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Sports betting roundup: Favorites in the NFL playoffs struggle against the spread

Beginning with the College Football Playoff semifinals and continuing with the NFL wild-card round over the weekend, it was four days of thrilling action on the gridiron.

January 13, 2026
13 January 2026

Beginning with the College Football Playoff semifinals and continuing with the NFL wild-card round over the weekend, it was four days of thrilling action on the gridiron.

Here's a look at how things played out from a sports betting perspective:

In the NFL, going into Monday night, favorites are 1-4 against the spread in the wild-card round. The lone favorite to cover was the Patriots, who won 16-3 as 3.5-point favorites on Sunday night. The Patriots took in 65% of the bets and 61% of the money.

In the second CFP semifinal, Indiana rolled to a 56-22 win over Oregon on Friday night. The Hoosiers took in 72% of the bets and 49% of the money. They will now face Miami in the national championship on Jan. 19.

The biggest upset in the NFL on wild-card weekend was the 49ers beating the Eagles 23-19 on the road. The 49ers closed as 5.5-point underdogs and took in 62% of the bets and 72% of the money. They were +200 on the moneyline and took in 70% of the bets and 50% of the money.

Another upset on Sunday was the Bills' 27-24 win over the Jaguars. Buffalo closed as a 1.5-point underdog and took in 52% of the bets and 51% of the money. Going into the game, Josh Allen was 0-4 in road playoff games, failing to cover the spread in all four.

With only one wild-card game remaining, the Rams and Seahawks are the current Super Bowl favorites at +300. The Bills are next at +550, followed by the Patriots at +650 and the Broncos at +700.

The Texans follow at +1300, with the Bears at +1400, the 49ers at +1700 and the Steelers at +5000.

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