How sports bettors figured out Jalen Hurts was injured before the news broke

Every now and then, oddsmakers will get ahold of breaking news just ahead of the mainstream media. How do we know? Well, betting odds will suddenly (and seemingly inexplicably) start moving in a direction we wouldn't expect.

That's exactly what happened in Week 16 for the Eagles-Cowboys matchup. The sports betting community didn't miss a beat — and that's how they teased the news that Jalen Hurts was injured before it ever even broke.

Philly's odds for Week 16 have moved... a lot!

According to DraftKings Nation, the Cowboys opened the week at -1 (AKA, they were favored to win by one point or more). Now? The Cowboys are projected to win by a whopping six points (-6) on FanDuel Sportsbook!

Analysts and sports bettors alike were suspicious from the get-go.

It was a really big shift. How does a team go from just barely being favored to suddenly being projected to win by two field goals? It doesn't happen without news — whether it has broken yet or not.

So, how badly is Jalen Hurts injured?

It's not clear just yet how concerned we should be. However, it's worth noting that the odds for Hurts to win 22-23 NFL MVP have fallen significantly, which could indicate he's set to miss more than one game.

Prior to Week 15, Hurts was the odds favorite to win the award. Now, he's already fallen to +700 (Bet $10 to win $70) — behind Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. It's not a great sign, but that doesn't mean it's the end of his season.

The lesson for new sports bettors

If odds for a particular game start moving quickly — and without a known cause — there's usually some news about to break. Savvy bettors (as you saw above!) are keen to react to this news. Just remember... if the line is moving, we can expect some news. Be wary!

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