Sharps grab a side, total for Thursday’s Patriots-Rams game

Sharp bettors are siding with New England and the under in the Patriots’ game at the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday.

The Rams are consensus 4½-point favorites, down from the opener of -6. The total is 43½, down from as high as 45 earlier in the week. Station Casinos is at Rams -5. The Westgate has the total down to 43.

“Sharps on the Patriots and under pretty strong,” Circa sportsbook manager Chris Bennett said via text message. “We need Rams and over right now. Public action is fairly balanced.”

Westgate sportsbook director John Murray said it had taken more money on the Rams, “but there’s been good two-way handle.”

Murray said the public was slightly favoring New England after it beat the Los Angeles Chargers 45-0 on Sunday.

“There’s actually a few more tickets on the Patriots, which isn’t a big surprise considering they won 45-0 and the public loves to bet on what they just saw,” he said via text message.

Sunset Station sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said there was “definitely money on the Pats,” but that the overall ticket counts were fairly balanced.

BetMGM said 59.3 percent of the tickets and 61.6 percent of the money were on the Rams. The over was getting 60.3 percent of the tickets, but 51.5 percent of the money was on the under.

The Patriots (6-6) have won four of five but are on the fringe of the AFC playoff race.

The Rams (8-4) are tied with Seattle atop the NFC West. They have won three of four, including a 38-28 victory at Arizona on Sunday.

Thursday’s game is a rematch of the Super Bowl two years ago. The Patriots won 13-3 to deliver a sixth championship for coach Bill Belichick.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.