Site icon Side Action

Hard Knocks Boost is Real: Bettors are Backing the Lions On One Particular Bet

Detroit Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky walks in the bench area during the second half of NFL preseason football game against the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Call it the Hard Knocks effect.

The Detroit Lions have been one of the NFL’s most hapless franchises for a very long time. They’re really good at being below average, which makes all these bets coming in on them seem absolutely crazy.  But if you know how the Hard Knocks boost works, it all makes perfect sense. The Detroit Lions have been the featured team on this year’s edition of the super popular HBO Show, Hard Knocks,  which gives an inside look at how an NFL team functions during training camp.  This run of the show has actually been pretty entertaining, as Lions Coach Dan Campbell is a pretty electric guy.

When the Detroit Lions odds to make the playoffs first opened, it was at +500.  Now the odds are currently at +350.

This is a result of a ton of money and bets being placed on the Lions to make the playoffs.

See the bet stats on the  Lions below:

Bets on the Lions to win the NFC North have also been coming in like hot cakes.

The Lions playoff draught isn’t as bad as you think.

The Detroit Lions last made the playoffs in 2016, when they lost the Wild Card Round. They’ve been in the playoffs a total of 12 times in their 63 seasons.  The last time the  Lions won an actual  playoff game was all the way back in 1991.

Will the Lions make the Playoffs?  That’s the big question, but we do know there’s so much parity in the  NFL, that a team  could hypothetically for from worst to first.  I’m not counting on the Lions to Win the Super Bowl, but sure it’s possible they can sniff the Playoffs.  Another stat:  The Detroit Lions have never appeared in a Super Bowl.


Welcome to the game outside the game! Follow us on our Sideaction Twitter handleInstagram, and Facebook for the latest on sports and pop culture news across the web!