Public pounds Packers as 7-to 7½-point favorites over Bears on TNF

The Packers are favored by 7 or 7½ points over the Chicago Bears at Las Vegas sports books for their Thursday night game at Green Bay, Wis.

The Packers opened as 7½-point favorites before early action on the Bears moved the line to 7. The line has since climbed back to 7½ at several spots, and the total is 44 or 44½.

“I think it will close at 7½. The Packers are a public team,” Stratosphere sports book director Ed Malinowski said. “We had a few people play the Bears right away, but since then it’s been all Packers.

“They haven’t looked too good, and Chicago’s defense is not terrible. But it’s a big rivalry, and I’m sure Green Bay wants to get back on track.”

Malinowski, who oversees the Stratosphere and Arizona Charlie’s Boulder and Decatur sports books, as well as the Aquarius in Laughlin, said the ticket count is 5-1 in favor of the Packers.

Green Bay is minus-7 (minus-120) at the Stratosphere and Station Casinos.

“We’ll be rooting for the Bears tonight,” Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito said. “The key for the Bears is better quarterback play. They could easily be 2-1. They had an opportunity to win against Atlanta late. Their defense has played well, and they can run the ball. They ran for 220 yards in the win over the Steelers. But they’ve got to get better quarterback play.

“Mike Glennon has got to throw for more than 101 yards. It wouldn’t surprise me if Glennon struggled tonight.”

Esposito, a Chicago native, said if Glennon does struggle at Lambeau Field, he wouldn’t be surprised if the Bears hand the reins to rookie Mitch Trubisky in Week 5.

Chicago is 3-10 against the spread in its last 13 meetings with Green Bay and 2-7 ATS in its past nine road games.

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Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.