Las Vegas Sportsbooks Post Week 1 NFL Lines

Added on May 28, 2011 by Jack Thurman in

NFL

The NFL labor negotiations are continuing and assuming the owners and players are able to agree on how to divide their huge financial pie the pro football regular season will begin on Thursday, September 8 as the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers host the New Orleans Saints. Despite the fact that kickoff is still more than three months away, a number of Las Vegas sportsbooks have already posted odds on Week 1 of the regular season.

Despite the uncertainty with the labor situation and the more common variables like personnel movements and injuries, sports betting enthusiasts have been placing their bets. Currently, the opening night matchup has the Packers installed as a -4′ point home favorite with the total set at 47. The first Sunday of the season serves up a number of big games including the Baltimore Ravens taking on their arch rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens are a -2′ point home favorite with the total set at 37.

The first Sunday night football game of the season will feature the New York Jets hosting the Dallas Cowboys. The Jets have been installed as a -4 point chalk with the total set at 41. A pair of games will be played on the first Monday night of the season. The early game of the doubleheader has the New England Patriots on the road taking on the Miami Dolphins. The Pats are a -4 point road favorite with the total set at 46. The nightcap will be another AFC rivalry as the Denver Broncos host the Oakland Raiders. The Broncos are a -1 point choice in that game with the total set at 42.

Of course a lockout or other delay in the start of the season due to the labor issues could change everything. Sportsbooks are aware of the risk of cancellation or a delay in the regular season, so all games have a disclaimer that they must be played “within one week of scheduled date and at scheduled site” or the games are ‘no action’. Despite the climate of uncertainty, it’s obvious that NFL betting enthusiasts are ready for pro football season to begin and the sportsbooks are ready to accommodate their wagers.