It’s the moment Arizona Cardinals fans have been waiting for: The team will be in the primetime spotlight when Cards host the Green Bay Packers at State Farm Stadium on Thursday Night Football.
The Cardinals are unbeaten at 7-0, and many fans feel the team is not getting the respect it deserves from the media or sportsbooks. On Thursday, the Cards will be in the NFL’s standalone game on network television, facing a team many view as a contender to make it to the Super Bowl. In fact, most Arizona sportsbooks are currently giving the Packers better odds to win the NFC than the Cardinals.
However, Green Bay is not walking into this game at 100%. They will be missing some key pieces due to a mini COVID-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, sports betting apps in Arizona have taken notice, and the spread has shifted in the Cardinals’ favor.
Cardinals betting odds shift heavily after Packers COVID outbreak
The Green Bay Packers will walk into State Farm Stadium Thursday night short-handed. This week, the team’s top two wide receivers were placed on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list.
Davante Adams, who tested positive for COVID, leads the Packers in receiving yards and ranks third in the NFL, only behind Los Angeles Rams wideout Cooper Kupp and Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals. He is unquestionably the favorite target for Aaron Rodgers. The Packers quarterback throws the ball in Adams’ direction nearly 34% of the time.
Allen Lazard was also placed on the list after being deemed a close contact to Adams. This season, Lazard got off to a slow start for Green Bay but emerged in the Week 7 game against the Washington Football Team with five receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown.
The news had a major impact in the sports betting world, with a large shift in the outlook on Thursday night’s game odds. Among the betting apps in Arizona, BetMGM and FanDuel Sportsbook opened with the Cardinals favored at -3.5. Meanwhile, DraftKings Sportsbook had them at -4. Now, the spread has jumped to .
Green Bay Packers (6-1) at Arizona Cardinals (7-0)
Date: Thursday, Oct. 28
Time: 5:20 p.m. MST
Location: State Farm Stadium– Glendale, Arizona
TV Coverage: FOX, NFL Network and Amazon Prime Video
Why the shift in the spread is so important
Many people new to sports betting may not view the change in the spread as significant. However, the shift is a very telling sign in a matchup of two good teams. It means the oddsmakers are not as confident in the Packers keeping the game close against the Cardinals. Let alone winning outright (Green Bay heads into the game with a moneyline of ).
When an NFL spread is 3.5 or even four points, that’s an indicator that sportsbooks believe the game could come down to the final play or drive. Once that spread gets up to 6 or 6.5 points, that puts the game into “backdoor cover” territory. For example, the Cardinals could jump out to a big lead and then see Green Bay score late to make the game respectable and lose by four points. That outcome would give you a win against the previous spread, not a loss against the new one.
The move is also a sign of how valuable oddsmakers believe Davante Adams is to Green Bay. The over/under for total points in this game is also down. The Packers COVID news dropped the number by two points to its current standing of points.
In any case, this matchup could shake up the NFC championship futures lines. As it stands, the Cardinals odds at (), trail four teams that feature better odds of winning the conference crown.
Arizona betting promos/bonuses for Cardinals on Thursday Night Football
The Cardinals will be making their first primetime appearance since sports wagering in Arizona became legal. This gives Arizona bettors the chance to score big thanks to a load of Thursday Night Football-based promos from AZ sports betting apps.
For starters, DraftKings Arizona is offering an odds boost on Kyler Murray and Rodgers throwing a combined five or more touchdown passes. DraftKings is also still doing its “Bet $5, Win $200” promo, in which new users in the Grand Canyon State can win up to $200 in bonus bets when they place a $5 wager on an NFL game this week.
Meanwhile, FanDuel Arizona is running its same-game parlay promo. Arizona customers can opt in and earn a $10 refund if their three-plus leg parlay loses. Also, radio personality and former NFL punter Pat McAfee will team up with the sportsbook to create a special Super Boost on a same-game parlay for the game.
Finally, BetMGM AZ will have its “Thursday Night Halftime Payout” this week. This gives Arizona bettors the ability to cash out their moneyline bet if the team they wagered on has a double-digit lead at halftime, regardless of the game’s final score.
