NFL Week 1: Joe Burrow's potential start draws bettors to Bengals-Browns
We have already seen this week that an injury to a major player can impact the betting lines ahead of Week 1 NFL matchups, i.e. Travis Kelce. So how does a big-name player impact the appeal of betting on a certain game?
Enter Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals QB1 who sustained a calf injury during training camp this summer.
Burrow's status for Cincinnati's Week 1 matchup against the Cleveland Browns has been up in the air, which has made the Bengals very narrow favorites to win the Battle of Ohio. But since Burrow returned to practice last week, interest in Sunday's game has boomed. According to John Ewing of BetMGM, the Bengals-Browns bout is now one of the most wagered-on Week 1 matchups ahead of the first weekend of the season.
The Bengals are currently the 2.5-point favorites to win Sunday's game according to BetMGM and -135 favorites on the money line with an over/under set at 47.5 points. But those numbers could shift more in Cincinnati's favor ahead of the opening kickoff if Burrow gets the green light to start under center.
It is looking likely that may happen, too, as Burrow practiced in full on Wednesday and is expected to do the same on Thursday. Head coach Zac Taylor told the media on Wednesday that Burrow is still considered day-to-day, but he does appear to be on track to play in Week 1.
Kickoff between the Bengals and the Browns is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
More must-reads: