- Not surprisingly, Tampa Bay and Kansas City popular with bettors.
- A $30,000 bet on Bucs was made; would win $210,000.
- Can some team rise up and topple the top two?
March, July, the December stretch run — it’s never the wrong time to think about the Super Bowl. And considering the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers have nearly the entire team back and the Kansas City Chiefs are young, hungry, and ticked off, it’s time to break out the Super Bowl odds.
As most NFL training camps crank up this week (on Tuesday, most veterans report), we take a look at some of the Super Bowl betting trends. Diehard fans and bettors likely won’t be surprised with who tops the betting handle so far.
Tampa Bay dominates the handle with 21.4%, while the Chiefs stand at 10.6%, heading into training camp week (rookies reported to teams last week). The Denver Broncos stand at No. 3 in the handle at 8.5%, the Cleveland Browns have 5.0%, and the Tennessee Titans round out the top-five current Super Bowl betting handles in the NFL at 5.3%.
Here’s a look at the five most popular teams (according to betting handles) fans have placed an NFL bet on for the Super Bowl:
The Teams
TAMPA BAY
Current odds: +700
Ticket: 14.8%
The cameras followed Tom Brady last year, but people who really follow the Bucs know that the defense was intact when Brady showed up — and the combination made this team tough to beat, even without the usual lead-up preparation a new quarterback would usually get.
Thanks to COVID-19, Brady didn’t get much time to acclimate, but it didn’t matter, and the defense (No. 1 run defense and No. 6 overall) joined with the No. 3 scoring in the NFL to make this team brutally tough to take down in 2020. The vast majority of those critical playmakers return. No wonder the bettors — and subsequently the NFL betting lines — like the Bucs so much.
KANSAS CITY
Current odds: +450
Ticket: 10.6%
The Chiefs dominated the passing numbers last year, with Pat Mahomes connecting with tight end Travis Kelce and receiver Tyreek Hill forming one of the most productive pass-catching tandems ever. The No. 1 offense in the league lost a little bit of depth but is mostly intact.
Couple those prospects with a young and hungry defense that should improve, and one could see the Chiefs winning their second Super Bowl in three seasons. With 16 starters and the kicker and punter returning, why not?
DENVER
Current odds: +4000
Ticket: 7.6%
The Broncos retained 19 of their offensive and defensive starters. Despite finishing 5-11, there is optimism with this young team. While questions about the quarterback position (Drew Lock) exist, the defense is young and hungry and the secondary looks like it could eventually be one of the best in the league.
Diehard NFL bettors have made the Broncos a popular pick in the NFL odds to win the Super Bowl. There’s new blood in the general manager position with Broncos icon John Elway stepping down, and maybe a unique vibe will emerge and make this one of the top dark horse candidates to win it all. The franchise certainly has a history of success.
CLEVELAND
Current odds: +1400
Ticket: 4.9%
The city of Cleveland is excited about this team, and for a good reason. It is reflected in the Browns’ Super Bowl betting lines, as the team opened at +2500 and is now at +1200. That excitement will come when a city this sports-crazy wins 11 regular-season games, gets its first postseason win in 26 years and returns all 11 starters on offense.
Brash quarterback Baker Mayfield returns to lead that side of the ball, while the Browns made moves in the offense to ensure the defense improves on giving up 26.2 points per game (21st in the NFL). Aside from the fact that Cleveland fans are starved for a winner in any season, this is a team that also looks like a potential champion. On paper at least.
TENNESSEE
Current odds: +2500
Ticket: 5.9%
After winning 11 games and the AFC South in 2020, the Titans are a team fans are excited about when it comes to the NFL lines. The betting handle doesn’t lie. The Titans return a 2,000-yard rusher in Derrick Henry, and they used the offseason to shore up a defense that needs work (though it did have the No. 1 team in the league in turnover margin, certainly something to build upon). While there are question marks surrounding this team, this Titans team should be solid.
Patriots, NFL Futures
BetQL’s Lucy Burdge joins the show to tell us her favorite NFL Super Bowl future and who she thinks will start for the Patriots on Week 1.
Place NFL Super Bowl Bets With BetMGM
What are the odds on the Super Bowl? It’s never too early to take a look at the odds and everything else related to NFL betting. When it comes to the best live betting location for the NFL, we have up-to-the-moment Super Bowl lines and tips to ensure the No. 1 betting experience. Whether you want to place a bet on futures, parlays, or anything else football-related, you can find it at BetMGM.
