The news hit like a blindside blitz Saturday night. While fans enjoyed games (and some adult beverages) across the nation, reports reached TVs and smartphones that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was retiring.
Reactions varied from the angry boos at Lucas Oil Stadium by the Indy faithful to empathetic tweets from former athletes and others who understand his frustration with lingering injuries and seemingly endless rehab.
Obviously, the announcement impacted prices and win totals at sportsbooks across the nation.
NJ sportsbook reactions we didn’t see coming
The most surprising move by oddsmakers was from PointsBet.
Within hours of the news, PointsBet Sportsbook refunded all bets involving Luck. These included “Luck for league MVP,” along with all Colts’ Super Bowl and AFC champion wagers.
In a tweet, the company released this statement from CEO Johnny Aitken: “Our goal is to provide our clients with the best possible experience, which is why we’ve placed an emphasis on being aggressive with our Good Karma refunds. With that said, we’re as floored as everyone else right now…This one was truly a no-brainer.”
DraftKings is keeping tickets on Luck and the Colts but offering DK Dollars for those bets made before Saturday on Luck to win MVP or Offensive Player of the Year, along with the Colts’ championship wagers and any over 9.5 win total tickets.
Players should see those DK Dollars automatically added to their DraftKings Sportsbook accounts.
NJ sports betting sites with predictable responses
Most books kept the wagers and updated NFL betting odds.
- Notably, the team’s win totals dropped across the board, from 9.5 or 10 to below 7.
At FanDuel, prices skyrocketed across the board.
- Division odds went from +110 to +700
- Conference champs jumped from 7/1 to 32/1
- Super Bowl odds went from 15/1 to 60/1
The Colts had the sixth most tickets for NFL champs at NJ’s top sportsbook.
NFL odds: Week 1 changes
When William Hill posted an update on Thursday with the Week 1 lines:
- The Colts were already 3-point underdogs to the Chargers Week 1.
- LA got 61% of the tickets with 81% of the handle.
The game has since been taken off their board.
Some books are still taking action on that late kickoff.
The Colts are now 7-point underdogs at most AC casinos and NJ online sports betting sites.
