Tag: nfl futures

2020 NFL Futures Betting: AFC West Division Winner

Analyzing the 2020 NFL futures odds for which team will win the AFC West Division, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

It’s always tough to bet against a defending Super Bowl champion, much less betting against them to win their respective division the following season. As it pertains to the AFC West, there is no more dominating betting odds than what the Kansas City Chiefs are proposed to do in 2020.

Kansas City has been the dominant team in the AFC West for years. The Chiefs have won the West each of the last four seasons, posting regular-season win totals of 12, 12, 10 and 12. Their dominance has been unquestioned and their success speaks to the ability of the team to maintain a high level of play and display the kind of regular-season consistency typically reserved for franchises like the New England Patriots.

2020 AFC West odds: Kansas City Chiefs (-500)

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday, March 2 at 1:20 p.m. ET.

The Chiefs are the runaway favorite at -500. While teams can have up-and-down levels of success from one year to the next, most consistent successful franchises have a star quarterback who develops an entire offense. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes has done that in his two full seasons as a starter. The same can’t be said for the rest of the division.

2020 AFC West odds: Los Angeles Chargers (+700)

The Chargers have moved on from veteran QB Philip Rivers. While they will likely end up bringing in another high profile veteran to keep the team afloat, they have a ton of free agents they have to deal with and the team could look a lot different in 2020. Regardless, it will take time to develop a rapport offensively.

Get some action on 2020 NFL division winners by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

2020 AFC West odds: Las Vegas Raiders (+1000)

In Las Vegas, the relocated Raiders are at a crossroads with QB Derek Carr, who has shown flashes, but has been inconsistent –  the Raiders have a record of 17-31 over the last three seasons. Coach Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock are making improvements, but haven’t reached the point of legitimate contention.

2020 AFC West odds: Denver Broncos (+1200)

In the four seasons since Peyton Manning retired, the Broncos have had seven different starting quarterbacks and a different primary starter each of the last three seasons with no success. 2020 looks to be the fourth straight year with a new starting QB who will be the anointed starter moving forward.

Many bettors have a hard time laying the kind of odds you need to bet on Kansas City, but the odds are steep for a reason. Even if the Chiefs suffer some key injuries, the Chiefs are going to win the division. Take KANSAS CITY (-500) and cash in a small return.

Want action on the AFC West Division winner? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 NFL Futures Betting: NFC South Division Winner

Analyzing the 2020 NFL futures odds for which team will win the NFC South division, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

The early NFL futures odds for the 2020 division winners are out, allowing bettors to back their favorite teams or peruse other values from around the NFL. Odds will be continuously updated throughout the offseason, based on the NFL Draft, free agency and public betting action. Acting early and anticipating player movement can be a great way to maximize your payday.

Below, we look at the futures odds to win the NFC South.

2020 NFC South odds: Atlanta Falcons (+400)

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday, March 2 at 11:20 a.m. ET.

The Falcons are coming off a second straight 7-9 season. They haven’t made the playoffs since back-to-back postseason trips in 2016 and ’17.

A six-game losing skid from Week 3 through Week 8 sunk Atlanta’s hopes last season, but it returned from a Week 9 bye to win six of its final eight games. With the closing stretch possibly signaling a turning point for head coach Dan Quinn, the Falcons are an adequate value to upset the Saints for the division crown.

New to sports betting? A $10 futures bet on the Falcons to win the NFC South returns a profit of $40 at the end of the regular season.

2020 NFC South odds: Carolina Panthers (+1100)

The Panthers lost their final eight games of 2019. After relying on quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Will Grier for the final 14 games of the season, the Panthers are expected to have former MVP Cam Newton back to full health for new head coach Matt Rhule’s first year in charge.

Get some action on 2020 NFL division winners by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

Unsurprisingly, the Panthers have the worst odds to win the division after two fourth-place finishes in the last four years. The health of Newton is the biggest key as they look to return to the postseason for the first time since 2017 and win the division for the first time since winning three straight from 2013-2015. Expect a big step forward under Rhule, but it won’t be enough to topple the other three NFC South teams.

2020 NFC South odds: New Orleans Saints (-250)

A contract still needs to be worked out for QB Drew Brees, but it’s purely a formality at this point as he’ll be returning for a 20th season. The Saints have won three straight division titles and a total of six in Brees’ 14 seasons in NOLA.

The Saints are easily the safest pick to retain their crown in 2020, but there’s no value when needing to risk $40 for a return of $10. PASS on these odds and take a shot on the Falcons or Buccaneers to hedge against a potential injury to the Saints’ dynamic trio of Brees, RB Alvin Kamara and WR Michael Thomas.

