Teddy Covers

THE PLAY: UNLV +3.5 (-110)

2% Take UNLV (#193)

Plain and simple: I have lived in Las Vegas since 1998.  The state of the UNLV football program RIGHT NOW heading into Barry Odom’s second year on the job is better than at any point over the last 27 football seasons that I’ve been following this program closely.  The Rebels have all the makings of a ‘bet-on’ team again in 2024, just like they were in 2023.

UNLV won nine games last year (most wins since the Randall Cunningham season in 1984) and reached the Mountain West Championship Game for the first time in the history of the program. They led the conference in scoring; returning an elite level receiving corps and the Rebels best offensive line in decades.  Defensively, UNLV has upgraded their secondary fairly dramatically through the transfer portal and they return the vast majority of their solid front seven.  No surprise here if defensive minded Odom creates a nasty stop unit in 2024.

Houston, on the other hand, is in complete rebuild mode under first year head coach Willie Fritz. Dana Holgorsen did not leave the cupboards stocked for the Cougars program, and Fritz didn’t exactly light the world on fire in his first two years at Tulane, winning only nine games (combined) -- he’s got time to fix things.  This line is low for a reason -- expect the Cougs to be in a dogfight just to win this game SU, let alone winning it by any sort of margin.  Take the points!  Take UNLV

Line Parameter: 2% at +3.5 or higher, 1.5% at +3 or lower

THE PLAY: Total Under 43.0 (-110)

2% Take Cincinnati - New England UNDER (#463-464)

The Bengals offense hasn’t clicked on all cylinders in Week 1 even once during the Zac Taylor era.  Cinci has been held to 24 points or less in regulation in each of their five Week 1’s under Taylor, averaging less than 17 points per game.  I’m not expecting 2024 to be dramatically different for a team that has consistently been underprepared on offense for their opener against a defensive minded foe like New England in the first game of the Jarod Mayo era.

The Patriots, on paper, have the single worst offense in the NFL.  We could see Drake Maye making his NFL debut on the road vs a good defense, which equates to a very conservative gameplan.  We could see Jacoby Brissett behind a weak offensive line throwing to a weak receiving corps. Either way, I’m not expecting touchdowns in bunches.  Early reports from mini-camp have detailed all kinds of issues for this limited attack; issues that are not likely to be solved on opening day.

There’s only one reason to make this bet now and lock up your money all summer with this wager -- getting the ‘best of the number’.  With 43’s still available and 42.5’s still widely available, let’s lock in now for a game likely to close at 42 or lower.  Take the UNDER.

Line Parameter: 2% at 42.5 or higher, 1.5% at 42 or lower