Futures Betting Preview for Super Bowl 54

NFL starters and hopefuls are in the thick of training camp delivering hard knocks of their own, which means the regular season is right around the corner. With that in mind, the time has come for football bettors to review the current Super Bowl 54 odds and place their sports bets on which NFL contender will win the Super Bowl in 2020.

Oddsmakers Like Conference Championship Rematches

The honor of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy has gone to the New England Patriots in three of the last five years, and along with three more dating back to the 2001 season, quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick have kept the NFL’s most prolific dynasty intact for another year.

That incredible run includes a stifling 13-3 defensive victory in Super Bowl 53 last year, so it’s no surprise to see online sportsbook Bovada list New England as (+700) favorites to defend their title.

For any other team, losing four-time All-Pro tight end and offensive catalyst Rob Gronkowski to retirement might signal the end of the road when it comes to contention. But under the steady defensive guidance of Belichick, and Brady’s fountain of youth allowing him to remain elite into his early 40s, the Patriots’ status as Super Bowl 54 favorites is only natural.

With that said, New England certainly faces a rougher road to NFL nirvana, at least according to the oddsmakers.

Ahead of last year’s regular season, the Pats were listed as (+400) favorites to win it all, while the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers were the only other teams offering better than 10 to 1. Fast forward to today though, and New England’s odds only show minimal clearance between that of the Kansas City Chiefs (+800), New Orleans Saints (+850), and Los Angeles Rams (+900).

The Chiefs and Patriots squared off in last year’s AFC Championship Game, with the Patriots narrowly surviving a furious fourth quarter comeback by the Chiefs to win 37-31 in overtime. Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes sparked that come from behind bid, and the 2018 NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winner turned 2019 MVP favorite is back sporting a slimmed down physique and revenge on the mind.

The only other teams offering better than 10 to 1 this time around are the Saints and Rams, and after last year’s officiating debacle in the NFC Championship Game, a rematch could easily become another instant classic.

The Saints were on the verge of securing a berth in Super Bowl 53 less than a year ago, only to watch the refs swallow their whistles on the most obvious defensive pass interference call imaginable. That egregious error paved the way for a 26-23 overtime win by the Rams, who wound up submitting their worst game of the season on the Super Bowl stage two Sundays later.

Los Angeles and New Orleans return largely the same rosters from last season’s semifinals. So barring serious injuries to key players, these NFC powerhouses should be favored to stage Round 2 with a berth in Super Bowl 54 up for grabs.

Bears and Browns Poised to Make Breakthrough

When the opening odds for Super Bowl 53 were posted, the Chicago Bears (+7500) and Cleveland Browns (+10000) were both relegated to the major long shot zone. The Bears acquired ferocious defensive force Khalil Mack from the Oakland Raiders shortly thereafter, leading to a revival that resulted in a 12-4 record and the NFC North crown.

The Browns took their time installing rookie QB Baker Mayfield as the starter, and while their 7-8-1 record might look lackluster, an undermanned Cleveland squad was extremely feisty with the Heisman Trophy winner under center.

Chicago’s division regressed badly last year, and Cleveland went all-in to build a winner around Mayfield, leading to (+1200) odds for a two-year turnaround Super Bowl title.

Super Bowl 54 Odds

Check the table below to see where your favorite NFL team, and the rest of the league, stacks up in terms of Super Bowl 54 odds: