NFL betting: The 1st notable bet for next season's Super Bowl is on ... the Patriots?
Odds are up for Super Bowl LVIII next year, and if you feel strongly about a team now is not a bad time to bet.
Rosters will change a lot over the next few months, but getting ahead of that action can lead to a ticket on a team you like at peak odds. If you think a team will be a Super Bowl contender by landing the right quarterback — New York Jets, we're talking about you — then don't wait until they get that QB and the odds are chopped in half.
There has been one notable bet on next season's Super Bowl at BetMGM. It's on a team that plenty of people will pick to finish last in the AFC East.
Someone has optimism about the New England Patriots next season.
A bet on the Patriots to win it all
A $2,000 bet came in on the Patriots to win the Super Bowl at 50-to-1 odds. A seventh Patriots Super Bowl crown would result in a $100,000 win for that bettor.
Of course, it seems unlikely. The Patriots finished 8-9 last season and missed the playoffs. The offense lagged far behind, though there could be a big fix to that. The Patriots don't pick until 14th overall in the draft and don't have any extra picks until the fourth round, which doesn't portend a huge impact from the rookie class. The Patriots are in the top 10 of projected available salary-cap space, so maybe there's some help on the way through free agency.
Otherwise, it seems to be blind faith in Bill Belichick.
The one big change is at offensive coordinator. Matt Patricia was far over his head calling plays, so the Patriots hired Bill O'Brien as their new offensive coordinator. Make any O'Brien jokes you want about his time with the Houston Texans, but it's a massive upgrade at offensive coordinator.
Maybe that's enough to get the Patriots back in the playoffs, but the road won't be easy.
AFC East will be tough
The AFC is loaded, and the AFC East is a big part of that.
The Buffalo Bills have taken over as the top team in the division. They will be challenged by the Miami Dolphins if Tua Tagovailoa is healthy from his concussion issues, and by the New York Jets if they land a quarterback. If the Jets can pull off an Aaron Rodgers trade, many will pick them to win the division.
Not many people will be picking the Patriots to win the division, unless they have some big surprises coming this offseason.
The Patriots have a long track record of success but have taken an obvious step back since Tom Brady left. There are still questions if Mac Jones can be a top quarterback for the Patriots for years to come. The offense as a whole lacks playmakers.
A lot will change over the offseason for the Patriots and most other teams. One bettor thinks New England's championship outlook will look a lot better before the season starts.
