Lost in the efforts and hoopla of the NFL trying to expand globally overseas in London is the league’s annual regular-season game played in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca. The annual NFL event south of the border is on tap for the Week 11 Monday Night Football matchup on November 18 between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.
The NFL has made attempts to play one game per season in Mexico City since 2016 but fans were left hanging like a piñata in 2018 when a scheduled matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs had to be moved to Los Angeles due to poor field conditions. What Mexican football fans missed out on was an instant classic and one of the most exciting games in recent memory.
That Chiefs-Rams game produced a combined 105 points (a Monday Night Football record) and six lead changes and was the third-highest scoring game in NFL history. 2019’s edition may not live up to that level of offense but it will feature two offensive units in the Chiefs and Chargers that can explode at any time.
Since there have only been three regular-season NFL games played in Mexico City, let’s take a look at the betting results and see if there are any outliers to help handicap the game:
| Bet Type | Record |
|---|---|
| Spread (Favorites) | 3-0 |
| Moneyline (Favorites) | 3-0 |
| OVER/UNDER | 2-1 |
Underdogs Have Crumbled Like Tacos
With only three official regular-season NFL games played in Mexico City, there isn’t a ton of data to parse but one thing is for certain: Underdogs are going down like margaritas on a sunny day. The favorites have won each game while covering the spread each time with an average win margin of 16.3 points per game. It seems the dog in this fight goes for a little siesta.
Picking The Total Is Harder Than Capturing El Chapo
Although the OVER has hit in two of three NFL games played in Mexico City, the margins were razor-thin. The two games that went OVER surpassed the total by one point each and the average combined score for all three games is 44.3. The total for Chargers-Chiefs opened at 49 and has already moved to 52.
It’s worth noting the total was set at 55 the last time an NFL game was played at Estadio Azteca. That contest between the Patriots and Raiders went UNDER the closing total by 14 points.
Check out the complete list of betting results from NFL Mexico games:
| Date | Away Team | Away Score | Home Team | Home Score | Spread | Moneyline | Total | OVER/UNDER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 19, 2017 | Patriots | 33 | Raiders | 8 | NE -7 | NE -305 | 55 | UNDER |
| November 21, 2016 | Texans | 20 | Raiders | 27 | OAK -6.5 | OAK -282 | 45.5 | OVER |
| October 2, 2005 | 49ers | 14 | Cardinals | 31 | ARI -3 | N/A* | 44 | OVER |
*Moneyline data isn’t available prior to 2006 NFL regular season
