[jwplayer G6PpyUj5]
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)
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.
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.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]