Super Bowl Sunday: New England Patriots Remain Las Vegas Favorites Over Los Angeles Rams

Posted on: February 3, 2019, 11:33h. 

Last updated on: February 3, 2019, 11:33h.

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

Super Bowl 53 kicks off in a matter of hours, and bettors in Las Vegas remain committed that the New England Patriots are better than the underdog Los Angeles Rams.

Super Bowl 53 NFL odds
Quarterbacks Tom Brady and Jared Goff headline Super Bowl 53. (Image: Getty)

The consensus point spread in Sin City has the Pats spotting the dogs 2.5 points. Westgate SuperBook oddsmaker Jeff Sherman reports that 61 percent of the tickets, and 74 percent of the money, is on New England.

As for the 56.5 over/under, 57 percent of the tickets are on the over, but 62 percent of the money is on the under.

The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that $6 billion will be wagered on Super Bowl 53, and almost all of it illegally. Nevada reported this week that its sportsbooks took a record $5 billion in bets last year.

Nevada oddsmakers say the majority of the money will come in the hours leading up to the 6:30 pm ET kickoff. “I would say probably 25 to 30 percent of the anticipated Super Bowl handle has been placed so far,” MGM Resorts sportsbook director Jay Rood told ESPN.

Americans wagered $158.58 million legally in Nevada on last year’s Super Bowl.

Sports Betting Takes Center Stage

The 2019 Super Bowl will likely be the most legally bet upon big game in NFL history. Eight states – Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Mississippi, and New Mexico – now have regulated full-scale sports wagering in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s repeal of the federal ban last May.

The big bets, however, continue to be placed in Las Vegas.

MGM Resorts says it took a $2 million moneyline bet on the Rams, and William Hill reports it took a $1.5 million bet and $300,000 wager on the underdogs. The three wagers were reportedly made on +120 odds, meaning the $2 million gamble will net $2.4 million should Los Angeles pull off the upset.

ESPN reports that the bets were made by the same customer, the illustrious and anonymous patron known as “Bettor X.” The unidentified person made millions during the 2017 World Series between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers.

William Hill additionally took a $580,000 bet on Sunday afternoon. Caesars Palace and Station Casinos say the worst-case scenario is the Patriots covering.

Expert Picks

Several Las Vegas oddsmakers feel Los Angeles will win. “A lot of us believe that the Rams are just a better team,” SuperBook oddsmaker Ed Salmons opined. “I really believe this line will come back and go more towards 1.5 and even one.”

Las Vegas typically knows best, but for Super Bowl 53, the NFL experts disagree.

ESPN surveyed 97 experts who predicted the outcome of the game, and 59 took the Patriots over the Rams. The average score is a New England 31-27 victory.