Bears at Vikings betting odds: Spread moves through key number ahead of Week 5 NFC North matchup

The spread is on the move in this week’s matchup between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. And it is going in the direction that you would expect.

The Bears are now a 7.5-point underdog against the Vikings at Caesars Sportsbook, which is the official odds partner of Bet Chicago Sports. The spread opened at seven and only recently moved off the key number.

Not only can Bears’ fans get a better number, but there is also a more enticing price when placing a spread wager on their favorite team. The current juice to take the points is +100, meaning a $100 bet would net $100 if the Bears were able to cover on Sunday.

The reason why that should be intriguing is because this game could be more competitive than expected. Allow me to explain before you stop reading, please.

The Vikings are coming off a thrilling 28-25 victory over the New Orleans Saints in London. It is rare for teams to opt to play the following week rather than take the bye, though both the Vikings and Saints have elected to play this weekend.

According to this article from Brandon Anderson of the Action Network, 55 of the 60 teams who have played in London have had a bye the week after returning. In the five other instances, those teams went 2-2-1 against the spread and 2-3 straight up.

I’m not sure what can be taken from that small of a sample size, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Vikings were still recovering from their brutal travel schedule.

From a football perspective, it is easy to make the case for taking this many points in a divisional matchup, especially when the Vikings always seem to play in close games. The Vikings have won their last two contests against the Lions and Saints by a combined seven points.

The Bears have yet to surrender a second-half touchdown on the year, which is a testament to the coaching staff’s ability to make in-game adjustments. I also made the case for why the Bears’ offense could show signs of life this weekend.

I’ll be curious to see if this spread continues to move, but it has already reached a point that I’d be willing to take a chance on the Bears to stay within striking distance.

Lean: Bears +7.5 (+100)