NFL bookmaker roundtable: conference championship trends

— -- Every Friday while the NFL is in action, ESPN Chalk will ask some of Las Vegas' top oddsmakers where the action has gone during the week. Here is the latest installment, covering the conference championships.

1. Which game(s) have had the biggest line movement?

Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading, William Hill: Biggest line movement has been in the New England-Denver game. It opened at New England -1. The line moved up to 2.5, and from there it bounced up to -3, then -3.5, and now back to -3 where it has been steady.

Jay Rood, vice president of race and sports at MGM: All bets are landing on the Pats, with the wagering public clearly in Tom's corner rather than Peyton's as the line moved from -3 to -3.5 in favor of New England.

John Avello, race and sports operations director at Wynn and Encore: We opened this line at New England -3 and now it's at -3.5. What's embedded in the bettor's mind is Peyton Manning's inability to replicate the performances he had as a quarterback in the days of yesteryear.

2. Which game(s) have you had the biggest public action on?

Bogdanovich: The biggest public action is on New England and Carolina -- mostly New England, with 81 percent of the total point spread tickets in the New England-Denver game on New England, as well as 90 percent of the total dollars wagered. In the Arizona-Carolina game, 72 percent of the total point spread tickets are on Carolina, along with 63 percent of the total dollars wagered.

Rood: All of the public bettors (and everyone else for that matter) are lining up behind the Patriots. It looks as if everyone is sticking to the first rule of the parlay club -- always bet Belichick.

Avello: In both instances -- the biggest line movement and public action -- it would have to be New England-Denver, with the Patriots receiving the bulk of the ticket count and money.

3. Which game(s) have you had the biggest sharp action on?

Bogdanovich: Sharp action is yet to be determined. We haven't seen that much sharp action at the moment in either game.

Rood: Sharps have yet to show their hand on anything with me as of yet.

Avello: Although the sophisticated players have been dabbling with both totals, they really haven't settled on a side because they believe both point spreads are relatively solid.

4. Where do you think the lines will go as kickoff approaches?

Bogdanovich: I don't think the lines will go anywhere as we get closer to kickoff. Both games will stay around -3.

Rood: New England -3.5, and Carolina should settle at a solid -3.

Avello: With the Patriots drawing as much early money as they have, I don't see this line moving down too rapidly. I expect we'll stay at -3.5 or -3 (-120), where you'd lay double juice on the Patriots or get the Broncos at +3 even money instead of -110. I could see a possible push on the Cards at +3 visiting the Panthers, but driving it under 3 would mean a total consensus from the sharps.