Public Bettors Cash In on Conference Championship Upsets
NFL Conference Championships saw both favorites win, benefiting moneyline parlay bettors, with the Seahawks opening as Super Bowl favorites over the Patriots.
Moneyline parlays paid off big Sunday as both NFL Conference Championship favorites won their games, delivering a winning day for the betting masses who don't need spreads to hit—just victories.
"Two-for-two for the favorites, and a high-scoring late game. The bettors had a good day," BetMGM trading manager Tristan Davis said.
NFC Championship: High Scoring, High Volume Payouts
The Seahawks defeated the Rams 31-27 at home, winning as 2.5-point favorites while the Over cleared easily. Depending on the sportsbook, totals closed at 45.5/46/46.5 and went over by the end of the third quarter—fortunate timing since neither team scored in the fourth quarter.
The high-scoring affair triggered a cascade of successful prop bets and same-game parlays. All popular anytime touchdown scorers cashed, with standout performances from:
- Puka Nacua: 165 receiving yards on nine catches, plus a touchdown
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 10 catches for 153 yards and a TD
- Cooper Kupp: Touchdown
- Davante Adams: Touchdown
"All the popular anytime touchdown scorers hit. And Puka Nacua Over 90.5 receiving yards was a big one," SuperBook risk manager Casey Degnon said.
AFC Championship: The Middle Ground
The Patriots beat the Broncos 10-7 in a snow-slogged defensive battle, but New England failed to cover as a 3.5-point road favorite. The result: a classic "Super Bowl middle"—the favorite wins but the underdog covers the spread.
The total of 43 was never threatened, with only three points scored in the second half on a third-quarter field goal that won the game.
Sharp bettors backed Denver at +5/+4.5/+4 while the public faded backup QB Jarrett Stidham and took the Patriots. Denver's cover made it a winning day for sportsbooks, though the SuperBook saw its biggest advantage in Super Bowl futures—oddsmakers had been concerned about Rams liability in those markets.
Super Bowl LX: Seahawks Open as Favorites
Caesars Sports opened Seattle as 4.5-point favorites against New England for the Feb. 8 Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The market reacted immediately.
"Within seconds of opening, we accepted a $36,000 wager on the Seahawks -4.5, and a $55,000 wager on New England +4.5. Action will be furious for the next two weeks," Caesars head of football trading Joey Feazel said.
By late Sunday night, early action leaning toward the Seahawks pushed the line to Seattle -5.
