The New England Patriots winning the AFC East and playing in January has been a staple in the NFL since 2001; just twice had they not won their division since then and just once had they missed the playoffs. Though the Pats were able to move right past the last couple times, 2020 seems different. Could this be the end of the dynasty? Or will Bill Belichick reload his team and get back to their winning ways?
One thing was answered early on in free agency– Belichick has no intentions of giving up the dynasty. The Patriots re-signed Cam Newton to another one year contract and then sunk more money than anyone else in the NFL into several high-profile free agents. Among those names are two tight ends, Jonnu Smith (formerly of the Titans) and Hunter Henry (formerly of the Chargers); two centers, David Andrews (re-signed) and Ted Karras (formerly of the Dolphins); and a pair of defensive studs, Matt Judon (formerly of the Ravens) and Jalen Mills (formerly of the Eagles).
New England brings an entirely new roster to the table in 2021 and plans to be back in the playoff picture. With their aggressive moves in free agency, what the Patriots will do in the NFL draft will certainly be worth keeping an eye on.
New England Patriots odds
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Patriots prop bets
Prop bets are based on individual performance, typically surrounding players. Cam Newton was a highly-anticipated addition to the Patriots this offseason, making him a popular prop bet target. For his season debut against the Dolphins, Newton had a projecting passing total of 224.5 yards. That week, he only passed for 155 yards, giving those who bet the under on his passing yards prop the win.
Search below for New England Patriots team or player props currently being offered at sportsbooks. You can also look around at other teams and players using this tool. Happy shopping!
Patriots futures odds
Futures are long-term bets that can range from an offseason to a full season (or beyond). Team win totals, award winners, and player performance are common futures. For example:
2020 Odds to win NFL DROY
- Chase Young -110
- Patrick Queen +450
- Kenneth Murray +1000
- Jaylon Johnson +1500
This line for the Defensive Rookie of the Year would often be bet before the season starts. Futures allow for bettors to capitalize on players they think are favorites to win awards long before the odds shift away from their favor. For example, Queen opened with odds of +900 to win the DROY award after the NFL Draft; his odds will shift as the season develops based on his performance for the Ravens defense.
Patriots Super Bowl LVI odds
The New England Patriots hold +3000 odds to win Super Bowl LVI. That is third in the AFC East and falls below other AFC teams like the Colts, Chargers, and Browns.
Patriots AFC East odds
For the first time since 2008– and just the second time since 2001– the Patriots did not win the AFC East in 2020.
Patriots win totals
9 wins (-143 over)/(+118 under)
Surprisingly, Cam Newton is headed into 2021 as the presumed starter for the Patriots after a majorly disappointing season. New England was the most aggressive team in free agency, adding everything from pass catchers (Hunter Henry, Nelson Agholor, Jonnu Smith) to defensive weapons (Jalen Mills, Matt Judon).
New England Patriots 2021 schedule and betting odds
Check back for the complete Patriots 2021 schedule along with the opening spreads for every game.
How to bet on the New England Patriots
Moneyline
The moneyline is the simplest of bets, decided by the straight-up winner and loser of each game. Consider the following example:
- Patriots -105
- 49ers +100
The Patriots are considered slight favorites in this matchup (indicated by -105), requiring a $105 bet to win $100 (plus the initial bet back). The49ers are the underdog in this matchup, paying out $200 total for a $100 bet ($100 in winnings). How much either team wins or loses by does not matter in moneyline betting, the payout remains the same.
Point spread
Betting on the point spread is determinant on how many points a team wins or loses by. Take the following example:
- Patriots -1.5 (-110)
- Vikings +1.5 (-110)
In this example, New England is favored by 1.5 points, indicated by “-1.5.” If the Patriots win the game 23-20, the Patriots (-1.5) win the bet and would have a total payout of $19.09 on a $10 bet ($9.09 in profit). If the Vikings keep the game within two and lose 17-16, the Vikings (+1.5) would win, and the payout would be the same as listed above.
Point total (over/under)
The point total refers to the over/under line set by books. This number projects the total number of points scored in a game and, like prop betting, is bet whether one thinks the score will go over or under the set point total. For example, the Patriots’ Week 11 game against the Texans point total was set at 45.5. New England lost that game 27-20, resulting in 47 combined points and awarding those who bet the over on the point total a win.
New England, at times, struggled to move the football on offense but fielded a strong defense in 2020, resulting in routinely-low point totals throughout the season. Those totals often fell between 38 and 45 points, with rarely any game totals pushing above 50.
In-play and live betting
Sometimes, the most thrilling and rewarding bets are bets made while games are being played. These are referred to as live bets or in-play bets. Odds are ever-changing during games, which would prove to be fruitful for sharp and prepared bettors. For example, if the Patriots (-225) were heavily favored against the Jaguars (+190) before kickoff, a payout on a $10 bet on the Patriots to win would win just $4.44.
However, say the Patriots fell to a big 17-3 deficit in the first half despite controlling the overall game (due to a costly turnover or special teams gaffe). Odds may swing in favor of the Jaguars, who may be a -110 favorite at halftime. Taking the Patriots to come back and win the game could present plus-odds (say, +130). Should a bettor take New England (+130) at halftime and the Patriots pull off the comeback, winners would win $13 instead of $4.44 (plus the initial $10 bet).
This could also be an effective way to “hedge” your bet; say a bettor took the Jaguars (+190) in that game, but New England jumps out to a 10-0 first quarter lead and is controlling the overall feel of the game, bettors could hedge by throwing some money down on New England (-270) to return some of the inevitably-lost bet.
Parlays and teasers
You can always string bets together in the form of parlays or teasers. Usually during busy Sundays, bettors can parlay several teams to win or cover against the spread and if all bets are successful, the payouts are multiplied. Teasers function similarly, except they allow bettors to move each point spread to a more favorable line in exchange for diminished odds.
Patriots 2020 recap
Record: 7-9
Record ATS: 7-9
Over/under record: 5-11
The first season without Tom Brady at the helm since 2001 could have gone better for the Patriots. They finished with their first sub-0.500 mark since 2000, missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008, and failed to win the AFC East for the first time since 2008. Their offense– which until this point thrived off role players– lacked any identity or go-to player and resulted in the NFL’s 27th-ranked scoring offense.
The name “Patriots” bought them a lot of early-season favors, especially against low-expectation teams like Denver and Houston. Their lackluster offense resulted in New England routinely failing to hit the point total and recording the worst mark against the over/under this season.
Patriots 2021 offseason moves
Key trades: T Trent Brown (from Raiders)
Key re-signings: QB Cam Newton (one year, $13.6 million), C David Andrews (four years, $19 million), CB J.C. Jackson (second-round tender)
Key free agent losses: G Joe Thuney (to Chiefs)
Key free agent signings: TE Jonnu Smith (four years, $50 million), LB Matt Judon (four years, $56 million), DL Davon Godchaux (two years, $16 million), CB Jalen Mills (four years, $54 million), WR Nelson Agholor (two years, $26 million), TE Hunter Henry (three years, $37.5 million), LB Kyle Van Noy (two years, $13 million)
Draft pick position needs: QB, LB, WR