Current Super Bowl Odds 2021

Super Bowl LIV set up as a battle between the two legitimately top squads from each conference, a true battle of the Irresistible Force (Chiefs offense) and the Immovable Object (49ers defense). The game essentially lived up to every ounce of its expectations. Ultimately Kansas City’s firepower and an elevated performance from its own defense were enough to get past a suddenly mistake-prone San Francisco squad in the second half.

The tightly contested battle was a fitting cap on an exciting 2019-20 NFL season. The league will now take a step back from the spotlight over the next several months – save for brief interludes such as free agency and the NFL Draft – until training camps kick off in late July.

As was the case throughout the past season, this page will once again serve as a hub of NFL betting-related information each week throughout the 2020 NFL season and postseason. That will include the latest odds from leading regulated sportsbooks for every game, as well as a detailed betting breakdown for each contest.

The Big Game’s final gun doesn’t equate to an absence of betting opportunities, however. The sun never sets in the NFL betting landscape. Accordingly, there are 2021 Super Bowl Champion futures available at all regulated sportsbooks. The just-crowned Chiefs naturally opened as the odds-on favorite (+600) at FanDuel Sportsbook. The runner-up 49ers aren’t second in this instance, however. Another AFC squad, one that many assumed would be the conference’s representative in SB LIV holds that distinction – the Baltimore Ravens checked in just behind Kansas City at +700.

Super Bowl 2021 betting odds

NFL offseason breakdowns for 2020-21

Before we head into the “quiet” portion of the offseason (pre-free agency and draft), here’s a snapshot of where all 32 teams currently stand.

AFC East

New England Patriots

Key free agents: Tom Brady, QB; Philip Dorsett, WR; Devin McCourty, CB; Jamie Collins, LB
Est. cap space: $42 million

The biggest offseason question looming is naturally the fate of Tom Brady, who’ll be an unrestricted free agent effective March 18 absent a new deal with New England prior to then. The Patriots’ offense will naturally look considerably different if there’s a different arm helming the air attack for the first time since 2000, but the Pats do seemingly have enough cap space to add at least a couple of above-average free agents.

Bet on where Tom Brady will play in 2020-21 at DraftKings Sportsbook

Buffalo Bills

Key free agents: Jordan Phillips, DT; Shaq Lawson, LB
Est. cap space:  $80 million

The Bills are universally viewed as one of the true teams on the rise in either conference. Most of their key pieces are set contractually as well, and Buffalo has all the money it needs to make a splash or two in free agency if they want to go that route in terms of giving the emerging Josh Allen more weapons.

New York Jets

Key free agents: Robby Anderson, WR; Kelvin Beachum, OL; Bilal Powell, RB; Ty Montgomery, RB
Est. cap space:  $52.6 million

Anderson has made plenty of rumblings about wanting to test the open market, so the Jets could well be faced with replacing him through either the draft or the open market this offseason. New York should have enough cap room to fulfill its offseason goals, but the biggest question mark looming over the team involves a player under contract. There have been plenty of rumors regarding a possible Le’Veon Bell divorce after just one season, a move that could change the entire dynamic of the offense if it comes to pass.

Miami Dolphins

Key free agents: Vince Biegel, LB
Est. cap space: $84.5 million

The Dolphins stand poised to be one of the offseason’s most intriguing teams to monitor. Their cap room is elite, and they also currently hold the most picks (14) in April’s draft, including three first-rounders. Miami has a legitimate chance to make a monumental leap in Year 2 of the Brian Flores Era if they make enough prudent moves with their ample resources. Rumors of a move up to the top of the draft to nab Joe Burrow have already surfaced, although the team could also opt to stand pat at No. 5 and take Tua Tagovailoa.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Key free agents: Jimmy Smith, CB; Michael Pierce, DT; Patrick Onwausor, LB; Brandon Carr, CB; Matt Judon, LB
Est. cap space:  $26.6 million

The Ravens arguably carry the biggest chip of any team on their collective shoulders as the offseason begins, with the divisional-round loss to the Titans likely to sting until training camp opens. Baltimore’s cap space isn’t as ample as other clubs, and they do have some important free agents to consider re-signing. However, adding the right receiver or two could put this already stellar offense over the top.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Key free agents: Vance McDonald, TE; Bud Dupree, LB; Javon Hargrave, DT
Est. cap space: $-8.3 million

As their estimated cap space figure indicates, the bean counters will get a workout in Pittsburgh early in the offseason trying to get the team’s financial house in order. There will have to be some creative accounting to make Pittsburgh a viable player in free agency, but the good news for the Black and Gold is that a healthy Ben Roethlisberger could very conceivably get this club, as is, back to double-digit wins.

