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Betting against the Ravens and the free world

The Bengals aren’t good, but you don’t have to be good to cover the spread. We take a look at their Week 10 matchup with the Ravens.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ryan Finley throws a pass against Washington during the second half at FedExField. Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Bengals host the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10, and most of the free world thinks Baltimore is going to coast in this game. The Ravens are 6-2 and have a strong lead in the AFC North, while the Bengals are 0-8 and viewed as the worst team in the league. Add in the Ravens coming off an impressive win over the New England Patriots and the Bengals starting a rookie quarterback, and it’s no surprise people like Baltimore in this one.

The Ravens are a 10-point favorite, and DraftKings Sportsbook bettors have been hammering Baltimore. 93 percent of the handle and 83 percent of tickets bet on the point spread are backing Baltimore. Wherever you look, the betting public is all over the Ravens. It’s safe to say they’ll be a highly utilized Survivor pick as well.

And yet, I think this might not be quite the laugher people are suggesting. This is a huge letdown possibility for the Ravens. The Bengals are not a good football team, but this is the kind of game where the “any given Sunday” mantra comes into play. Ryan Finley does not exactly inspire confidence as a rookie making his debut, but this is just that kind of game.

I’m here to take the points. There is every reason to think this could turn into a disaster, but I’m betting on a Ravens letdown. With the entire free world betting on the Ravens, it’s one of those weeks where we’re reminded that the casinos in Las Vegas keep getting built for a reason. That’s not the best reason in the world to bet on a team, but when you’re talking about an 0-8 squad like the Bengals, you have to look for any reason you can find.

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