2020 wasn’t the season New England fans were used to. After 20 seasons, Tom Brady left town for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won another Super Bowl without Bill Belichick by his side. The first season with Cam Newton behind center was also anything but a success and the rocky season is in the history books.
Now, the Patriots are bringing an entirely new crew to the table. They spent the most money ever in free agency, bringing in over a dozen new faces like Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, and Jalen Mills (among many other starters). They also landed quarterback of the future Mac Jones in the NFL Draft, who will be looking to direct the team post-Newton. It’s clear Belichick felt the heat after watching his former quarterback succeed in Tampa and the race to reestablish the franchise is underway.
With so much new talent added to the roster, don’t expect another playoff-less season from the Patriots. They’re in win-now mode.
New England Patriots Week 1 odds
The Patriots kick off their 2021 season at home against the division-rival Dolphins– the same team they opened their 2020 season with. New England bested Miami in Week 1 last year, where Cam Newton scored three times on the ground in his Patriots debut and the game finished with 32 combined points (21-11). After signing a haul in free agency, the Pats opened as 2-point favorites (now ).
In two matchups last year, the Patriots split games with the Dolphins. Both point totals remained low (32 and 34 combined points) and the games were determined on the ground; New England combined for 217 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in their Week 1 win while they surrendered 250 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in their Week 15 loss. While pass catchers Nelson Agholor, Hunter Henry, and Jonnu Smith were added in free agency, a Cam Newton-led offense will almost certainly lean on the ground game.
The Patriots finished 2020 7-9 against the spread and just 5-11 against the over (third last in the NFL). The point total for this game is .
Complete Week 1 betting preview: Dolphins vs. Patriots
New England Patriots futures odds
Patriots Super Bowl odds and other futures markets 2021
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.
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +3300
- To win AFC: +1600
- To win AFC East: +350
- Make playoffs: +144
- Patriots win total: 9 (-110)
Odds last updated July 12
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!
New England Patriots 2021 schedule and betting odds
Here is the New England Patriots schedule along with odds from DraftKings Sportsbook.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff Time | Opening Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday, Sept. 12 | vs. Miami Dolphins | 4:25 p.m. ET | Patriots -2.5 |
| 2 | Sunday, Sept. 19 | at New York Jets | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 3 | Sunday, Sept. 26 | vs. New Orleans Saints | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 4 | Sunday, Oct. 3 | vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 8:20 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 5 | Sunday, Oct. 10 | at Houston Texans | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 6 | Sunday, Oct. 17 | vs. Dallas Cowboys | 4:25 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 7 | Sunday, Oct. 24 | vs. New York Jets | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 8 | Sunday, Oct. 31 | at LA Chargers | 4:05 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 9 | Sunday, Nov. 7 | at Carolina Panthers | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 10 | Sunday, Nov. 14 | vs. Cleveland Browns | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 11 | Thursday, Nov. 18 | at Atlanta Falcons | 8:20 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 12 | Sunday, Nov. 28 | vs. Tennessee Titans | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 13 | Monday, Dec. 6 | at Buffalo Bills | 8:15 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 14 | BYE | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 15 | Dec. 18 or Dec. 19 (Sat/Sun) | at Indianapolis Colts | TBA | OTB |
| 16 | Sunday, Dec. 26 | vs. Buffalo Bills | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 17 | Sunday, Jan. 2 | vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
| 18 | Sunday, Jan. 9 | at Miami Dolphins | 1 p.m. ET | OTB |
Best Patriots betting site(s)
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
- Cowboys +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). The Cowboys 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)
- Titans +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 Titans keep the game within two and lose 17-16, the Titans (+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, a Patriots 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
Trades: T Trent Brown (from Raiders)
Re-signings: QB Cam Newton (one year, $13.6 million), C David Andrews (four years, $19 million), CB J.C. Jackson (second-round tender)
Free agent losses: G Joe Thuney (to Chiefs)
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 picks: QB Mac Jones, DT Christian Barmore, EDGE Ronnie Perkins, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, LB Cameron McGrone