Dollar Bills: Buffalo Wins, But Again Frustrates Bettors vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The excruciating season-opening loss to the Aaron Rodgers-less New York Jets. The three dominant victories, temporarily re-establishing them as one of the Super Bowl favorites. But then a trifecta of head-scratching losses to inferior teams.
The Buffalo Bills have taken their fans on a roller-coaster ride this season. But that's nothing compared to the swings of emotion - and changing of dollars - endured by those that have dared to wager on them.
The Bills, at least temporarily, righted the ship Thursday night with a 24-18 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Highmark Stadium. Josh Allen accounted for three touchdowns. They rushed for more than 100 yards. In the passing game, Stefon Diggs (nine catches) finally got help from Gabe Davis (nine), Khalil Shakir (six) and Dalton Kincaid (five and a touchdown). On defense, Ed Oliver returned with a sack.
For Bills bettors, however, it wasn't such a smooth ride.
Mike Evans' late TD was costly to Bills bettors.
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Buffalo entered the game as an 10-point favorite, and led the entire game. It took a 24-10 lead early in the third quarter. But then things got interesting. While Buffalo's defense held Tampa in check, the offense shut down. Allen's unit punted on its last four possessions, keeping the door ajar for the Bucs.
Sure enough, Tampa drove for a late score that put a stake in the heart of the Bills as the betting favorite. On a late drive, the Bucs converted a 4th-and-10, a 4th-and-8 and a 4th-and-10, the latter resulting in Baker Mayfield's 24-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans with just 2:44 remaining. Stop any of those 4th-and-longs, and Buffalo likely runs out the clock and wins by two touchdowns.
Instead, the Bucs also converted the two-point attempt, trimming the margin from 14 to six. In other words, turning a winning wager into a loser.
The Bills survived a late Bucs' possession to improve to 5-3. But against-the-spread, they fell to 3-5. That includes the last three games failing to cover as big favorites of 15.5 (New York Giants), 8.5 (New England Patriots) and 10 points against the Bucs.
Only eight NFL teams have a worse ATS record than the Bills. Of those, only the 4-3 Atlanta Falcons (2-5 ATS) are a winning football team.
Bills Mafia is likely unsettled by its team's play through eight games. But Bills' bettors are also left with lighter wallets.
