Andrew Luck: Indianapolis Colts Are 9-Point Road Underdogs in Season Opener

The Indianapolis Colts are expected to take Stanford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck with the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft on Thursday night, which has already been reflected in the betting market.

BetOnline sports book has the Colts listed as nine-point road underdogs when they open the season against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sept. 9.

Luck completed 71.3 percent of his pass attempts during his junior season in Palo Alto, Calif., finishing with 3,517 passing yards and 37 touchdowns through the air, while throwing just 10 interceptions.

He led the Cardinal to an 11-2 overall record, but dropped a thrilling 41-38 overtime contest to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl.

From a betting perspective, the Houston native received points in just seven of 38 games at the college level, including as a 4.5-point underdog against the Cowboys.

Indianapolis just suffered through a miserable 2011 regular season, posting a 2-14 straight-up record, while going 6-10 against the spread (ATS). The Colts managed to cover just two of their first 10 games, but finished out the year with a 4-2 ATS record over the final six weeks.

Former Colts star Peyton Manning missed all of last year with a neck injury, leading to his departure to the Mile High City, which has resulted in the Denver Broncos being two-point home favorites over the Pittsburgh Steelers in their opener.

The difference in betting odds certainly demonstrates the value of having a veteran quarterback in the NFL versus a rookie under center.

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