Cleveland Browns

Key free agents: Damarious Randall, FS; Kareem Hunt, RB
Est. cap space: $45.8 million

Arguably the most disappointing team in the league this past season, the Browns will hit the reset button with new head coach Kevin Stefanski. The new head man’s clear and unquestioned top priority is fixing the most talented “broken” offense in the NFL. There have been questions about the willingness of top wideouts Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, Jr. to remain in Cleveland as well, so the new coach likely has plenty of P.R. work on his plate in his first couple of months with the team.

Cincinnati Bengals

Key free agents: A.J. Green, WR; Darqueze Dennard, CB; Tyler Eifert, TE; Nick Vigil, LB
Est. cap space: $46.6 million

It’s widely assumed Joe Burrow will be leading this team, likely as early as Week 1, next season. He’ll have some talent to work with even if franchise stalwart Green heads elsewhere, but Cincinnati will likely need to load up on plenty of impact defensive players in free agency and the draft to make a drastic turnaround in 2020. 

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs

Key free agents: Terrell Suggs, LB; LeSean McCoy, RB; Bashaud Breeland, CB; Chris Jones, DE
Est. cap space:  $19 million

The Super Bowl champs have only a modest amount of cap room heading into the offseason. Patrick Mahomes is due for a monstrous extension in the next year as well, but re-signing Jones is likely also a major priority on the defensive side of the ball.

Las Vegas Raiders

Key free agents: Daryl Worley, CB; Karl Joseph, CB; Isaiah Crowell, RB; Jalen Richard, RB; DeAndre Washington, RB
Est. cap space: $54.7 million

The Raiders are rumored to be heavily interested in Tom Brady should the future Hall of Famer enter free agency. If such a move unfolded, Las Vegas could be in position to get a solid return on current signal-caller Derek Carr in a trade. Depending on how much Brady sets them back, the Raiders should also have a serviceable amount of cap room to make a move or two to upgrade the receiver corps in particular.

Denver Broncos

Key free agents: Chris Harris, RB; Derek Wolfe, DE; Ron Leary, OG; Justin Simmons, S
Est. cap space:  $51.9 million

Harris and Wolfe are particularly important free agents, but only one might be brought back. The Broncos will likely be prioritizing their offseason moves around helping the growth of sophomore signal-caller Drew Lock, who showed promise in his late-season starting stint in 2019.

Los Angeles Chargers

Key free agents: Philip Rivers, QB; Melvin Gordon, RB; Adrian Phillips, S; Hunter Henry, TE; Austin Ekeler, RB (Restricted)
Est. cap space: $51.7 million

The Chargers’ list of impending free agents is a daunting (and expensive) one. The team has already verbally cut ties with Rivers, and it’s likely Los Angeles also prioritizes qualifying Ekeler at the highest possible RFA compensation over trying to retain Gordon, who will seek a deal on the open market the Bolts aren’t highly unlikely to be willing to match. 

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

Key free agents: Dak Prescott, QB; Amari Cooper, WR; Randall Cobb, WR; Michael Bennett, DE; Byron Jones, CB; Sean Lee, LB; Robert Quinn, DE
Est. cap space:  $74 million

Prescott’s status is the biggest lingering question as the deadline for the franchise tag approaches. It appears likely the team will need to use the designation on Prescott for the moment, perhaps buying them time to also ink Cooper. However, there are still plenty of notable names on Dallas’ to-do list even if they get their two biggest free agents to-be under contract, although the cap room could be sufficient for Jerry Jones and company to retain everyone they want.

Philadelphia Eagles

Key free agents: Ronald Darby, CB; Jason Peters, LT; Nelson Agholor, WR; Tim Jernigan, DT; Jordan Howard, RB
Est. cap space:  $38.5 million

It could be a tumultuous offseason for the Eagles, which don’t enjoy an abundance of cap room and have a couple of big names on their free-agent list. Philadelphia clearly needs an upgrade at receiver as well, but it’s not a very strong year at the position in free agency.

