Sportsbook insiders, bettors anxious ahead of Eagles-Commanders

The Washington Commanders (4-5) will attempt to spoil the Philadelphia Eagles’ undefeated record (8-0) on Monday Night Football at Lincoln Financial Field.  And while the overwhelming majority of sports analysts (and 100% of Eagles fans) believe the Eagles will fly high tonight, bettors and analysts at BetUS Sportsbook are divided.  

The Eagles are a big -11 point favorite on the point spread at BetUS as of Monday morning and a huge -520 favorite on the ‘money line,’ meaning a bet on the outright winner.  The money line odds translate to an implied probability of a Philadelphia win of 83.87%. 

According to data released by BetUS, 53% of bets and nearly 56% of the total dollar volume wagered on the point spread had been bet on the Commanders to cover the point spread as of Monday morning.  

But BetUS bookmakers and analysts are split.

“The Eagles beat the Commanders 24-8 and sacked the QB, Carson Wentz 9 times and Taylor Heinicke is going to receive the same treatment,” says Barry Barger, senior betting analyst with BetUS. “This should be a Philly blowout at halftime, and the only chance Washington has is a backdoor cover.”

But fellow BetUS analyst, Nikki Adams was quoted in national media on Monday making a bold, and opposite prediction: “Taylor Heinicke and the Washington Commanders will end the Eagles’ undefeated run with a Monday Night Football upset,” Adams was quoted in Yahoo Sports.  “Yup. That’s right.  You read it here first!”

So, which is it, and how can two analysts working for the same sportsbook see things differently? What are the odds and betting trends telling us ahead of tonight’s game?  Some of the props available at BetUS might help to make that last minute call for undecided bettors on tonight’s Monday Night Football game.  

For the prop bet, “Will the Eagles Finish The 2022-23 Regular Season Undefeated (17-0)?” BetUS lists odds of “yes” at +900 and ‘no’ at -3000, meaning a bet on ‘yes’ would pay 9-to-1, so a $100 bet would pay out $1,000 ($900 in net profit plus the return of your $100 stake). 

A bet on ‘no’, meanwhile, is a steep -3000 -meaning a $100 bet would only pay out $103.33 (a profit of just $3.33). “That should tell you something,” Adams says in her full analysis on BetUS’s Locker Room.

And, a ‘yes’ bet on any team having a perfect season (20-0) is paying +2000 (20-to-1).  

“It’s the best start in Eagles history, but going the distance is a different story. There have only been four so-called invincible teams in NFL history: the 2007 New England Patriots (16-0), 1972 Miami Dolphins (14-0), 1942 Chicago Bears (11-0) and 1934 Chicago Bears (13-0),” Adams points out.

So that brings us to the odds on when and versus which team the Eagles will break their undefeated streak.

And indeed, a loss to the Washington Commanders is currently the odds-on favorite (+375) for how and when the Eagles will suffer their first loss, though a spokesperson for BetUS notes that 75% of bets on this prop so far have been for the ‘Undefeated’ option at +900 (still, most of those bets “could have been placed weeks ago” Barger notes).  

Furthermore, in the odds on the number of regular season wins by the Eagles (over or under 14 ½ wins), the ‘under’ is favored -135.  

So, will the Philadelphia Eagles go undefeated in 2022? The odds are unlikely, but so far the Eagles have emerged as the NFL’s lone undefeated team. They’re a perfect 8-0 and in pole position in the NFC.

Still, the odds tell us that the question should likely be when and against who the Eagles will suffer their first defeat.  We’ll have to wait a few more hours to find out if the answer is against the Commanders.