The NFL Draft is now just hours away, but there has been a late surge in the betting markets after a post was leaked on Reddit claiming that Will Levis will be the No.1 overall pick.
The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft will take place on Thursday evening, as the top prospects will discover where they will be playing next season. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young heads into the Draft as the overwhelming favourite to be picked first overall, but a series of bets have been placed within the last 48 hours for Levis to be picked ahead of him.
A post emerged on Reddit that claimed Levis has told family and friends that he was set to be selected first overall by the Carolina Panthers, and after punters starting laying bets multiple sportsbooks began readjusting their odds. Levis was priced at 40/1 at the end of last week, but now sits at 4/1 to be picked first overall.
After an incredible year for Young at Alabama, the quarterback has been favourite to be the No.1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for some time. But at the last minute, he's facing serious competition from Kentucky's Levis, after a Reddit post moved the chains significantly.
The post by user SaleAgreeable2834 said: "Will Levis is currently +4000 to be the first overall pick. Well ladies and gentleman, he's telling friends and family Carolina will in fact take him on Thursday. You're welcome."
American sportsbooks DraftKings, Caesars and FanDuel all reported a surge in bets placed on Tuesday for Levis to be picked first overall, and while they remain confident that their pricing for Young is correct, they've adjusted the odds for the Kentucky star. "Given the nature of the draft, we drastically cut the price based on this action and eventually came to a price where the bets stopped," a DraftKings spokesperson told ESPN.
"We are still seeing some small bets trickle through at the current price, but the speculation is all the action was off the back of a Reddit post." And Caesars also released a statement, with a spokesperson admitting: "There's definitely been an uptick in the number of bets on Will Levi, but no huge bets."
The Reddit post has not been verified, and could be a complete hoax. However, it hasn't stopped punters from trying their luck ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Both quarterbacks are immensely talented, but Young is entering the NFL with some doubts pinned over his head due to a lack of height. Young stands just short of six-foot, and many have questioned whether it could hold him back in the big league.
The Panthers traded up for the No.1 overall pick, putting even more pressure on the franchise to make the right decision. All will soon be revealed when the Draft gets underway in Kansas City this Thursday.
