Patrick Mahomes brought home another win against the New York Jets. However, this time it was an unexpectedly close call. The Kansas City Chiefs were easily the favorites entering the game and the market was hot on the reigning Super Bowl champions, but things changed with Mahomes’ crucial decision.
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According to the New York Post, several reports have pointed out that Mahomes’ decision to slide, which was the right thing for the Chiefs at that time, actually took a big swing off the betting market. However, this small decision from Mahomes has reportedly burned a staggering $80,000,000 for the gamblers.
Patrick Mahomes Secures a Creative Win for Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes made a decision to slide instead of scoring a touchdown in the final minutes of the game against the New York Jets, as per NY Post. The final minutes of the game had a significant impact on both, the outcome of the game and the sports gambling world. Chiefs were leading by three points late in the game and Mahomes had the opportunity to score a touchdown on a scramble.
Mahomes’ slide costs Chiefs bettors in KC victory https://t.co/XJGOwfD29R
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) October 2, 2023
However, instead of choosing a minimum lead of 9 points, he opted to slide short of the end zone. Mahomes scrambled to his left on a third and eight at the Jets’ 11-yard line. This ensured that the Jets would not get the ball back. The strategic move secured a 23-20 road victory for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs QB has a unique style and gameplay. But, adding to the intrigue in style, he made a decision to choose a close win with a statement move.
Patrick Mahomes’ Slide Hits the Gamblers With an $80 Million Strike
Many people had placed wagers on the Chiefs to cover as 7.5-point favorites for Sunday Night Football. However, Mahomes’ decision to slide was strategically sound but prevented the point spread. Per Action Network, 80-90 percent of these wagers favored the Chiefs against the New York Jets.
“At Caesars, about 96% of all bett*rs were on the Chiefs’ spread, which waffled between -7.5 and -9 at the sportsbook. At BetMGM, roughly 90% of the money was on the Chiefs to cover at more than a touchdown.”
MJ Hurley, a reporter for NFL and PGA Tour Golf, captured the blues of the gamblers in his tweet. He appreciated Mahomes’ style but couldn’t keep from mentioning the heartbreak of the gamblers.
By taking this slide instead of scoring, Patrick Mahomes may have ruined thousands of bets that had the Chiefs sitting around -7.5 or -8 coming into the game.
Heartbreaking for the parlays 😭
— MJ Hurley (@mjhurleytdt) October 2, 2023
ESPN reported that a conservative estimate of $80 million was wagered on the game.
I’d estimate conservatively that $80 million was bet on Chiefs-Jets around the US, with 80-90% of the money on favored Kansas City.
Mahomes’ heady decision to slide before scoring a TD that would’ve covered the spread undoubtedly caused an 8-figure swing in favor of the books.
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) October 2, 2023
However, Patrick Mahomes’ last-minute improvisation caused a significant hit to the outcome. His move secured a narrow victory but resulted in frustrations for many who had favored his team to cover the spread. It is one of the moments that might go down as a ‘bad beat’ of team supporters even though the Chiefs secured the victory.