New York Giants

Key free agents: Markus Golden, LB
Est. cap space:  $58.2 million

The Giants could potentially be big players this offseason, as the combination of a lack of key free agents and a solid amount of cap room should give them the flexibility to plug multiple holes. The majority of those are on defense, as the offense carries no shortage of upside when all of its skill-position pieces are healthy.

Washington Redskins

Key free agents: Brandon Scherff, OG; Case Keenum, QB; Chris Thompson RB
Est. cap space:  $93 million

The Redskins have a eye-popping amount of cap room and don’t have much in the way of key re-signings. Normally, that would foretell a rewarding offseason, but Washington has been in this position on multiple occasions in recent years and still managed to fall well short of maximizing its leverage. One of the team’s top priorities should be to upgrade the weapons around sophomore-to-be Dwayne Haskins, whose best chance at development will naturally be a strong supporting cast.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers

Key free agents: Bryan Bulaga, RT; Tramon Williams, CB; Mason Crosby, K; Geronimo Allison, WR; Blake Martinez, LB
Est. cap space:  $21 million

The Pack finds itself in an interesting position, as many felt their 13-3 regular-season record in 2019 was more mirage than anything else. Green Bay certainly didn’t help dispel that notion with its performance against the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, a contest that made it evident one of the team’s top priorities through either the draft or free agency should be finding a legitimate No. 2 receiver to line up opposite Davante Adams.

Minnesota Vikings

Key free agents: Trae Waynes, CB; Anthony Harris, S; Andrew Sendejo, S
Est. cap space:  –$12.3 million

Much like the Steelers, the Vikings will need to first get themselves under the cap before they can get to any offseason upgrades. This team is likely good enough to compete for the postseason again as is, but there appears to be little doubt a third passing game weapon, at minimum, is necessary before they can break past their current ceiling.

Chicago Bears

Key free agents: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S; Danny Trevathan, LB; Nick Kwiatkoski, LB
Est. cap space:  $12.8 million

The Bears’ outlook at this point in the offseason isn’t exactly bright, considering their relatively sparse cap room and uncertainty at the most key position. Mitchell Trubisky didn’t exactly engender confidence with his performance this past season, but the franchise appears committed to him for at least the start of the 2020 season. The team’s main method of upgrading talent around him may likely have to be through the draft.

Detroit Lions

Key free agents: Tavon Wilson, S; Rashaan Melvin, CB
Est. cap space: $38.6 million

The Lions appear to be in a good position to upgrade talent on both sides of the ball, as they’re not faced with a long list of their own key free agents and also have a solid amount of cash to work with. Matthew Stafford’s full return to health will naturally be a key, and if that indeed comes to fruition, there’s plenty of upside on the offensive side of the ball. The defense is where the most re-tooling may be necessary, however, especially on the back end, where the team may move on from both Wilson and Melvin.

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers

Key free agents: Emmanuel Sanders, WR; Jimmie Ward, S; Matt Breida, RB (restricted); Kendrick Bourne, WR (restricted)
Est. cap space: $21 million

The NFC champs are fortunate they don’t have very many priority re-signings to deal with, as their cap room isn’t optimal. Sanders is unlikely to be back, at least not before seeing what the open market can offer. The team could benefit from at least one more receiver, however, but Deebo Samuel may be ready to vault into a true No. 1 role as early as 2020.

Seattle Seahawks

Key free agents: Jadeveon Clowney, DE; Ezekiel Ansah, DE; Mike Iupati, G
Est. cap space: $59.7 million

The Seahawks could well gain some ground on the division-rival Niners with an offseason of prudent shopping and drafting. The team should have enough cash to check off most, if not all, of the boxes on its personnel to-do list, making it conceivable they go from good to great in 2020.

Los Angeles Rams

Key free agents: Dante Fowler, Jr., LB; Cory Littleton, LB; Greg Zuerlein, K; Andrew Whitworth, LT; Michael Brockers, DE
Est. cap space: $17.5 million

The Rams weren’t quite the NFC version of the Browns, but they underwhelmed in their own right. Most of the key free agents are on the defensive side of the ball, yet there are still questions to be answered on offense. The health/viability of Todd Gurley is certainly one, and there’s also the matter of figuring out what the team has in 2019 third-round pick Darrell Henderson, who finished the season on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain.

