We’re down to four in the hunt for the Super Bowl, but nothing has changed on top of the Super Bowl 52 futures odds.
Heading into the conference championships the New England Patriots remain the Super Bowl 52 favorites, with the oddsmakers currently listing them at even money. That’s the best odds they’ve received — and the best odds any team has received — this season, up from +200 last week.
As expected last week New England easily got past the Tennessee Titans 35-14 as a 13-point home favorite. With another home game on tap this weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a return trip to the Super Bowl almost looks inevitable. The Patriots have won seven straight home playoff games, they’ve won seven straight against the Jaguars, and they’ve never lost at home to Jacksonville in seven meetings.
Following the Patriots on the Super Bowl futures odds are the miraculous Minnesota Vikings at +220. That’s up from +375 a week ago, and much better than the +2500 odds they were handed before the season began.
Minnesota is one win away from its fourth Super Bowl appearance — and first in over 40 years — thanks to Stefon Diggs’ unfathomable last-second touchdown catch against the New Orleans Saints. Diggs’ 61-yard TD gave the Vikings a 29-24 win as a 5.5-point favorite. Can they keep it up next week on the road in Philadelphia as a 3.5-point favorite? The trends are telling different stories, as the Vikings are a lame 1-6 SU in their last seven playoff road games, but as a road favorite overall they’re 5-1 SU in their last six.
Rounding out the Super Bowl futures odds are this weekend’s two underdogs, Jacksonville and Philadelphia, both at +650. Both also have recent experience winning in the playoffs as underdogs after last week.
Jacksonville stormed out of Pittsburgh last week with its second upset win over the Steelers this season after knocking them off 45-42 as a 7-point underdog. The Jaguars’ lackluster history against New England may make them look like a team bettors should take a pass on in Super Bowl futures. However, +650 may be worth a value bet, as the Jaguars are 3-1 SU this season as road underdogs.
Philadelphia, despite being the No. 1 seed in the NFC, was a 2.5-point home underdog last week against the Atlanta Falcons. The Eagles made the oddsmakers eat their words by delivering a 15-10 upset victory. Can they do it again versus Minnesota this week as a 3.5-point home underdog? Their home record of 8-1 SU this season is definitely promising. So too is their record versus the Vikings – 6-2 SU in their last eight and 7-1 SU in their last eight at home. Nick Foles replacing the injured Carson Wentz may have taken some of the shine off the Eagles, but that doesn’t mean bettors still can’t cash in if they keep surprising as the underdog.