Super Bowl LV Odds
With the NFL regular season more than halfway done, now is the time to strike on some of the best Super Bowl odds of the year. While we’re in the process of separating the “pretenders” from the “contenders,” there are a number of teams who could help bettors break the bank at their current odds.
AFC Favorite: Kansas City Chiefs
DraftKings +350, FanDuel +330, PointsBet+ 350, BetMGM +600
As it stands right now, there are four teams who can be considered “favorites” for this wager. At the top of the list, we have the reigning, defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs currently have the best odds to win it all by a rather wide margin, listed at +350 by DraftKings Sportsbook, BetMGM, and PointsBet, with FanDuel Sportsbook listing them at +330. It’s not hard to see why Patrick Mahomes and Co. are so heavily favored. Aside from a bizarre 40-32 loss to the Raiders in Week 5, the Chiefs have been utterly dominant, winning six of their eight games by more than one score. With the additions of veteran running back Le’Veon Bell and 2019 first-round cornerback DeAndre Baker, they’ve somehow managed to shore up the few holes they had on the roster, as well. Judging from what we’ve seen in Baltimore, New England, and Tennesee, it’s clear that the AFC champion will reside in either Kansas City or Pittsburgh, barring some anomaly. If I were a betting man — and I am — my money is going on the Chiefs all day long. If they can survive a couple of tough games with Tampa Bay and New Orleans, the Chiefs could very well lock up home-field advantage ahead of the Steelers, a team that is destined to fall back down to earth.
NFC Favorite: New Orleans Saints
DraftKings +650, FanDuel +750, PointsBet +750, BetMGM +600
Despite having lost Drew Brees for the next month or so, the Saints still possess the top odds to come out of the NFC, likely due to their decisive victories over the Buccaneers. Considering the state of the NFC, it’s hard not to like New Orleans at these odds, particularly if they can lock up home-field advantage. The Saints have looked strong on both sides of the ball all season long, having lost only two games this season to Green Bay and Las Vegas, during both of which they were without No. 1 wideout Michael Thomas. Though their recent postseason history is filled with agonizing losses, the Saints appear to be the most complete team in their conference, even with Brees sidelined.
AFC Biggest Trap: Pittsburgh Steelers
DraftKings +550, FanDuel +600, PointsBet +600, BetMGM +600
With the second-best odds of any team, the unbeaten Steelers have made a convincing case to be the favorite in the AFC. With an explosive offense and a disruptive defense, few teams can match Pittsburgh’s firepower. Yet as good as this team is, it has certainly performed beyond its means in 2020. With only four victories of more than one score, Pittsburgh has only defeated three teams with winning records, two of which came by four points or less (against Tennesee and Baltimore). There’s a world where this is a team with two or three losses. At their current odds, I’m fading Pittsburgh heavily, despite their well-rounded, veteran-laden team.
NFC Biggest Trap: Seattle Seahawks
DraftKings +1600, FanDuel +1400, PointsBet +1000, BetMGM +1000
With Russell Wilson and D.K Metcalf, it’s hard not to like the Seahawks, particularly at their current odds. While PointsBet and BetMGM like this team a lot more than DraftKings and FanDuel, they’re simply an untrustworthy Super Bowl candidate. While Wilson has cooled off significantly following a historically proficient start to the season, his performance isn’t my biggest concern. Rather my concern lies with Seattle’s defense, once the backbone of this franchise. Though the addition of Jamal Adams was meant to light a fire, the Seahawks have regressed into one of the worst defensive units in NFL history this season, surrendering 30+ points-per-game in each of their first 8 games, while entering last week’s game on pace to give up 7,000 total yards. Outside of Wilson and his receivers (maybe Chris Carson too), there isn’t very much to like about this team.
AFC Best Bargain: Tennessee Titans
DraftKings +3000, FanDuel +3100, PointsBet +2500, BetMGM +3000
Coming off of an ugly loss to the Colts, the Tennessee hype train is beginning to veer off the rails. The Titans have been a mess on defense all season long, looking nothing like the team we saw in the 2019 playoffs. So why then would they be considered a bargain? At +3000 for every site besides PointsBet, I can talk myself into this team as a Super Bowl contender based on what we saw from them in crunch time last season. In many ways, this Titans team is run like the New England Patriots, employing a “bend, don’t break” style of defense. If Tennessee can get its ground game rolling once again while stiffening up on defense, they could be a serious threat to Pittsburgh and Kansas City. After all, it’s not every day that you’ll see a team beat Bill Belichick and Tom Brady at home in the playoffs.
NFC Best Bargain: Los Angeles Rams
DraftKings +1800, FanDuel +1600, PointsBet +2000, BetMGM +1600
Though I don’t love this Rams team, I am loving the +2000 odds being offered by PointsBet. As unspectacular as they’ve been, this is an organization that is in “win-now” mode. With an elite defense, a passable offense, and a head coach who’s been to the big game once before, the Rams are easily the best bargain in their conference. In some ways, I like the Rams even more if they manage to secure the fifth seed in the NFC, rather than winning their division. As the top Wild Card seed, they would be guaranteed a matchup with the winner of the NFC East, a team that will likely be well below .500.
AFC Darkhorse: Las Vegas Raiders
DraftKings +5000, FanDuel +4500, PointsBet +4000, BetMGM +4000
If you can get a team that beat the Chiefs soundly with +5000 odds, you take it all day long. The Raiders are an imperfect team in a multitude of ways, however, they do have some significant strengths. Great running back? Check. Steady offensive line? Check. A quarterback who can win a big game? Eh…check. A solid defense? Yeah, they’re getting there. With wins over New Orleans and Kansas City but losses to Buffalo, New England, and Tampa Bay it’s hard to get a good read on this Raiders team. However, if they make the wild card they could go much farther than expected. With a little luck and some good old-fashioned Raiders grit, of course.
NFC Darkhorse: Arizona Cardinals
DraftKings +2200, FanDuel +2500, PointsBet +2200, BetMGM +2000
It’s been the Kyler Murray show all season long out in the desert, with the MVP candidate having led his team to huge victories over Seattle and Buffalo in recent weeks. Like the Rams, I like Arizona as a potential fifth seed in the NFC, as a matchup with the NFC East champion would almost certainly lead to victory. Murray has some Patrick Mahomes-like qualities to his game, as his team is never out of a game as long as he’s on the field. While Arizona’s defense leaves a little to be desired, there’s something to be said about a team as dynamic on offense as the Cardinals are. They’re a fun darkhorse, with especially great odds for FanDuel at +2500.
