Thursday even, bettors took in this year's first NFL game of the season. The defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers entered the contest as a slight favorite and they did not disappoint their investors with a 28-17 cover win.
According to BetRoyal.com, about 60% of the betting action was for the Miami Dolphins to win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
BetRoyal.com has also seen a significant 30% increase in sign ups and wagering on the first day of the season. Players have commented on the new site and customer service has been highly rated.
Steelers' tight end Heath Miller ran down the sideline for an 87-yard TD pass play midway through the fourth quarter, back up QB Charlie Batch's third scoring pass of the game, to lock down the victory. It was Batch's first three-TD game since November 18, 2001, with Detroit. Batch was 15-for-25 for 209 yards.
Miami, down 21-17 at the time, had a chance to come back. But new QB Daunte Culpepper was intercepted on consecutive series, with linebacker Joey Porter scoring on a 42-yard return with about three minutes left. Porter was so excited, he ran to the sideline and kissed coach Bill Cowher on the cheek -- the Steelers' first known sideline smooch since Cowher planted one on Kordell Stewart during a 1997 comeback victory in Baltimore.
The Dolphins, trying to build off the momentum of their six consecutive victories to end last season, never led until Ronnie Brown scored on a 5-yard run to make it 17-14 in the third quarter. Marty Booker, sidelined with what appeared to be a concussion in the first half, came back to make a 50-yard catch of Culpepper's pass, aided by safety Tyrone Carter's slip, to set up the score.
Culpepper was mostly effective in his first start for the Dolphins, until his late-game mistakes. He also was intercepted by Troy Polamalu immediately after Miller's catch put the Steelers up. Culpepper finished 18-for-37 for 262 yards.
For the first 2 1/2 quarters, the Steelers looked much like they did in the Super Bowl seven months ago -- without Ben Roethlisberger, of course. The quarterback made an unexpectedly fast recovery from a June motorcycle crash, only to need an emergency appendectomy on Sunday that kept him out of his fifth game in two seasons.
Just like in that 21-10 win over Seattle in the Super Bowl, there was a Hines Ward touchdown catch, a long Parker run and a favorable call from an official, helping the Steelers go up 14-7.
