Betting favorite flips in Raiders-Giants matchup of NFL’s worst records
LV REVIEW JOURNAL SUBSCRIPTION
No Brock Bowers. No Maxx Crosby.
No compelling reason to bet on the Raiders over the Giants in Sunday’s game at Allegiant Stadium, where the loser will likely end up with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
New York is a consensus 2½-point favorite over the Raiders in a matchup of 2-13 teams tied for the worst record in the NFL and on nine-game losing streaks. The favorite flipped twice during the week at Boomer’s Sportsbook.
“We opened the Giants 2. Early on it was all Raiders money and we went to Raiders 1½. Then when they announced Bowers and (safety Jeremy Chinn) out, we went from Raiders 1½ to Giants 1,” Boomer’s director of trading Nick Bogdanovich said. “Then when the Crosby news hit, it went all the way to 2½. It’s been an active game, to say the least. From sharp money and general injury information, it’s been like a pingpong ball.”
The Giants are 2-point favorites at the Westgate SuperBook after the line opened at pick ’em.
“More a market move than anything with some sharp play, too,” Westgate vice president of risk Jeff Sherman said. “Line move more based on no Bowers and no Crosby.”
The favorite also flipped at STN Sports, where 52 percent of the spread bets are on the Giants.
“The ticket count does favor the Giants. Usually that hasn’t been the case when a bad team plays the Raiders. The Raiders are usually the heavier ticket count,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “But in this case, knowing what’s at stake and the Raiders being without arguably their best offensive player and best defensive player, the number definitely swung in favor of the Giants.
“I think we’re probably going to need the Raiders a little bit when the game kicks. I don’t think it will be one of the heavier bet games on the board but it is an interesting matchup because it is potentially for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.”
The Raiders are 4-4 against the spread in their last eight games after covering as 14-point underdogs in last week’s 23-21 loss at the Texans. The Giants are on an 0-3 spread skid after last week’s 16-13 loss to the Vikings as 2½-point home underdogs.
Over time
The total is 41½ after opening at 43. At STN Sports, 53 percent of tickets on the total are on the over. The Giants are on an 8-2 over run and the Raiders are on over runs of 3-1 and 4-2 despite being last in the league in scoring at 14.5 points per game.
Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty is the +425 favorite to be the first touchdown scorer. Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. is the +750 second choice and New York quarterback Jaxson Dart is the 9-1 third choice.
Silver and Black quarterback Geno Smith is a -240 favorite to throw under 1½ touchdown passes and he’s a -145 favorite to throw an interception.
