VEGAS BETTING REPORT: Raiders Draw Heavy Action as Klint Kubiak Era Begins

All eyes are on the Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins today at 4:25 p.m. EST, as new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak makes his debut with a team looking to prove it’s playoff-worthy.

Raiders Bettors Buying In

The Raiders enter their home opener at Allegiant Stadium as -170 moneyline favorites over the Dolphins (+140) at Caesars Sportsbook.

Caesars head of football Joey Feazel noted that the Raiders represent the sportsbook’s largest offseason liability for the matchup, drawing the brunt of early public action.

“We have a very heavy Nevada presence, and the Raiders are by far our top liability going in, sitting at 125/1 (+12500),” he said.

“And now you bring in a new exciting coach, a coach that just won the Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator [with the Seattle Seahawks last February],” said Feazel. “The Raiders bring in a lot of pieces, and they have a lot to be looking forward to and be proud of.”

Last season, the Raiders went 3-14 under head coach Pete Carroll, finished tied for last in the National Football League (NFL), fired Carroll, secured the No. 1 overall draft pick, and took Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza with that pick.

Cousins Gets First Shot

Las Vegas signed Kirk Cousins after his release from Atlanta, giving the Raiders an experienced bridge quarterback while No. 1 pick Mendoza develops. Cousins received $20 million fully guaranteed for 2026 and won the Week 1 starting job.

Tyler Linderbaum may have been their most important non-QB free-agent signing. The former Ravens Pro Bowl centre upgrades the middle of an offensive line that needed help and should be particularly important in Kubiak’s offence. ESPN specifically identified Linderbaum among the Raiders’ major free-agent additions.

Nakobe Dean, the former Eagles linebacker, was one of the centrepieces of a significant defensive overhaul. Las Vegas also added Quay Walker at linebacker and Kwity Paye on the edge, giving the defence substantially more speed and versatility around Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby.

Mendoza Waiting His Turn

The Raiders’ quarterback situation closely parallels Jaxson Dart’s rookie year with the New York Giants. Dart sat behind veteran Russell Wilson to open the season, but took over by Week 4 following a string of poor performances from Wilson.

“The NFL is a copycat league,” Feazel said. “That’s likely the Raiders’ playbook here: start the veteran who knows the system and play calling to keep the team competitive.”

However, rookie Aidan Mendoza’s timeline remains tied to how well veteran Kirk Cousins performs.

“If Cousins is balling out, we might not see Mendoza at all this year,” Feazel noted. “Think back a couple of years ago when the Detroit Lions were struggling and brought in Dan Campbell. They built a entire foundation around his vision, and that seems to be where the Raiders are right now. Have we seen it fully executed on the field yet? Not quite. But there’s a lot of excitement, and bettors are showing up.”

Rams Attract Heavy Action

Beyond Las Vegas, the Los Angeles Rams represent Caesars’ next-largest liability. The Rams remain Super Bowl favorites at +600, even after suffering a 27-7 blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Thursday night’s season opener in Melbourne, Australia.

“Normally, you don’t see this volume of action on a Super Bowl favorite right after the confetti drops,” Feazel explained. “The line movement has been dramatic, largely driven by their aggressive offseason moves.”

Those moves included acquiring star edge rusher Myles Garrett in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns for Jared Verse and three draft picks, followed by defensive lineman Aaron Donald coming out of retirement on Aug. 30.

Bettors Overvaluing Caleb Williams

Despite opening the season at +500, the Rams aren’t the only West Coast team attracting money.

“We’ve seen love come in for the Denver Broncos and the 49ers,” Feazel said. “Because of our Nevada footprint, Niners fans are always a factor in our futures liability.”

The Broncos open their season against the Kansas City Chiefs, with Caesars listing Kansas City as a -137 favorite and Denver at +117. Meanwhile, Feazel cautioned that the public may be overestimating Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams early in the year.

“Caleb struggled with accuracy last season, and that’s not something fixed overnight,” Feazel said. “Bettors are remembering his late-game heroics, but they’re overvaluing him going into the season.”

The Raiders head to SoFi Stadium to take on the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, September 20, at 1:05 p.m. PT.