Arizona Cardinals

Key free agents: D.J. Humphries, LT; Kenyan Drake, RB

Est. cap space: $51.5 million

Drake is the biggest free agent of note for this squad, and they’ll have the cash to retain the young veteran if they want to. Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray offered plenty of reason for optimism with his play, and getting him at least one more receiver and a stud tight end through free agency or the draft is likely to be high on the Cardinals’ list of priorities.

How to bet Super Bowl futures

Futures bets

Futures bets are a great way for diehard sports fans to get themselves a little more involved in the upcoming success of their favorite teams and/or players. They can also be a good way for the maligned hometown fan to shift focus a little bit and worry more about the success (or failure) of rival teams.

Fans can put their prediction skills to the test by placing wagers on things such as the Super Bowl 54 champion, division and conference winners, win totals for each team, and individual player awards such as MVP and Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year.

Additionally, many books offer over/under lines on certain yardage or touchdown numbers for specific players or head-to-head options between two stars of a shared position. These are often referred to as “specials.”

Odds on certain futures will often be updated throughout the offseason as players change teams or suffer injuries. Once the season starts, odds can change wildly based on injuries, and fast or slow starts with bettors having to know the difference between pretenders and contenders.

There’s nothing like placing a wager on a longshot early in the offseason and watching the year play out in their, and your, favor. It can be ill-advised to bet on a favorite in the offseason with so much time for things to go against them.

How to bet NFL futures

All online sportsbooks come in slightly different layouts, but futures sections are typically in the same general area.

Simply click the “NFL” or “Pro Football” tab on your book of choice. The default screen is generally the Week 1 schedule with all 16 games listed, but in a dropdown menu or separate menu bar, there should be several other options, including futures and specials.

Peruse these sections at your whim, looking for the teams, players, or odds which matter most to you. A wager such as Super Bowl Champions or MVP will have money options listed, whether it be all 32 teams or 30-50 of the league’s biggest stars. Each option will have odds listed next to it.

Betting the New England Patriots to repeat as Super Bowl champions at +700 means a $100 wager returns $700. A safer bet such as the Patriots to win the AFC East comes with diminished -600 odds for a return of $16.67 on a $100 bet.

Win totals and player specials typically come in the form of over/unders on a number set by the sportsbook. Each side of the bet will have odds for any result coming in above or below the line.

Other ways to bet on the Super Bowl

Point Spread

The point spread will be one of the most popular methods of placing a wager on Super Bowl LIV. The point spread is the projected margin of victory set by oddsmakers for the favored team. If a bettor wagers on the favorite to “cover” the point spread, the favorite must not only emerge victorious, but must do so by more than the point spread for the bet to be a winner. If the favorite wins the game but does so by less than the spread – or if it loses the game altogether – the bettor will have lost his/her money wagered.

Moneyline

A moneyline wager is a bet on which team will win the game outright, regardless of margin. A moneyline wager is essentially the same type of bet that has been placed among family and friends for decades. When placed with a sportsbook, a moneyline wager pays winning bets based on the odds attached to the wager.

For example, a moneyline wager on the favorite may carry odds of “-110”, meaning a bettor wins $100 for every $110 wagered. Conversely, a moneyline wager on the underdog may carry odds of “+112”, meaning a bettor wins $112 for every $100 bet.

Total (over/under)

A totals wager is one that hinges on whether the bettor correctly bet the game’s combined final score would finish over or under the number projected by the sportsbook at the time of the wager. For example, say Super Bowl LIV carries a projected total of 49 points. If one wagers the “under” on that figure and the game finishes with a 30-21 final score, the bet is a losing one, since the combined total of that score is 51 points. However, if the game instead finishes 24-21 – a combined score of 45 – then that bet would be a winner.

Player Prop Bets

Player Prop bets are wagers that are based on whether the individual player that’s the subject of the bet falls short of or exceeds certain statistical benchmarks. Sportsbooks typically offer an extensive array of such bets for an event of the magnitude of the Super Bowl. Player prop bets are based on the statistics usually accrued by players at different positions.

