Sportsbooks need team ‘big time’ in Bears-Vikings Monday night game
Vikings bettors settled for a push when Minnesota beat the Bears 30-27 in overtime as a 3-point favorite in their Nov. 24 matchup in Chicago.
All the Bears had to do to force overtime was score 11 points in the final 22 seconds of regulation.
Trailing 27-16, Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to to Keenan Allen, followed by a 2-point conversion pass to DJ Moore to make it 27-24 with 22 seconds remaining.
The Bears recovered the onside kick, and Williams hit Moore with a 27-yard pass to set up Cairo Santos’ 48-yard field goal as time expired.
The miracle comeback went for naught as Chicago (4-9, 6-5-2 against the spread) went three-and-out in overtime and Minnesota drove for a winning field goal.
The loss was part of the Bears’ current seven-game losing streak (2-4-1 ATS) that has followed their 4-2 start to the season.
The Vikings (11-2, 8-4-1 ATS) are 7-point home favorites over Chicago in their NFC North rematch on “Monday Night Football,” part of a twinbill with the Raiders as home underdogs against the Falcons.
The betting public is backing Minnesota, which has won six of its past seven meetings with the Bears.
“We’re going to need the Bears big time,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “The game continues to tick up. We’re seeing more and more pro football money-line bets. We’re seeing that with the two Monday games on the Vikings and Falcons.
“We didn’t get that big money-line killer (on Sunday), so there is a lot of money line liability going to the Vikings and Falcons.”
Favorites won 10 of 13 games Sunday.
Westgate vice president of race and sports John Murray said his book has parlay liability on both Monday favorites as well.
The Vikings are -335 on the money line (Bears +275), and the Falcons are 6-point favorites over the Raiders and -265 on the money line (Raiders +225).
The total is 44 on the Bears-Vikings game. Both teams have 5-8 over-under records.
Chicago has gone over in two of its past three games following a 4-0 under run.
Minnesota has gone over in two of its past three following a 3-0 under run.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