2020 NFC South odds: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+700)

The Buccaneers are an excellent example of the risk and reward involved in placing an early NFL futures bet. They haven’t won the division since 2007 and have finished last in seven of the last nine seasons. The team is expected to address the quarterback position this offseason heading into head coach Bruce Arians’ second year. QB Jameis Winston may be allowed to reach free agency, with a replacement brought in either through the draft, free agency or trade.

The early odds reflect the likelihood of Winston returning under center, but there’s upside in getting the Bucs at this number in advance of an upgrade at the most important position.

Want action on the NFC South division winner? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Should you bet on the Seattle Seahawks to win Super Bowl LIV?

Previewing the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl LIV chances, with NFL betting odds, picks, futures and best bets.

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The NFL playoffs begin this weekend and the Seattle Seahawks open on the road as the No. 5 seed in the NFC, taking on the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles on the road Sunday at 4:35 p.m. ET.

They had a chance to be as high as the No. 1 seed in the conference but ended up one play short of winning the NFC West and getting the coveted first-round bye.

Seattle is a perennial contender and is built to win playoff games. They have been to two Super Bowls in the last decade and won one. The question is whether you should bet on the Seahawks to win Super Bowl LIV.

Seattle Seahawks playoff futures

(Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson – USA TODAY Sports)

NFL futures odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Friday at 4:45 pm. ET.

Get some action on the games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

They have, along with the Eagles, the second-longest odds to make it to the Super Bowl out of the NFC at +1200. To win the Super Bowl, only five teams have higher odds than Seattle’s +2500.

They can provide one of the biggest paydays of all the teams in the postseason. A $10 bet on them to get to the Super Bowl will return $120 in profit and a $10 bet on them to win it all will win $250.

It is a big payday. The question is whether it is worth betting on them.

Why you shouldn’t bet on the Seahawks to win Super Bowl LIV

Dec 29, 2019; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) puts on his helmet during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field. (Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson – USA TODAY Sports)

They will have to win three games on the road to get to the Super Bowl, having to play in Philadephia and then potentially Green Bay, New Orleans or San Francisco. However, they shared the league’s best road record at 7-1 and were 10-2 in one-score games.

It is hard to bet against QB Russell Wilson, but the Seahawks are without their top three running backs in Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and C.J. Prosise. All are on injured reserve and Seattle recently had to sign Marshawn Lynch to back up rookie Travis Homer.

The defense is not what it used to be, as the Seahawks were 22nd in the league in scoring defense, and they allowed an average of 25.7 points per game over their last three games. You can’t ever count out Wilson, but the Seahawks faltered down the stretch, losing three of four to end the regular season.

The potential payout is huge, but they aren’t worth the risk of a big wager. If you are going to bet on Seattle, keep it in the casual range.

Want action on this bet? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Should you bet on the New Orleans Saints to win Super Bowl LIV?

Previewing the New Orleans Saints’ Super Bowl LIV chances, with NFL betting odds, picks, futures and best bets.

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Since September, the New Orleans Saints have looked like Super Bowl LIV contenders, but do they warrant an NFL futures bet?

With a 13-3 record, the Saints were dominant during the regular season. Their only slip-up games were when Brees injured his thumb in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams, a stunning Week 10 loss to the NFC South-rival Atlanta Falcons and a thrilling 48-46 shootout loss to the San Francisco 49ers – arguably the best game of the 2019 season.

They won six games by double-digits and enter the playoffs on a three-game winning streak – two of which came by at least 27 points and the other by 10 points.

Yet, despite rolling to a stellar regular-season record, the Saints still didn’t earn a first-round bye. Those two free passes went to the 49ers and Green Bay Packers.

Why you should bet on the Saints to win Super Bowl LIV

NFL futures odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Friday at 4 pm. ET.

Get some action on the games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

Sitting out the Wild Card Round is a huge advantage, with more than 79% of Super Bowl representatives in NFL history being No. 1 or 2 seeds in the postseason. After all, teams with top-two seeds have to win one fewer game than teams seeded third or lower, making the path to a championship much easier.

The Saints are a rare team that can buck that trend with a four-game winning streak to claim Super Bowl LIV. And that’s exactly why you should bet on them to win it all.

According to BetMGM, the Saints are +600 to win Super Bowl LIV – the fourth-best odds of the 12 playoff teams. That’s better than even the Packers, who have a first-round bye and would host the Saints in the Divisional Round, should New Orleans advance past the Minnesota Vikings.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Saints to win Super Bowl LIV would return a profit of $60 should New Orleans win the Super Bowl.

That just goes to show how the oddsmakers view the Saints and their chances of being the last team standing.

New Orleans should make easy work of Minnesota (+3300 to win Super Bowl LIV), especially with the game being played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints are favored by 7.5 points, the largest spread of the four games this weekend. Brees, WR Michael Thomas and RB Alvin Kamara are all healthy entering the postseason and will help carry the offense.

