To exhibit the magnitude of the 18.5-point line in the New England Patriots’ favor at Miami this Sunday, consider only one team in NFL history has been a 20-point favorite in September.
And to win $100 on the Patriots (1-0) as a straight-up winner on the moneyline, a bettor would need to wager $3,000.
DraftKings and FanDuel had the Patriots toggling between 18.5 and 19.5 points on Friday, and the line could shift back toward Miami as gametime approaches. ESPN reported Caesars, which opened at Patriots -14.5, was among the books that took big bets on the Dolphins.
The Dolphins are 0-1, but they have five wins in the past six games against the Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium.
A 59-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 cast Miami as a huge underdog.
The biggest September NFL line on record, per ESPN, is a 20-point edge given the New York Jets against the Buffalo Bills in 1968.
If the line remains Patriots -18.5, the Dolphins would be the biggest home underdog since 2007. New England was a 19.5-point favorite at Baltimore in 2007.