Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns Super Bowl Betting Favorites in Las Vegas

Posted on: August 19, 2019, 10:54h. 

Last updated on: August 19, 2019, 12:39h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns are attracting the most money in Las Vegas, as oddsmakers there say the two teams are liabilities for Super Bowl LIV.

Chicago Bears odds NFL sports betting
The Chicago Bears are hoping for redemption following last season’s blocked field goal in the playoffs. (Image: David Banks/AP)

The Bears are coming off a solid year where they went 12-4 to win the NFC North. A devastating one-point loss in the Wild Card round to the Philadelphia Eagles that included a blocked 43-yard field goal attempt with just five seconds remaining on the clock ended what otherwise was a great season for Chicago.

With much optimism heading into the 2019-20 season, Bears fans are placing their bets in Las Vegas.

It’s been kind of overwhelming, the support [for the Bears],” Caesars oddsmaker Alan Berg told ESPN’s gaming reporter David Purdum. “Every time the Bears go to the playoffs, the following year, the money just pours in. Everybody gets optimistic.”

Chicago is at just 9/1 to win Super Bowl LIV next February at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Million Dollar Teams

Only five teams have garnered at least $1 million in Super Bowl wagers in Las Vegas. Along with the Bears, they are the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs (6/1), New Orleans Saints (12/1), and Cleveland Browns (18/1). The title odds are according to the Westgate SuperBook.

Cleveland is coming off a 7-8-1 season that finally showed the team has some hope moving forward, thanks to the play of quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The off-season acquisition of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr slashed the Browns’ Super Bowl odds from 25/1 to 14/1. They’ve since lengthened slightly, but there’s still much money riding on the town commonly referred to by outsiders as the “Mistake by the Lake.” Led by Mayfield, the Browns offense should be electrifying, with Beckham complementing wideout Jarvis Landry.

SuperBook Vice President Ed Salmons said Mayfield is one of the most popular NFL MVP bets, along with Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky.

Regional Odds

The US Supreme Court said in May 2018 that the long-standing federal ban on sports betting violated the Constitution.

As a result, 10 states have joined Nevada is getting sportsbooks up and running. But only two – New Jersey and Pennsylvania – are home to NFL teams.

Regional fan bases are creating certain liabilities for oddsmakers. For instance, the Philadelphia Eagles have printed the most ticket slips at sportsbooks in Pennsylvania. But back in Las Vegas, Philly is said to be in the middle of the pack at most casinos.

Rhode Island sportsbooks lost $890,000 on the last Super Bowl due to an influx of neighboring Massachusetts residents flocking to the state’s two casinos to place a bet on the New England Patriots – which went on to win the big game over the Los Angeles Rams.

As for the 2019-20 longshots, no team has longer odds than the Miami Dolphins. The team can be found as long as 200/1, meaning just a $5 bet and a Miami Super Bowl win would net the fortunate gambler who is prone to risk $1,000. The line implies odds of 0.5 percent.