Why you should bet on the Saints to win the NFC Championship (+260)

(Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports)

Defensively, the Saints are no slouches, either. They finished 13th in points allowed and 11th in yards allowed, performing especially well against the run with the fourth-fewest rushing yards allowed per game. The Vikings prefer to lean on RB Dalvin Cook and the running game.

The Saints were good on the road this season, too, going 7-1 away from home. Should they beat the Vikings, visiting Lambeau Field shouldn’t strike any fear in the Saints.

(Photo Credit: Jim Brown – USA TODAY Sports)

As a team without a bye, the Saints got the better end of the playoff bracket, having to play the Packers in the divisional round instead of the 49ers. Granted, they’d visit the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game if both teams make it that far, but at least that won’t come in the second round.

Betting the house on New Orleans wouldn’t be a wise move because of the absence of a first-round bye, but you should feel good about laying down some money on the Saints to be the last team standing.

Want action on this bet? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Should you bet on the Tennessee Titans to win Super Bowl LIV?

Previewing the Tennessee Titans’ Super Bowl LIV chances, with NFL betting odds, picks, futures and best bets.

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The Tennessee Titans were the last team to qualify for the AFC playoffs at 9-7, earning the No. 6 seed and a Wild Card Round matchup against the New England Patriots (12-4). They’ll play Saturday at 8:15 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium. Should the Titans win, they’ll advance to face the Baltimore Ravens Saturday, Jan. 11, while the Patriots would visit the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Jan. 12. Below, we analyze the Titans playoff chances and NFL futures odds to win Super Bowl LIV.

The Titans open the postseason as the second-biggest longshots to win both the AFC (+2200) and the Super Bowl (+4000). They struck gold in the middle of the season after cutting bait on former No. 2 pick QB Marcus Mariota and turning to failed former Miami Dolphins starter Ryan Tannehill. RB Derrick Henry finished as the regular season’s leading rusher, and the rejuvenated Titans enter the playoffs as one of the NFL’s hottest teams.

NFL futures odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Friday at 12:30 pm. ET.

Tennessee Titans playoff futures

Get some action on the games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

AFC Champion: +2200

The Titans won five of their last seven games and went 7-3 after making the switch from the ineffective Mariota to Tannehill against the Denver Broncos in Week 6. Tannehill, the eighth overall pick of the Dolphins in the 2012 NFL Draft, finished the season with 2,742 passing yards and 22 touchdowns against six interceptions while adding 185 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. Henry totaled 1,540 rushing yards, 206 receiving yards and 18 combined touchdowns.

Of course, no one has a tougher road through the AFC playoffs than the Titans. They’ll play the Patriots in New England’s first Wild Card Round game since 2009. If the Titans survive the first test, they’ll need to visit the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens.

(Photo Credit: Troy Taormina – USA TODAY Sports)

The Titans draw a PASS from me. They’re not tempting enough based on the two incredibly difficult road games in front of them, before they’d reach an AFC Championship Game, which would likely require a visit to Kansas City to face reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The AFC is extremely top-heavy, and it’s tough to envision the Cinderella Titans crawling their way through.

Super Bowl: +4000

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Titans to win Super Bowl LIV would return a profit of $400 should Tennessee win the game.

The Titans finished the regular season ranked 10th in points per game (25.1) and 12th in yards per game (362.8). Defensively, they allowed 20.7 PPG (12th) and 359.5 YPG (21st). Only the Ravens and San Francisco 49ers accumulated more team rushing yards than Tennessee, though unlike the others who were able to pile on their yards while nursing large leads late in games, the Titans relied on Henry throughout games.

(Photo Credit: Jim Brown – USA TODAY Sports)

Four of the NFL’s top six run defenses from the regular season made the playoffs, including the Ravens and Patriots. No coach in the league is better at scheming to take away a team’s top option than Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. By doing so against the Titans, Henry would become neutralized, leaving Tannehill to handle his former AFC East rivals on his own.

I’ll agree with the books that there’s a much better chance of the underdog Titans being discarded in their opening game – only the Minnesota Vikings (+310 at New Orleans Saints) are bigger dogs than the Titans (+180) in the Wild Card Round – than of winning Super Bowl LIV. PASS and look elsewhere for your Super Bowl lotto ticket.

Want action on this bet? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Should you bet on the Buffalo Bills to win Super Bowl LIV?

Previewing the Buffalo Bills’ Super Bowl LIV chances, with NFL betting odds, picks, futures and best bets.

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AFC East teams besides the New England Patriots don’t typically make the playoffs. They certainly don’t usually go 10-6 or challenge New England for the division crown very often. Yet, that’s exactly what the Buffalo Bills did this season, giving the Patriots a run for their money in the AFC East and becoming just the third wild-card team from the division since 2011.

But do the Bills have a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl? According to the oddsmakers, not really.

