NFL betting: Only 1 in 3 bettors believes in Jets and Mike White
Week 9 of the NFL season begins on Thursday night when Mike White and the Jets head to Indianapolis to take on the Colts. On paper, the game might not be the most appetizing, but I can't be the only one who is looking forward to seeing what Mike White can do in his encore. Do bettors believe in the feel-good Jets' quarterback? Let's take a look at the pregame action at BetMGM.
Bettors riding with the Colts
It seems like the betting public doesn't believe in the idea that Mike White might be the next star quarterback in this league. That's a shame.
Currently, the Indianapolis Colts are 10.5-point favorites over the Jets on Thursday night. Nearly 2/3rds of bets are on the Colts, as they're getting 66% of the bets at BetMGM. Fifty-eight percent of the money wagered on this game is on the Colts to cover as big favorites.
The Jets shocked the world last weekend when they defeated the Cincinnati Bengals as 11.5-point underdogs. However, the Jets have a 2-5 record both on the field and against the spread. Fading the Jets has been a profitable endeavor this season. The Colts have also been good to their backers, as they've covered in five of eight games despite their 3-5 overall record.
As long as the Colts utilize Jonathan Taylor, they should be fine. The Jets are allowing 1.7 touchdowns per game on the ground. Carson Wentz was playing well this season until his late-game meltdown against the Titans last week.
Sharp money on the over?
Maybe bettors do believe in Mike White after all.
The total for Thursday night's game currently sits at 45.5 points, and over 70% of the money is on the game to go over the total.
This is a relatively low total for an NFL game, and as mentioned earlier, the Colts should have some success moving the ball on the ground. If White holds up his end of the bargain, I would not be surprised to see this game go over the total.
In case you're living under a rock, White made his first NFL start last weekend and completed 37 of 45 passes for 405 yards and three touchdowns. If White comes close to replicating that performance, this game should fly past this total.
Popular props to watch
Standalone prime-time games are a great opportunity to get involved in the prop market at BetMGM. There's hundreds of options available to bet on in case you don't have a good read on the game result, or you want to supplement your action.
Taylor has emerged over recent weeks and he's currently sitting at +375 to score the first touchdown. Taylor has seven touchdowns over his last five games, and as mentioned earlier, the Jets are giving up just under two touchdowns per game on the ground this season.
A big part of White's success in his first start was his ability to check the ball down to his running backs. Rookie running back Michael Carter was targeted 14 times, catching nine balls for 95 yards. Bettors love Carter to record over 4.5 receptions on Thursday.
On the other side, Michael Pittman Jr. has emerged in his second pro season for the Colts. The wide receiver recorded 10 receptions last week for two touchdowns. He has gone over 85 yards in three of his last four games and has four touchdowns over that span. At BetMGM, Pittman is currently +105 to score a touchdown at any point in Thursday's game.