One could search betting sites for past trends, but one doesn’t really have to. It’s safe to say that the New England Patriots were the perennial favorites to win the Super Bowl. For at least the better part of the last decade. But the tables have turned, and maybe not just because Tom Brady and the Pats have parted ways. Last season might have been the beginning of a new era. An era in which the best online sportsbooks favor the Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Bowl LV. It helps that Brady has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccanners (it certainly helps the Bucs most of all, but we’ll get to that). However, the writing was on the wall. In spite of which the Patriots’ chances doesn’t appear that bad, all things considered.
GTBets Odds to Win Super Bowl LV:
Kansas City +500
The one thing going against the Chiefs is that the last team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions were precisely the New England Patriots. The Pats won Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX. Then again those pats had an exceptional QB in his prime, and so does KC. Patrick Mahomes ironically became a better QB in 2019 by, and I stress the following word, comparatively playing worse than in 2018.
Let’s face it; Mahomes was just too good for his own sake, and the team’s. Give or take, he threw a thousand yards fewer and half as many TDs from one season to the next. But whereas his 2018 output was too much of a good thing, his 2019 was just enough to win Super Bowl LIV. I guess we could call that The Goldilocks Principle. In addition to Mahomes, the Chiefs are returning the best TE in the game, Travis Kelce. As well as Tyreek Hill, Alex Okafor, and many other offensive and defensive starters.
Baltimore +600
Speaking of blowing your wad too soon, the Ravens. Baltimore had one of the best regular seasons in recent history in 2019. So much so that FiveThirtyEight had the Ravens as favorites to win the Super Bowl since before Week 12. As did many betting websites, undoubtedly. The problem is they had nothing left for the postseason and were upset by the Titans in the divisional round. Like the Chiefs, the Ravens are returning their overachieving QB Lamar Jackson (and his underachieving backup, RG3). Jackson is arguably the most versatile QB in the game today, as deadly through the air as he is lethal on the ground. If Baltimore can carry last year’s regular season momentum into the playoffs, they would become every other team’s nightmare.
San Francisco +900
The current NFC champs and Super Bowl LIV runner-ups improved by leaps and bounds from head coach Kyle Shanahan’s first two seasons. Other than win Super Bowl LV, they have nowhere to go but down. On the other hand, Jimmy G. still has quite a bit of room for improvement, and that’s a good thing, provided he does improve. Moreover, the Niners’ fearsome run offense is returning both Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman. And maybe their fellow running back Jerick McKinnon will finally get to play a snap as a 49er. Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, and other members of San Fran’s tight defense are also still on the roster.
Tampa Bay +1600
Out with the not-so-new and in with the old. Jameis Winston is gone to free agency, and Tom Brady will wear a non-Patriot uniform for the first time in his long and illustrious career. “I think he’s just excited to play football,” former NE receiver Wes Welker said. “Tom wants to play ball. I think for him he’s excited — he has some weapons down there in Tampa. I think he’s excited to get out there and play ball. It’s another challenge for him in his mind, I’m sure, of proving people wrong — that he doesn’t have to be in New England to be great. He will take on that challenge, and I guaranteed you he will be full steam ahead with it.” be that as it may, this is pretty much the NFL equivalent of Michael Jordan playing with the Wizards. It will certainly put butts in seats, though.
