Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images. Pictured: Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals
Cowboys vs. Cardinals Odds
| Cowboys Odds | +1.5 |
| Cardinals Odds | -1.5 |
| Over/Under | 38 |
| Date | Friday, Aug. 13 |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | NFL Network |
*NFL odds updated as of Friday at 11 a.m. ET
The first week of the 2021 NFL preseason continues with a three-game Friday night slate, including Titans vs. Falcons (7 p.m. ET), Bills vs. Lions (7 p.m. ET) and Cowboys vs. Cardinals (10 p.m. ET).
Since it’s the latest game on the schedule and includes America’s Team, Cowboys vs. Cardinals is likely to garner the most action from recreational bettors and, from the looks of it, sharps are piling on, as well.
Let’s take a quick look at how pros are betting Cowboys vs. Cardinals and the potential reasons behind the wise-guy action.
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Cowboys vs. Cardinals Pick
The Cowboys vs. Cardinals over/under opened at 40, which was the highest opener of any NFL preseason Week 1 total.
In fact, as recently as Thursday night, this number sat at 39.5 but has since been slammed to a consensus of 38 (click here for updated NFL preseason Week 1 odds) across the betting market.
Per Action Labs’ Bet Signals, we know that sharp action is the reason for the 1.5-point movement, evidenced by two separate smart money indicators.
Could savvy bettors be reacting to player news in this instance? Perhaps.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will not play as he continues his recovery from an injured shoulder, but this is unlikely much of a surprise to anyone.
On the other side of the ball, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is expected to get Kyler Murray some action tonight, so it’s unlikely that quarterback news is the reason for the move.
While we don’t know for sure, simply an inflated total, when compared to historical results, could also be at play here.
According to The Action Network’s Bet Labs data, unders in NFL preseason games with closing totals of 37 or higher are 328-250-11 (56.7%) since 2004.
This trend may not be the only or exact reason for the Cowboys vs. Cardinals over/under adjustment, but it is clear that bettors with the resources to move the market have taken a position on this total.
