Betting on Patriots is no small thing

For the 13th time in 18 games this season -- including nine in a row -- the New England Patriots will play as double-digit favorites when they face the San Diego Chargers in the AFC championship game today at Gillette Stadium.

It’s a remarkable stretch of respect from oddsmakers, who have enjoyed big betting action every time the Patriots have played this season. But that doesn’t mean oddsmakers were excited to have San Diego upset Indianapolis last week.

“Obviously everyone was expecting a Colts vs. Pats championship game; however the Chargers crashed the party,” said Richard Gardner, Bodog Sportsbook manager. “The Pats would probably be a 9 1/2 -point favorite if they were facing the Colts.”

Although the Patriots have won all 17 games this season, they’ve struggled to cover the point spread since they won at Buffalo, 56-10, on Nov. 18.

Since starting 9-1 against the spread, New England is 1-6 against the spread over its last seven games, including last week’s 31-20 win over Jacksonville (the Patriots were favored by 13 1/2).

Accuscore.com, which simulates each play of every game 10,000 times, has the Patriots winning nearly 90% of the simulations and covering the spread with an average victory score of 32-17.

In the NFC championship game, the Green Bay Packers have received steady betting support as a seven-point favorite over the New York Giants throughout the week.

Green Bay has been the choice to cover the spread by 64% of the picks.

More NFL: The over/under point total for New England’s game against San Diego is at 46 points. The over is 4-0-1 in San Diego’s last five games as a road underdog, and the over is 10-3-1 in the Patriots’ last 14 games as a favorite of 10 1/2 points or greater.

The over/under for the NFC championship game is 39 1/2 points and the over is 7-0 the last seven times that Green Bay has been a 3 1/2 to 10-point favorite. The over is also 4-0 in the Packers’ last four games as a home favorite.

But the under is 4-0 in the Giants’ last four games as a road underdog and 4-0 in New York’s last four playoff games.

Last NFL add: Here are several AFC championship game proposition bets available at Sportsbetting.com: Will either San Diego or New England score in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the game? Yes (-130), No (even); Will either team score in the last two minutes of the first half? Yes (-240), No (+180); Will either score three consecutive times without the other team scoring? Yes (-240), No, with conversions excluded (+180); San Diego’s total points: over 17 (-120), under 17 (-120); New England’s total points: over 31 (-120), under 31 (-120).

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