Westgate SuperBook favors Patriots to lead NFL in wins next season
The New England Patriots have won 12 or more games in eight consecutive regular seasons. Las Vegas oddsmakers aren't sure they'll reach that point again this year.
The Patriots' season win total opened at 11 on Sunday at the Westgate SuperBook, the highest in the league, but down more than a win from last season's number.
Last spring, New England was coming off a Super Bowl title and opened with the highest win total (12.5) since at least the 2001 season, according to odds archive Sportsoddshistory.com. No other team was set higher than 10.5.
This year, the gap between New England the rest of the league has narrowed significantly.
" [Tom] Brady is going to be 41, and [Jimmy] Garoppolo is gone," said Ed Salmons, the Westgate's head football oddsmaker. "There just isn't as much margin of error for the Patriots at this point."
The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers each opened at 10.5, followed by the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings at 10. No other team opened with a double-digit win total.
The Westgate posted win totals on every team Sunday. Bettors can take over or under on the set number at varying odds.
The Cleveland Browns, who went 0-16 last season, and the Arizona Cardinals each opened at 5.5, the lowest of any teams at the Westgate.
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams saw the biggest year-over-year jump in their win totals. The 49ers, who were projected by the Westgate to win 5 games last season, picked up Garoppolo from the Patriots and closed the year with five straight wins to finish 6-10. San Francisco's win total for this season opened at 9.
The Rams opened at 9.5 for this season, after being projected to win just six games last year.
The Westgate has seen significant support on the 49ers and Rams from the betting public the past three months. In fact, more bets have been placed and more money has been wagered on the Rams to win the Super Bowl than any other team, Salmons said. The 49ers have the third-most bets to win the Super Bowl.
"I know both of those teams (Rams and 49ers) have difficult schedules, but the public has shown just a ton of support for them," Salmons said.
The Westgate on Sunday also posted point spreads on approximately 80 of this season's games as well as odds to win each division and "Yes/No" on each team to make the playoffs.
The Eagles, Vikings, Rams and New Orleans Saints are the favorites in their divisions in the NFC. The Patriots, Steelers, Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers are division favorites in the AFC.
The Cardinals are the biggest long shots to make the playoffs at 8-1.
The Patriots remain the favorites to win the Super Bowl at 6-1 at the Westgate. The Eagles and Steelers are next at 8-1, followed by the Rams at 10-1.
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