsburgh.
“We’ll clearly be Giants fans,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said.
The consensus total is 36½ and has inched up to 37 at the South Point sportsbook. Eighty percent of the tickets at Station Sports and 74 percent of the bets at BetMGM are on the over.
The Giants are 6-1 to the under this season and on a 16-6 under run overall. The Steelers are 4-3 to the under this season.
Pittsburgh (5-2, 5-2 against the spread) can take sole possession of first place in the AFC North with a win. The Steelers are -265 on the money line to improve to 6-2. A win would give them a one-game lead over the Ravens (5-3), who lost to the Browns on Sunday.
New York (2-5, 3-4 ATS), +225 on the money line, was blown out 28-3 by the Eagles last week.
Underdogs are 8-7 ATS in Week 8 with five outright wins. Overs are 11-4.
Best bet
Systemplays.com handicapper Doug Fitz, who leads the Review-Journal NFL Challenge with a 26-13 ATS record (66.7 percent), recommends a play on the Giants.
“This is a good situational spot for the Giants,” Fitz said. “They come off a lopsided divisional loss, while the Steelers pulled off an impressive home ’dog win. Very often, NFL teams regress after a huge win, and vice versa after a bad loss. I expect the Giants to play to a close game, and the number is too high.”
