Dallas Cowboys News: Ezekiel Elliott Suspension Leads Sportsbooks To Take Down Cowboys’ Betting Odds
On Friday, the Dallas Cowboys’ news of an Ezekiel Elliott suspension led Las Vegas sportsbooks to take down betting odds associated with the team. Elliott had been under a lengthy investigation by the NFL for alleged domestic assault against a former girlfriend in 2016. While it had been previously anticipated that the second year running back would be out for a game or two at most, the league handed down a six-game suspension for multiple assaults against his former girlfriend. That means the Cowboys will be without their star running back for much of the first half of their 2017 NFL schedule.
According to ESPN, that also meant the sportsbooks in Las Vegas had to remove many of the betting odds that were available for the Dallas Cowboys’ upcoming season. ESPN staff writer David Purdue indicated that one of the bets removed from the boards was for the Week 1 game involving the Cowboys playing against the New York Giants. Dallas had been listed as a 4.5-point favorite on the spread, but now that’s being recalculated based on the big news of Elliott’s suspension. Another bet removed was for the team’s season win total. The bet was for an over or under of 9.5 total wins this season.
The Cowboys were also listed as second favorite overall on the NFL future odds to win the Super Bowl. Only the reigning Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, were listed above Dallas, who was at 5-1 odds to win the big game earlier this week. It was mentioned in ESPN‘s report that only New England and the Oakland Raiders were receiving more betting action on the wager to win the Super Bowl than the Cowboys.
At least one sportsbook, the Westgate Superbook, changed their odds for the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl. Reportedly, the book moved Dallas’ odds from 10-1 down to 12-1. The book lists the Green Bay Packers as favorites to win the NFC at 7-2, with Seattle (9-2), Atlanta (5-1), and Dallas (6-1) rounding out the top four teams with best chances to win the conference.
The Vegas Insider has yet to update their NFL future odds since this past Monday. The Cowboys were listed as the favorites to win their division at 29-20. However, it now seems that if Elliott’s suspension holds up, it gives a prime opportunity to either the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, or Philadelphia Eagles to take over the NFC East this coming season.
Dallas has already participated in a preseason game with the NFL Hall of Fame Game, which won last week by two points. Ezekiel Elliott was amongst the veteran players shown on the sidelines cheering on the rookies and other players trying to get roster spots. The team is scheduled for a game this weekend against the Los Angeles Rams as part of the league’s Week 1 of preseason action.
Their NFL regular season opener against the New York Giants is scheduled for Sunday, September 10. That game is a featured matchup on the NBC Sunday Night Football schedule, but it’s looking like it won’t feature one star running back. There are also expectations that the Dallas Cowboys will appeal the decision to suspend Ezekiel Elliott for six games, and that could lead to some differences in the odds should that appeal prove successful.
[Featured Image by Joe Robbins/Getty Images]
