Bengals Can Repeat the History of Rams as Long Shot in Super Bowl
By Matt De Saro
One of the things I love about NFL betting is all the statistical coincidences that come across my desk. There are so many years of stats floating out there that one team can always be linked to another team in some strange or random way.
One recent example would be that the Los Angeles Rams are only the second NFL team in history to host the game in a year where they make it. The second in the entire history of football. The first was last season’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In the 56 years of the Super Bowl, this happened only twice and it was two back-to-back seasons. Considering that the Super Bowl host site is determined well in advance and is pretty random, this is a pretty big coincidence in my book.
The reason I bring this up is only to bring up another coincidence that happens to apply to this years’ Super Bowl.
The Rams, as a franchise, have just one Super Bowl win under their belts in four trips to the big game. While their most recent trip was back in 2018, they lost as underdogs to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
To date, the Rams' first and only Super Bowl win came back in 2000 when they beat the Titans 23-16 as seven-point favorites. Despite being favorites in the Super Bowl, the 1999-00 Rams were not expected to come anywhere near the big game during the preseason.
In fact, when Super Bowl odds opened in 1999, the Rams were 150/1 to go all the way. And this is where the coincidence lies. The Rams’ opponent in the Super Bowl, the Cincinnati Bengals, opened this season as 150/1 longshots to go all the way at WynnBET Sportsbook.
The Bengals’ season-opening odds to win the Super Bowl were 125-to-1.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) January 30, 2022
Cincinnati is the biggest long shot to reach the Super Bowl since the 1999 St. Louis Rams (150-1), per @ESPNStatsInfo.
So, what does this mean for betting on the big game? Not much to be honest. But, I really appreciate how the NFL is a neverending source of interesting stats that we can all enjoy.
For the record, I like the Bengals' chances to upset the L.A. just like the Rams did to the entire league back in 2000. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as convinced back when the odds were 150/1. Still, at +155 on the moneyline, the Cincy still presents a strong value to win its third straight playoff game as underdogs.
Follow all of Matt De Saro’s betting picks HERE