We told you to bet in January, but its still a great time to wager on the big game in 2020. These are your current Super Bowl 54 best bets, along with some teams to avoid. Go make that money!
Immediately after last season’s Super Bowl, we highlighted our favorite bets for the upcoming 2020 title game. Our opening salvo declared that “the odds for the 2020 Super Bowl will never be better, so make your bets now before everything changes.” Did you listen? It’s okay if you didn’t, because we’ve got your current Super Bowl LIV best bets, plus teams to avoid.
Since January, literally everything has changed! The Los Angeles Rams dropped from favorites to fourth. The Indianapolis Colts have dropped from a favorite in the AFC to a 60-1 longshot. The Philadelphia Eagles jumped from a semi-longshot in the NFC to the supposed third-best team.
Where does this leave your money in a quest to win big this season? These are your Super Bowl LIV best bets.
Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate Super Bowl LIV in today’s NFL Sports Debate.
Todd Salem:
It’s not surprising, but even the longest of longshots have all seen their odds decreased as rosters have been filled out. For example, seven months ago, the Miami Dolphins were 300-1 to win the title. They still won’t win the title and are still the worst team in the league according to the odds. But now those odds have plummeted to 170-1.
There is still betting value in the middle of the board. In January, we touted the Jets and Jaguars as having the most interesting lines on the board. Both teams have seen their lines drop a little but remain enticing wagers.
I want to jump back to the Colts. Indianapolis went from a top-six team in its conference to a bottom-six team (according to the odds) with the retirement of Andrew Luck.
Doesn’t this team still have elite players at nearly every positional group outside of quarterback? What if Jacoby Brissett is…competent? Is there a 1-in-60 chance that Brissett can be adequate? That is too simplified of a reason to back a Colts bet, but the odds stood out as stark to me.
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I’m a larger fan of a team that got just a brief mention from me in January. The Carolina Panthers are in the same ballpark as the aforementioned Jets and Colts. The difference is they already have an elite quarterback. We don’t need to wait and see with Cam Newton. If he’s healthy, he is one of the best producers at the position. Ron Rivera says there is “no doubt” Newton plays Week 1. I’ll take his word for it. That alone makes Carolina a playoff contender.
If you want to talk about elite players at every positional group, the Panthers come darn close. I want to see at least slight improvements from the offensive line, which just finished as a top-10 unit in 2018, saw a good amount of turnover, but may stay right in that neighborhood this season.
Then it comes down to the pass catchers. What level of Greg Olsen will we get? Can DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel become starting-caliber as a duo? Some people are believers; others may not be.
At 50-1 odds to win the Super Bowl, there is no better bet on the board right now than Carolina.
Dan Salem:
It’s nice to see that I nailed my Eagles pick back in January, because that was the time to bet on Philadelphia. They had stellar odds to start the year, yet now are a terrible bet in terms of odds and potential payout. There’s little reason to take their 14-1 odds unless you simply love the Eagles.
Both Indianapolis (60-1) and Carolina (50-1) present solid wagers. I can’t argue with your reasoning, as no team below the Jets (60-1) is even worth a sniff. My money is on a different team with equally as enticing odds, all be it slightly less of a long shot.
The Atlanta Falcons withstood devastating injuries to their defense last season, yet still mustered a respectable finish. Atlanta is certainly ranked behind New Orleans in its own division, yet are we certain they are actually a worse team?
Matt Ryan has a slew of playmakers to work with on offense, headlined by Julio Jones. The defense will be better because there’s little chance it gets as injured again this season. With 32-1 odds to win the Super Bowl, I love the Falcons and their redemption story.
I think it’s important that we also mention several teams with odds that simply do not have any bearing on the quality of the football team itself. These teams all have very good odds, yet probably shouldn’t.
San Francisco with 36-1 odds feels foolish. The 49ers should be down where Carolina and the Jets are. The same goes for Seattle with 32-1 odds. Does anyone truly believe the Seahawks will be better this season? They clawed their way to respectability last year and almost didn’t make it.
Now for some truly egregious Super Bowl LIV odds. The Green Bay Packers have 19-1 odds, making them an awful bet. This team has so far to go until we can consider them a legitimate threat. I nearly through Pittsburgh on here as well with 19-1 odds, yet the Steelers were actually solid last season. The Packers were not.
Yet, the worst offender of all is the Cleveland Browns with 15-1 odds. Holy heck, don’t waste your money. Cleveland will be better. They may even win their division. But there’s no way you should put your money on this team with equal Super Bowl LIV odds as the Eagles. Just light those dollar bills on fire. At least you’ll enjoy watching them burn.