Buffalo Bills playoff futures

NFL futures odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Friday at 12:30 pm. ET.

Get some action on the games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

BetMGM has the Bills at +6000 to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February, the longest odds of any team in the playoffs. That’s the result of them having a young, inconsistent sophomore quarterback under center in Josh Allen, a tough matchup in the first round against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium, and a second-round date with either the Baltimore Ravens or Kansas City Chiefs if they were to advance to the Divisional Round.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Bills to win Super Bowl LIV would return a profit of $600 should Buffalo win the Super Bowl.

Allen had a solid season. He threw 20 touchdown passes with only nine interceptions, rushing for another 510 yards and nine touchdowns, as well. However, he only completed 58.8% of his passes and his 5.71 adjusted net yards per attempt – a good measuring stick of a quarterback’s aggressiveness and success – ranked 23rd among qualified quarterbacks.

(Photo Credit: Rich Barnes – USA TODAY Sports)

The Bills defense is what helped carry them to the postseason, ranking second in points and third in yards allowed, but how many top offenses did they truly face? The Dallas Cowboys and Ravens were the only teams that really stand out offensively from Buffalo’s schedule, though it was impressive that they were held to a combined 39 points in consecutive weeks.

The Bills aren’t exactly coming into the postseason riding high, either. They lost three of their last four games, one of which was the season finale with Matt Barkley at quarterback. There isn’t much momentum behind the Bills heading into this wild-card matchup with the Texans, especially on offense. In the last three games that Allen completed, the Bills had fewer than 300 yards of offense in each, including fewer than 200 yards passing.

Why You Shouldn’t Bet On the Bills to win Super Bowl LIV

(Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire – USA TODAY Sports)

So that begs the question again: Should you bet on the Bills to win Super Bowl LIV? In short, no. Unless the Tennessee Titans go on a deep run, Buffalo will be on the road for the entire postseason run. Winning four straight games away from home is no easy task for any team, let alone one that faced only three playoff teams in the regular season – including a Philadelphia Eagles squad that barely got in.

Save your money and put it on a team like the Ravens, San Francisco 49ers or New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks at +2500 or the Patriots at +1200 are better bets than the Bills and still come with financial upside on a small wager.

So unless you just want to lay $10 down on a Bills Cinderella story, it’d be wise to pass on this wager.

Want action on this bet? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Should you bet on the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl LIV?

Previewing the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl LIV chances, with NFL betting odds, picks, futures and best bets.

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For most of the 2019 season, it appeared the New England Patriots were locked into the No. 2 seed in the AFC as they rode their hot defense to another 12-win season. After a colossal collapse against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, the Patriots will now have to play on Wild Card weekend against the red-hot Tennesee Titans.

Given their history, it’s hard to count out the Patriots as long as they are still in the playoffs. Below are the reasons you should or shouldn’t bet on the New England Patriots to win their seventh Super Bowl.

NFL futures odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Friday at 11:45 a.m. ET.

Why You Should Bet On The Patriots to win Super Bowl LIV

(Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara – USA TODAY Sports)

Odds to Win Super Bowl LIV: +1200 

Get some action on the games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

The case for why you should bet on the Patriots to win the Super Bowl is simple; head coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady. The two are nearly unstoppable in the playoffs and have proven time and time again they can flip the switch when it matters the most. They have shown they can go on the road and win, something many of the other AFC playoff contenders can’t say.

It also doesn’t hurt that the Patriots have the best defense in football, allowing just over 14 points per game this season. New England can create takeaways at will and give their offense short fields with which to work. While it may not always look pretty, it’s awfully tough to not bet on the Patriots to come out of the AFC this season. And with their current odds, they actually present some excellent value, as well. Their +1200 odds to win Super Bowl LIV seem almost too good to be true.

Why You Shouldn’t Bet On The Patriots to win Super Bowl LIV

(Photo Credit: David Butler II – USA TODAY Sports)

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Patriots to win Super Bowl LIV would return a profit of $120 should the Patriots win the Super Bowl.

Despite six Super Bowl wins over the last 20 seasons, the Patriots have never made it to the Super Bowl, let alone win one when they were forced to play on Wild Card weekend. It’s just too difficult to make it through the AFC gauntlet when you have to play two or three games on the road in order to make the Super Bowl.

On top of that, the 2019 Patriots don’t resemble anything we are accustomed to seeing. The Patriots have scored more than 24 points just once in their last 10 games, and their offense can be shut down relatively easily. It’s also concerning how Brady appears to be in the worst slump of his career as he has a passer rating of only 80.8 over the last eight games of the season.

While it’s hard to count out Belichick and Brady, this does appear to be one of their weaker teams in recent memory. But don’t be surprised if New England finds a way to come out of the AFC for the fourth-straight season.

Want action on this bet? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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