National Football League

NFL Week 3 odds: 'Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda' parlay; five bets that would've won big

Updated Sep. 25, 2024 11:54 p.m. ET

NFL Week 3 odds are firmly in the rearview mirror.

But if all the analysts are allowed to Monday-morning-quarterback about what they would’ve done, then why can’t we at FOX Sports do likewise for the sports betting crowd?

The public betting masses love to wager on parlays. It’s understandable. Betting a little to win a lot is appealing, like the lottery, or in this instance, perhaps a mini-lottery.

However, remember this, too: Parlays are a bookmaker’s best friend.

That being said, what if I told you that betting $10 on: a two-time MVP to score first; a former rushing champ to score first; a favorite to win straight up; the reigning Super Bowl champs to cover; and a Monday Night Football game to go over 47.5 points would profit you over $4,000?

In Week 3, it would have. So with that in mind, here’s our first edition of…

Woulda Coulda Shoulda

The following parlay in DraftKings Sportsbook’s NFL Week 3 markets would have hit:

Lamar Jackson (+1100) to score the first touchdown in Ravens-Cowboys game
Jonathan Taylor (+500) to score the first TD in Colts-Bears game
Lions moneyline (-150) vs. Cardinals
Chiefs -3 (-115) vs. Falcons
Jaguars-Bills total, Over 47.5 points (-110)

The odds for that five-leg parlay were approximately +42730, or in more readable terms, about 427-to-1. So the net profit on that $10 play would’ve been a hefty $4,273.

Jackson put the Ravens up 7-0 a few minutes into their game at Dallas. Taylor did likewise for the Colts at home against Chicago. Detroit beat Arizona 20-13, and Kansas City scratched out a 22-17 win and cover at Atlanta.

Then, Josh Allen and the Bills piled up 47 points to nearly clear the total on their own in Buffalo’s 47-10 rout of Jacksonville on Monday night.

But to reiterate, there’s a reason the odds are so long on these types of bets. Wager accordingly.

It’s fine to make such bets to get a little entertainment value for your $10 or $20. Just don’t make these bets to cover next month’s rent!

Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas.

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