It didn’t take long for a Jameis Winston and Brandin Cooks prop bet to pay off in their Sunday NFL games. Several sportsbooks offered the prop bet for the two players, and watched as they cashed quickly.
The prop bets are a new wrinkle created by sportsbooks this season, and have been a hit with gamblers. The ones regarding Winston and Cooks had decent odds for people who took them.
In Cooks’ case, the Rams wide receiver was a 12/1 pick to be the first player to score in Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. Cooks caught a 10-yard pass from quarterback Jared Goff just four minutes into the game for the score.
Cooks, who came to the Rams from the Patriots in a trade two years ago, has had a disappointing year, marred by injuries. This was his first touchdown reception since Week 2.
No Doubt on Winston Prop Bet Paying Off
Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston has been interception-prone for most of the year, so the odds on whether he would throw a pick in Sunday’s game against Houston were favoring the “yes” at -270 at Bovada, while the “no” was +200.
The Internet sportsbook went even further on its Winston prop bet. Oddsmakers had an over/under line on when he would throw an interception. The game began at 1 p.m. (EST), and Bovada had set 2:30 (EST) as the line for his first pick. The before was the favorite at -140, while the after was at even money.
Winston, who had 24 interceptions coming into the Houston contest, threw his first of four picks at just three minutes into the game. He added a second interception before 2:30. He now has 31 touchdown passes and 28 interceptions on the year.
History awaits Winston in the final game of the season. If he can manage to throw two interceptions against Atlanta, he will become the first quarterback in the history of the NFL to have 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.
Turnovers have been a problem for Winston throughout his career, but after this year’s performance, there are rumors the team might look to go in another direction at quarterback. Winston told reporters after the 23-20 loss that his goal is not to throw any more interceptions.
“My primary focus is going into a football game and having a turnover-free football game,’’ Winston said. “That’s my primary focus. When I do that, I’m going to be a good quarterback. A great quarterback.â€
Texans-Bucs Over/Under, 49ers ATS Popular Bets
One of last week’s biggest prop bets was the over/under for the Houston-Tampa Bay game. The line was set at 50.3, and the public pounded the over. William Hill reported that 91 percent of the money bet on the line was on the over. Those bettors were disappointed when the final score was 23-20, 7.5 points under the line.
Another ill-advised bet was made by those who took San Francisco and gave away seven points to the Rams. The 49ers won, 34-31, but failed to cover for second week in a row.
The Rams, meanwhile, are the fifth team in last 10 seasons to miss the playoffs the season after reaching the Super Bowl. They join the 2016 Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers, the 2013 Baltimore Ravens, and the 2012 New York Giants.
Stat of the Week
The New England Patriots have gone 103 straight home games, including playoffs, without a two-game losing streak. The next closest streak in NFL history is 88 games, posted by the Dolphins from 1976-86.