Oddsmakers weigh contrasting travel plans for NFL's first regular-season game in Australia
Experts are divided on whether the Rams' last-minute flight to Melbourne or the 49ers' week-long stay will give their team a competitive edge in the Thursday night matchup and subsequent weeks.
The NFL will stage its inaugural regular-season game in Melbourne on Thursday night, with the Los Angeles Rams listed as 3.5-point favorites against the San Francisco 49ers. The teams have adopted opposite travel strategies: the 49ers arrived on September 2 and will stay in Australia for about a week before the game, while the Rams plan to fly in the day before and depart immediately afterward.
Oddsmakers and handicappers said the differing approaches are unlikely to shift the current betting line, which remains at Rams -3.5 and an over/under of 48.5. Adam Hamilton, head of racing and talent at Entain in Australia and New Zealand, said the Rams' plan "is better" because it avoids prolonged distractions, likening it to trainers who travel close to race day.
Sharp NFL handicapper Rob Pizzola argued the Rams will benefit from staying on a body clock aligned with Los Angeles, whereas the 49ers will be playing on a morning schedule in Melbourne. Some oddsmakers, however, favored the 49ers' early arrival for better acclimation and injury management.
Dr. Cathy Anne Goldstein, cited on a sports podcast, noted that full circadian adjustment takes roughly one day per time zone crossed, meaning the 49ers would still be partially misaligned despite a week in Australia. She suggested the Rams' strategy of maintaining their normal sleep and training routine would likely reduce performance disruption.
Sportsbook director Thomas Gable of The Borgata said Australian oddsmakers view the Rams' plan as a mistake and indicated a personal bias toward the underdog. He also noted that the travel choices could affect Week 2 matchups, with the 49ers returning to a series of home games and the Rams facing a tougher road-heavy schedule.
Overall, experts remain uncertain about the immediate impact on the game, but many agree the Rams' approach may preserve their body clock for the following week, while the 49ers' early arrival could offer limited benefits given the time-zone challenge.