Sports Betting Futures Odds: Patriots vs. Falcons in Super Bowl LI

by Ricky Dimon - 1/25/2017

Throughout the second half of the regular season, Green Bay and Pittsburgh arguably looked like the two best teams in the NFL. Well, that debate got sorted out in a hurry during championship weekend. What we're left with is undoubtedly the two best, most well-rounded clubs heading to Houston, Tex. on Feb. 5. It will be Atlanta Falcons vs. the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

Odds provided by MyBookie.ag unless otherwise indicated.

Super Bowl

New England Patriots (-150) -The Patriots have "only" won one of the last 11 Super Bowls. Of course, it's "only" by their standards since they have also won four of the last 15. Head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have been a part of the dynasty the whole way, and they have been dominant this season post-suspension.

Atlanta Falcons (+130) - Atlanta is in its first Super Bowl since January of 1999. Matt Ryan and company had several golden chances to get there in previous seasons only to lose home playoff games. They did not make the same mistake again. The Falcons have won six in a row following postseason blowouts of Seattle and Green Bay.

"Over/Under" 59 -Only one of the last 12 Super Bowls has produced more than 59 points (Baltimore beat San Francisco 34-31 in February of 2013). Of course, none of the previous 50 Super Bowls has pitted Brady's Patriots against Ryan's Falcons. Atlanta has scored at least 33 points in six consecutive outings.

Super Bowl MVP

Tom Brady (-115) -To say this is not Brady's first rodeo would be a gross understatement. He is already a four-time Super Bowl champion and three-time Super Bowl MVP. With Rob Gronkowski out, Brady is by far the biggest name on the Patriots' roster. It's hard to see how he couldn't win MVP if his team wins the game.

Matt Ryan (+175) - Much unlike his 39-year-old counterpart, Ryan has never played in the biggest single game in American sports. But he had never won an NFC title, either, and he did that with relative ease last Sunday. Ryan is also favored to win league MVP. The former Boston College star has 18 TDs and zero INTs in the last six games.

Julian Edelman (+1200) -Edelman has been a part of one New England Super Bowl victory, in which he did not disappoint (nine receptions, 109 yards, and one touchdown in a 28-24 thriller against Seattle). Through two playoff games this month he has 16 catches for 255 yards and one TD after hauling in 98 balls during the regular season.

Julio Jones (+1200) -While Edelman is Brady's favorite target, Ryan's go-to guy is Jones. In fact, Jones would be any quarterback's preferred go-to guy. He is quite simply the most talented receiver in the league. Often injured, Jones put concerns to rest by going for 180 yards and two scores against Green Bay.

Australian Open ( BetOnline Sportsbook )

Rafael Nadal (+165) -We're only in the semifinals, and Nadal is favored to win a Grand Slam title on a hard court. You can't make this stuff up, folks. It certainly helps the Spaniard's cause that Novak Djokovic is not his semifinal opponent and Andy Murray is gone from the top half of the draw.

Roger Federer (+215) -Nadal is a considerable favorite against Grigor Dimitrov in the semis, and the King of Clay's likely final adversary is Federer, against whom he boasts a 23-11 lifetime record. But Federer was not even supposed to make it to the semis and the 35-year-old Swiss has done just that in impressive fashion.

Stan Wawrinka (+290) -Wawrinka's projected path to a possible second Australian Open title is Federer (whom he will face on Thursday) and then Nadal. The fourth-ranked Swiss is a futile 3-18 lifetime against Federer and 3-15 against Nadal. But nowhere is Wawrinka better than he is Down Under.

Grigor Dimitrov (+585) -Somewhat surprisingly, this is not Dimitrov's first go-around in a major semifinal. He also advanced to the last four at Wimbledon in 2014, but that result was largely forgotten because his career nose-dived thereafter. Back on track, the Bulgarian is a perfect 10-0 this season with a title in Brisbane.

Farmers Insurance Open

Jason Day (+650) - Tiger Woods' 2017 debut and return to his old stomping grounds of Torrey Pines is the big story this week. And he's not a total long shot after faring relatively well at last month's Hero World Challenge. But Day is a co-favorite along with Dustin Johnson. Day, who won this event in 2015, placed T12 at Kapalua.

Dustin Johnson (+650) -Johnson blew an opportunity to win the FedEx Cup last year, but he has bounced back nicely from his disappointment at East Lake. The reigning U.S. Open champion was third at the Hero World Challenge, sixth at Kapalua, and second this past week in Abu Dhabi. But he has never done much at Torrey Pines.

Hideki Matsuyama (+1100) -Matsuyama was the hottest golfer on the planet…until Justin Thomas' plane touched down in Hawaii earlier this month. The Japanese star won four times in the span of five tournaments before Thomas lifted back-to-back trophies in Hawaii (Matusyama finished runner-up to begin 2017).

Rickie Fowler (+2000) -Fowler is not exactly a Torrey Pines specialist, but who is other than Tiger and maybe Brandt Snedeker? The colorful American is in decent enough form, having finished third at the Hero World Challenge and 36^th in Abu Dhabi. Snedeker is also +2000, while Tiger is a +2800 ninth choice.

Start:	November 23, 2024 @ 10:07 PM
Expert:	Vernon Croy
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