For example, a prop bet for a quarterback would be whether the player throws for less or more than 250 yards in the game. For a running back, an example would be whether the player receivers less or more than 20 carries. For a receiver, an available prop wager could be based on whether the player falls below or exceeds a certain number of receptions during the game.

Even non-skill position players such as kickers or even an entire defensive unit can be the subject of prop bets. A standard prop bet for a kicker could be based on whether the player will successfully hit more or less than a certain number of field goals, or whether they will miss an extra point. For a defense, prop bets could be based on whether that unit will give up a certain amount of points, or whether it will score a touchdown on an interception or fumble return.

Player prop bets are most often graded on full-game statistics, but there are also prop bets that are based on statistics accrued during a specific quarter or specific half of a game.

Exotic Prop Bets

Prop bets for major events such as a Super Bowl can also center on outcomes that aren’t based on traditional in-game statistics. For example, a prop bet can be placed on whether the game-opening coin toss comes up as heads or tails or which team will win the toss; the color of the Gatorade that is dumped on the winning team’s coach; and what the jersey number of one of the players who scores during the game might be.

There are even prop wagers based on the two flagship non-sports events associated with the game – the National Anthem and the halftime show. Bettors can place wagers on contingencies such as the length of time of the National Anthem, whether the performer will omit a word, whether a certain celebrity will make an unexpected appearance during the halftime festivities or how many songs will be performed by the halftime act.

Super Bowl MVP

The most prestigious individual Super Bowl-related award is that of Most Valuable Player. While any player is technically eligible for the distinction, the best odds by and far lie with the quarterback position, which has taken home 29 of the 54 MVP awards in Super Bowl history. That outpaces the next closest positions – wide receiver and running back – by 22. Five quarterbacks have won the MVP award on multiple occasions. The Patriots’ Tom Brady leads the way with four. The 49ers’ Joe Montana follows with three. Meanwhile, the Packers’ Bart Starr, the Steelers’ Terry Bradshaw and the Giants’ Eli Manning each garnered two apiece.

Even when a future Hall of Famer like Brady is on the winning side, it’s important to remember there is no such thing as a surefire bet. In last year’s Patriots’ win over the Rams, receiver Julian Edelman earned MVP honors with a 10-reception, 141-yard tally.

Alternate Lines

Alternate lines are those offered by sportsbooks as secondary options to the official point spread that has been set. These lines feature an extensive array of different point spreads for both the favorite and underdog side of the game. These lines typically begin at points well above the number associated with each team in the official game line and range well into the other side of the bet, i.e. allowing for a heavy favorite to be bet as a heavy underdog and vice versa.

To cite an example from last year’s Patriots-Rams Super Bowl matchup, New England entered the game at 2.5-point favorites at many sportsbooks. Alternate lines offered could have included a wagering opportunity on the Rams as seven-point favorites instead. Moreover, that bet would have included a very favorable “price” – the preset ratio at which the bet would pay out – due to the much lower probability of the Rams not only winning, but winning by more than a touchdown.

Live Betting

Live betting offers bettors the opportunity to place wagers on the point spread, moneyline or projected total of a game as odds on each fluctuate depending on the flow of a game. With a live betting option, a bettor doesn’t have to be locked into just the wagers they placed prior to the start of the game or at halftime. Rather, if, for example, the favored team unexpectedly falls behind by a two-touchdown margin in the first half, the bettor can hedge his original wager by investing in a new line with odds that reflect how the game is unfolding.

Teasers

A teaser bet is based on multiple games and enables the bettor to adjust the official point spread anywhere between four and 10 points, depending on sport. For football, the allowable range if six, 6.5 or seven points. For a teaser bet to pay out, each leg of the wager must be a winner.

An example of a teaser bet involving the two conference championship games would be as follows:

• The Chiefs are teased from 7.5-point favorites over the Titans down to 1.5-favorites (six-point tease)
• The 49ers are also teased from 7.5-point favorites over the Packers to 1.5-point favorites

If both Kansas City and San Francisco win their games by at least two points, respectively, the teaser bet is a winner. The appeal of teaser bets is the ability to manipulate the spread, and in the process, significantly increase the odds of the wager being successful.

Where to bet Super Bowl 2021