Sharp bettors, public on opposite sides of 49ers-Seahawks on ‘TNF’

The 49ers have won and covered five straight meetings with the Seahawks.

The betting public expects San Francisco to extend that trend on “Thursday Night Football.” But sharp bettors are backing Seattle as a 3½-point home underdog.

“All the sharps took Seattle against the 49ers on the week-ahead line at 3½ or 4,” Westgate SuperBook vice president of risk Ed Salmons said. “And when we put it up Sunday as the Niners were winning and the Seahawks were losing, we opened it 3½ and they took 3½ again. Wiseguys, for whatever reason, like Seattle in this game.”

Professional sports bettor Jeff Whitelaw said he made a small play on Seattle +3½.

“Just because I like the home (underdog),” he said. “San Francisco, though they’re getting a couple guys back, they have a multitude of injuries and haven’t been playing well.

“They do play pretty well against Seattle historically. I just think 3½ is too many.”

At BetMGM, where the 49ers opened -3, 61 percent of the bets against the spread and 74 percent of the money is on San Francisco.

The consensus total is 49 after opening at 46½. At BetMGM, 52 percent of the bets are on the under, but 69 percent of the money is on the over.

Seattle is at +155 on the money line at MGM after opening at +140. Sixty-four percent of the money line bets are on the Seahawks, but 79 percent of the money is on the Niners.

San Francisco (2-3) beat the Jets 32-19 and covered in its season opener. But it has lost and failed to cover three of its past four, blowing a 23-13 lead in last week’s 24-23 home loss to the Cardinals as a 7-point favorite.

Seattle (3-2) won its first three games but has lost its past two, getting dominated at home by the Giants in last week’s 29-20 loss as a 7-point favorite.

“It just feels like this team is always on Thursday night, the line is always like this and the 49ers usually win,” Salmons said. “But they’ve never come into this game with this many question marks before. You would think if Seattle is ever going to beat them, this would be the time.”

The Niners-Seahawks and Yankees-Royals Game 4 start at the same time Thursday. There are 10 times as many bets on the NFL game, according to BetMGM’s John Ewing.

Ninety-nine percent of bets are on Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith to go over 13½ rushing yards, and 99 percent of bets are on Seattle running back Kenneth Walker to go over 60½ rushing yards.