The New England Patriots laid claim to the fourth Super Bowl title in franchise history earlier this month, topping the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in a Super Bowl matchup that will be remembered for its equal shares of controversy, questionable play calls and spectacular catches.
But while it was the Patriots who took home the hardware at Super Bowl XLIX, it is the Seahawks who have opened as betting favorites to win Super Bowl 50, with odds of 11/2 at online sportsbooks available through www.bettingsports.com.
After winning their first Super Bowl title in a 43-8 rout of the Denver Broncos a year ago, the Seahawks struggled early on in 2014, winning just three of their first six games before winning nine of their last 10 regular season outings to finish their regular season with a 12-4 record, clinching their seventh NFC West title in the last 11 years with a 20-6 win over the St. Louis Rams in Week 17.
While it was a smothering defense that powered the Seahawks to the top of the standings during the regular season, allowing just 6.5 points per game in their last six contests, the club struggled to contain opposing offenses during the post-season, particularly in their mistake-riddled, 28-22 comeback win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.
The Super Bowl champion Pats start their off-season closely trailing the Seahawks in Super Bowl 50 futures betting at sportsbooks available through www.bettingsports.com, with odds of 6/1.
Like the Seahawks, the Patriots got off to a slow start in 2014, losing two of their first four games before bouncing back to finish the season with 12 wins, including five victories in which they ran up the score with 41 or more points.
The Green Bay Packers round out the top three on the Super Bowl futures betting odds menu, pegged at 7/1. Led by QB Aaron Rodgers, who took home this season’s NFL MVP honors, the Packers claimed their fourth straight NFC North title and are also a solid 4/1 bet to emerge as the 2015 NFC champions.
A pair of 2014 division winners opened at a strong 12/1 in Super Bowl 50 online betting. Andrew Luck emerged as an elite NFL quarterback this season, throwing 40 TD passes to power the Indianapolis Colts to the NFC South title this past season, while QB Tony Romo showed the value of veteran leadership in leading the Dallas Cowboys to a 12-4 record and the club’s first NFC East crown since 2009.
While speculation continues to swirl around the future of QB Peyton Manning, the Broncos start the off-season at 14/1 in Super Bowl online betting, followed by the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Francisco 49ers at 20/1.
Following a disappointing campaign, which they finished 7-9 and outside the playoff picture for just the second time in the last six years, the New Orleans Saints are pegged at an intriguing 25/1, followed by the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions and New York Giants, all at 33/1.
Nine clubs are deadlocked at 40/1, with the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings pegged just ahead of the longshots, with odds of 50/1.
The New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Washington Redskins sit well back of the pack at 100/1, while the Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Titans are a distant 150/1, and the Jacksonville Jaguars pull up the rear on the Super Bowl 50 futures betting odds menu, at 200/1.
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