The NFL is kicking off its first-ever regular-season game in Australia this week, and the Los Angeles Rams, who are “hosting” the San Francisco 49ers, are doing something wild. They are 3.5-point favorites for the game that goes down Friday morning local time in Melbourne, but their travel strategy has everyone talking, especially with Aaron Donald already ruled out and not making the trip. Both teams are making at least a 16-hour flight for this one, but how they’re handling it couldn’t be more different.
The Great Travel Divide: Go Early or Go Home (Fast)?
The contrast in how these two NFC West rivals are approaching this epic journey is absolutely mind-blowing. The 49ers jetted out on September 2nd, giving themselves about a full week down under to get settled, acclimatized, and presumably enjoy some kangaroo spotting before game day. Makes sense, right? You want to shake off that jet lag. But then there are the Rams. They’re planning to fly into Melbourne the day before the game, play at 10:35 a.m. local time, and then bounce immediately afterwards. Seriously? A division opponent playing over “this many time zones away on another continent” could impact the NFC West and the No. 1 seed race. It’s a bold move, to put it mildly.
Oddsmakers Weigh In on This “Fascinating Difference”
You’d think such wildly different approaches would totally flip the betting lines, but oddly enough, the spread has held steady at Rams -3.5, and the total is still at 48.5. We asked some oddsmakers and handicappers what they thought about the potential impact, not just for this game but for Week 2 too. Adam Hamilton, who’s the head of racing and talent at Entain in Australia and New Zealand, is seeing a huge buzz in Melbourne with more money coming in on the Rams to cover. And get this: he’s actually leaning towards the Rams’ super-quick strategy. Hamilton called it a “fascinating difference in travel approach,” wondering if “the chance to acclimatize and settle” for the 49ers is “negated by the distractions and almost relaxing too much.” He’d argue the Rams’ approach is better, comparing it to horse racing trainers who prefer to travel as close as possible to a race.
Other experts aren’t so sure it matters for the betting public. Multiple oddsmakers said the travel wouldn’t impact the spread or how people bet. One even said he’d have opened the game Rams -4.5 if it was at SoFi Stadium. But Rob Pizzola, a sharp NFL handicapper with The Hammer, has been “in the weeds on circadian rhythms for a long time” and believes the Rams’ plan is better “because they are go”. Here’s the kicker though: the Rams are clear Super Bowl favorites this season, but no preseason favorite with +500 or better odds has won the Super Bowl in the last 30 seasons. That’s a brutal 0-for-20 track record. To kick off their season this many time zones away against a division opponent while trying out this travel gamble? That’s high stakes, people.
This Friday, we find out which strategy wins. It’s either a stroke of genius or a major misstep right out of the gate for the Super Bowl favorite. The outcome of this game, and how these teams perform in Week 2, will tell us everything about who got it right.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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