TheLines.com: Chiefs remain favorites heading into NFL Playoffs, but others make big moves

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS REMAIN SUPER BOWL FAVORITES AS NFL PLAYOFFS BEGIN
Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills among biggest movers ahead of Wild Card Weekend’s unprecedented six-game schedule, according to TheLines

With the NFL Playoffs now set, the favorite to win the Super Bowl remains unchanged from the NFL’s preseason odds, according to analysts TheLines, which tracks odds in the U.S. regulated sports betting market.

With an expanded format of 14 teams, the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs unsurprisingly open the playoffs as +220 favorite, according to a consensus of the nation’s largest legal online sportsbooks — including DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, PlaySugarHouse, BetMGM, Unibet, and William Hill. The Chiefs opened the season as +600 favorites, meaning bettors would win $600 for every $100 wagered.

While Kansas City has remained on top, much else has changed, including several preseason longshots moving toward the top. The Green Bay Packers, the only other team to receive a first-round playoff bye in the new format, open the playoffs as the NFC favorite at +450. Green Bay opened the season at +3100. The Buffalo Bills open at +700, moving from +2500 before the first week.

Not coincidentally, the three Super Bowl favorites entering the playoffs are led by the three favorites to win the NFL MVP award. That includes Aaron Rodgers, whose strong finish catapulted him from relative longshot to prohibitive favorite at -2500, followed by Josh Allen (+1000) and preseason favorite Patrick Mahomes (+1500).

“The Chiefs have been remarkably steady all year, but anyone who bet on the Packers or Bills to win the Super Bowl before the season began has to be excited now,” said Brett Collson, lead analyst for TheLines.com. “The odds will shift dramatically each week of the playoffs, and there will be plenty of twists and turns. The main certainty, though, is that the NFL playoffs drives bettors to sportsbooks like no other event on the sports calendar.”

The current odds for each playoff team to win Super Bowl LV as of Monday, Jan. 4 (with preseason odds):

• Kansas City Chiefs +220 (+600)
• Green Bay Packers +450 (+3100)
• Buffalo Bills +700 (+2500)
• New Orleans Saints +750 (+1200)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1000 (+1500)
• Baltimore Ravens +1100 (+650)
• Seattle Seahawks +1300 (+2000)
• Pittsburgh Steelers +2000 (+2500)
• Tennessee Titans +2800 (+3000)
• Los Angeles Rams +3300 (+4000)
• Indianapolis Colts +4000 (+2300)
• Cleveland Browns +5000 (+3400)
• Chicago Bears +9000 (+4400)
• Washington Football Team +10000 (+17000)

The consensus point spreads for Wild Card Weekend, as of Monday, Jan. 4:

• Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills (-7); over/under 52
• Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (-4.5); over/under 42.5
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-8) at Washington Football Team; over/under 46.5
• Baltimore Ravens (-3.5) at Tennessee Titans; over/under 54.5
• Chicago Bears at New Orleans Saints (-9.5); over/under 47.5
• Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers (-4); over/under 46.5

To access updated NFL playoff lines and Super Bowl odds, and for more analysis, visit TheLines.com/odds/nfl-playoffs.