2014 Super Bowl XLVIII Opening Odds to Win – Broncos, 49ers Favored
By Anthony Rome
(The Spread) – The Baltimore Ravens are Super Bowl XLVII champions but who’s favored to win Super Bowl XLVIII? Let’s check out the opening odds.
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers have opened as 7/1 favorites to win the 2014 Super Bowl, respectively. The New England Patriots have the next best odds at 15/2 while the Green Bay Packers are 10/1 and the Ravens and Seattle Seahawks are 12/1, respectively. The Houston Texans, meanwhile, are 14/1 to win Super Bowl XLVIII next year.
Continuing with the odds, the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers are all 18/1 to win next year’s Super Bowl, respectively, while the Chicago Bears and New York Giants are 20/1, respectively. The Dallas Cowboys are 25/1, the Washington Redskins are 30/1, and the Indianapolis Colts are 33/1. The Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers are all 35/1 to win Super Bowl XLVIII, respectively.
Some of the mid-range long shots including the New York Jets at 40/1, the Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are all 50/1, respectively, and the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans, who are all 66/1, respectively. The largest long shots include the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, who are all 100/1, respectively.
The defending Super Bowl champion Ravens have a lot of questions to answer heading into the offseason. Joe Flacco is a free agent and is likely to command $20 million a year for his next contract, and both Ed Reed and Dannell Ellerbe are free agents. Receiver Anquan Boldin is still under contract through the 2013 regular season but at 33 years of age and due $6 million, he could become a cap casualty this offseason. That said, with Ozzie Newsome running the show, Baltimore is likely to contend again next year.
Meanwhile, it’s easy to see why oddsmakers would favor the Broncos and 49ers heading into the offseason. Denver arguably had the most complete team heading into the 2013 postseason and will have Peyton Manning under center following a career year in certain statistical categories. As for San Francisco, having Colin Kaepernick under center for a full year will be great, and that defense should address some of its issues in the secondary to return to top-10 form again next year. Both teams are very likely to contend again.
2014 Super Bowl XLVIII Opening Odds
Denver Broncos 7/1
San Francisco 49ers 7/1
New England Patriots 15/2
Green Bay Packers 10/1
Baltimore Ravens 12/1
Seattle Seahawks 12/1
Houston Texans 14/1
Atlanta Falcons 18/1
New Orleans Saints 18/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 18/1
Chicago Bears 20/1
New York Giants 20/1
Dallas Cowboys 25/1
Washington Redskins 30/1
Indianapolis Colts 33/1
Cincinnati Bengals 35/1
Detroit Lions 35/1
Minnesota Vikings 35/1
Philadelphia Eagles 35/1
San Diego Chargers 35/1
New York Jets 40/1
Carolina Panthers 50/1
Kansas City Chiefs 50/1
Miami Dolphins 50/1
St. Louis Rams 50/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 50/1
Arizona Cardinals 66/1
Cleveland Browns 66/1
Tennessee Titans 66/1
Buffalo Bills 100/1
Oakland Raiders 100/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 150/1