Saturday’s postseason opener between the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers was FanDuel’s most lopsided betting line for the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs.
According to the sportsbook, betters placed more than 10 times the number of wagers on the Chargers against the spread, which favored Los Angeles by three points.
And on the moneyline, 66 percent of total bets and 62 percent of the overall handle was wagered on the Chargers.
Alas, DeMeco Ryans’ team delivered a masterpiece, forcing Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert into four interceptions on defense, while quarterback CJ Stroud engineered a pair of touchdown drives on offense.
Gamblers fared better when it came to picking players who scored touchdowns. The Chargers’ Ladd McConkey as well as the Texans’ Joe Mixon and Nico Collins all crossed the goal line on Saturday in Houston after being among three of the five most popular ‘Any Time TD Scorer’ picks.
But gamblers were far worse when it came to Herbert. The Chargers quarterback had an over/under of 0.5 interceptions, which he easily surpassed thanks to Texans All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who had a pair of picks on the day.
Houston Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. (97) celebrates after sacking Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during the second half of Saturday’s victory
Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by Denico Autry (96) during the third quarter on Saturday
Johnson had just one catch for the Texans, disappointing many gamblers along the way
According to FanDuel, 59 percent of bets and 87 percent of the handle were placed on the under.
Another problematic prediction for bettors was the Texans’ newly signed receiver Diontae Johnson, who was targeted just once, recording a 12-yard catch.
Johnson, who is on his third team of the season, had been a productive receiver over five years in Pittsburgh, and was among the most popular picks to score a touchdown in Houston on Saturday.
‘Bro how I let the books trick me into thinking Diontae Johnson was gonna get 2 catches in 60mins of football,’ one fan asked on X.
‘How do they keep tricking me into betting on Diontae Johnson,’ another asked, adding a laughing emoji.
Although his team lost, McConkey rescued several gamblers with his remarkable 197-yard effort, 86 of which came on a crucial fourth-quarter touchdown as LA was mounting a comeback.
‘Cash it!’ one fan wrote on X. ‘+135 odds.’
