Super Bowl LII is finally set with the Philadelphia Eagles squaring off against the New England Patriots, and fans have a ton of wagers they could make.
Much to the chagrin of many fans outside the New England area, the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl coming off yet another comeback victory in the AFC Championship. Quarterback Tom Brady and company erased a 10-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to earn their trip to Minneapolis. Meanwhile, the Eagles rode a dominating defensive performance and the red-hot arm of Nick Foles to cruise to a 38-7 victory to represent the NFC.
Vegas is always prepared for any outcome so it didn’t take very long for odds surrounding the Super Bowl to come out. There’s a multitude of routes gamblers can take on Super Sunday, from simple point spreads and over/unders to silly prop bets like what the coin toss will be.
It’s also important to note that these odds are subject to change over any little factor that pops up in the next two weeks. Maybe Brady suffers another hand injury that makes everyone lose their minds for no reason. Maybe Carson Wentz turns into Wolverine from Marvel comics and heals his knee.
These options are obviously extreme but it’s a reminder to bet smart. One injury that will be very important to keep an eye on is Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and his recovery from a concussion that knocked him out of the AFC title game. His availability would affect point spreads and the under/over in a big way.
Point Spread
To the surprise of nobody, the Eagles will once again play the role of the underdog in this one. Ever since they lost MVP-caliber quarterback Carson Wentz to a torn ACL, they have been doubted in all corners. The Patriots are favored by 5.5 points, according to OddsShark.
Both teams finished the regular season very close in their records against the spread, with New England going 11-5 and Philly going 10-6. The bigger that spread is, the better chance the Eagles have to cover even if they don’t win outright. In recent Super Bowl history, the underdog in the point spread has gone a sparkling 12-4 in the last 16 years.
Money Line
At least as of now, the money line isn’t the most exciting bet in the world on its own. Both teams are sitting at -200. This is something that could shift as the game gets closer.
Over/Under
Early lines for the over/under are floating between 47.5 and 48.5 which is a pretty reasonable number, with OddsShark splitting the difference at 48. For those unaware, this is the total number of points scored in the game, regardless of who scores them. Vegas expects this game to be relatively high-scoring with Brady at quarterback and the Philadelphia offense looking dangerous even with Foles under center.
Yet again, both teams had similar records in the over/under department this year. The Patriots went 7-9 and the Eagles went 8-8. This number is placed really well as it’s easy to see the game going either way. In the past 10 seasons, the over number has hit in six Super Bowls.
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This is shaping up to be a pretty fun Super Bowl that features a meeting of two teams that have a combined record of 30-6 through the regular season and playoffs. Even without Wentz, the Eagles are a dangerous team and the betting numbers reflect the fact that Philly has a chance to topple the New England empire.