NFL Week 5 odds: 'Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda' parlay; five bets that would've won big

By Patrick Everson
Updated Oct 8, 2024 2:44 pm ET

NFL Week 5 odds are in the rearview mirror.

Per usual, there’s plenty of people playing Monday morning quarterback. So we at FOX Sports are gonna join in by playing Tuesday morning quarterback for the sports betting crowd.

If there’s one thing the public betting masses love, it’s wagering on parlays. And it’s understandable. 

Betting a little to win a lot is appealing, like the lottery, or in this instance, perhaps a mini-lottery. However, remember this, too: Parlays are a bookmaker’s best friend.

That being said, what if I told you that betting $10 on: the Colts top receiver to score first; the most targeted tight-end in the NFL to score first; a team that made the NFC Divisional Round of last year's playoff to win straight up; a team that made the AFC Divisional Round of last year's playoff to cover a less than two-point spread; and a game involving a two-time MVP to go over 48.5 points would profit you over $10,000?

In Week 5, it would have. So with that in mind, here’s this week’s edition of …

Woulda Coulda Shoulda

The following five-team parlay in DraftKings Sportsbook’s NFL Week 5 odds would have hit:

Midway through the first quarter, Pittman scored on a 1-yard pass to put the Colts up 7-0. And barely two minutes into Raiders-Broncos, Gardner Minshew connected with Bowers on a 57-yard touchdown pass to put Las Vegas up 7-0.

Green Bay led almost the entire second half at Los Angeles, ultimately winning 24-19. Houston, however, was more of a sweat, as the Texans won 23-20 on a last-second field goal.

Baltimore and Cincinnati piled up the points to make that parlay leg a no-brainer. In fact, almost the entire fourth quarter remained when the Over hit. The Bengals got it there with a touchdown to take a 31-21 lead with 14:19 remaining. But the Ravens claimed the win, 41-38 in overtime.

The odds for that hypothetical five-leg parlay were a lengthy +104022. In more readable terms, that’s approximately 1040/1. So the net profit on a $10 play would’ve been a healthy $10,402.20.

To reiterate, there’s a reason the odds are so long on these types of bets. So wager accordingly. If you’re looking for a little entertainment value for your $10 or $20, then it’s fine to fire on these mini-lottery tickets. Just don’t break open your kid’s piggie bank.

Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas.