Busiest Betting Day Of The Year
The busiest day for Las Vegas sports books isn’t during March Madness or the World Cup.
Even with the new hockey team, it isn’t the Golden Knights playing in the Stanley Cup Final.
You can forget about the NBA Finals, World Series or Kentucky Derby. Count on waiting in line to make a bet at the Bellagio on the first Sunday in February. It’s Super Bowl Sunday — and everyone wants a piece of the action.
The New England Patriots, who have played in seven of the last 19 Super Bowls, are the favorites (+650) to win their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 3, 2019 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia (odds provided by Bovada). The Patriots lost Super Bowl LII last year against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are the second pick (+850) to repeat as champions.
There are 12 NFL franchises that have not won a Super Bowl:
The Browns, Jaguars, Lions and Texans have never even reached the NFL championship.
Bettors must correctly select a team to win an event that takes place a later time. That is futures betting, and in this showcase it is correctly picking the winner of Super Bowl LIII.
The money wagered will be tied up until there is an outcome on Feb. 3, 2019 and bettors will receive fixed odds when they place the wager. The future odds are normally updated and changed on a weekly basis and wagers can be placed throughout the season.
How much will a winning bet return? That depends on the team you play and what the odds are today.
For the favorites, the Patriots (+650) would return $750 based on a $100 bet ($650 profit + $100 bet = $750 total return). For the longest shot on the board, the New York Jets (+17500) would return $17,600 ($17,500 profit + $100 bet = $17,600 total return).
It’s been seven years since the Steelers played in a Super Bowl and nine since they won one. The inability or desire to sign running back Le’Veon Bell could mean the end of his run in Pittsburgh and create a lot of noise off the playing field. At 36, Ben Roethlisberger’s best days seem behind him.
Sure, the Steelers will put points on the board, but their defense needs to be better if they are to make a run to the league championship.
The Niners may have made the best trade in franchise history last season when they acquired Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots for a second-rounder. What a steal.
San Fran was 1-10 before Garoppolo made his first start. He ran the table and the 49ers finished 6-10 and filled with optimism.
The Niners ended the season with three consecutive victories against playoff teams. At the rate they are improving, San Fran could just be a player or two away from its glory days.
There’s no doubt the Jaguars’ defense is second to none. But there is a lot of doubt in the offense, specifically QB Blake Bortles. Even though they were the top rushing team last season, the Jags were 17th in passing. That needs to improve.
The Jaguars have one of the easiest schedules in the league. A Week 17 matchup against Houston could decide home-field advantage in the postseason.
Still, it’s tough to get around the Bortles factor when it comes to their Super Bowl chances.
The Miracle in Minnesota propelled the Vikings into the conference final last season before getting blown out in Philly. Exit Case Keenum, enter Kirk Cousins (the $84-million man).
A new quarterback in a new division may take some adjusting for Cousins, but he will have weapons all over the field to help in the transition. Dalvin Cook returns from injury to bolster a solid attack.
The Vikings were 13-3 last season — second only to the 1998 team that went 15-1. However, the Vikings are winless in four Super Bowl appearances.
If you’re searching for a long shot, this may be your pick. The Chargers looked lost in starting 0-4 before winning nine of their last 12 games last season. A fast start would go a long way in securing a playoff spot, which they lost out on in a tiebreaker.
Veteran Philip Rivers put up some impressive numbers last year, throwing for 28 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Keenan Allen, who had more than 100 receptions last season, has become a star. Add in one of the best defensive lines in the game and the under-rated Chargers could make the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
Just three teams scored more points last season than the Saints, who were 7-1 at home and had a +122 point differential.
After two excellent draft classes, the Saints have a bunch of young stars and a future Hall of Famer in Drew Brees to get them the ball. Their defense ranked among the league leaders with 42 sacks and 25 takeaways.
The roster returns 21 starters from a team that won eight straight and claimed the NFC South title a year ago. This may be Brees’ last chance to capture his second ring.
How much turmoil is there in the clubhouse? Is this the beginning of the end of Belichick and Brady dynasty? While most would say not to bet against these two, Father Time will eventually win the battle.
They now lose their defensive coordinator on a unit that ranked near the bottom of the league to start the season and gave up 41 points in the Super Bowl.
An easy road in the AFC East will once again put the Patriots in the playoffs, but there is much better value to bet on a Super Bowl winner than New England and its tension-filled clubhouse.
The Super Bowl champions are a deep, talented squad. The addition of Michael Bennett on the defensive line and the return of Carson Wentz from injury make the champs an even better team. It doesn’t hurt that Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles is still with the club.
The ride to the title last year will give them even more confidence as the Eagles face one of the toughest schedules in the league.
Philly is built for success right now with a great coach and young quarterback. Count on another exciting run in the playoffs this season as well.
This pick hinges on the health of their young QB and defensive superstar, who are both returning from injuries. An improved performance out of their secondary wouldn’t hurt either.
The Texans have won the AFC South in four of the last seven seasons and defensive end J.J. Watt was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award three times in his first five seasons.
For the first time, the Texans now have a franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson. Even though Houston has never made it to the Super Bowl, the Texans are building a powerhouse around their dynamic leader.
Sean McVay stunned the league in his first season as head coach by taking the 4-12 Rams to a division champion and playoff contender.
Now, they have all the pieces to take it all. Management swung three trades for All-Pro players and then signed another All-Pro in free agency in the offseason. The Rams were not a Top 10 defense last year, but these new additions should make a huge difference.
The Rams will be tested early, especially since two of their first four games are on a national stage in prime time.
The highest-scoring team in the league last season will steal headlines from LeBron in L.A. and finally win their first Super Bowl in 18 years.
