NFL Season Kicks Off with Surprising Favorites and Problematic Gambling Trends

Strategic Insights -

The National Football League season starts Thursday, Sept. 4, with fans expecting surprises over the 17-game schedule for many teams. Sports betting also heats up around NFL kickoff time, with fans picking weekly winners and the eventual Super Bowl champion or Most Valuable Player award winner. According to Bill O'Brien, sportsbook manager for Canadian-based PowerPlay, the Buffalo Bills are co-favourites to win the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, listed at +600.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Buffalo Bills are co-favourites to win the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, listed at +600, which means for each $100 players bet, a correct pick wins $600.
  • Defending champions the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs are the next highest favourites at +700 and +800 respectively on the PowerPlay platform.
  • Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is the reigning NFL MVP, but PowerPlay has the Bills' superstar as second favourite this year behind Baltimore's Lamar Jackson.
  • The Bills are -333 favourites to win their division, which means bettors would need to wager $333 to win $100 in profit.
  • PowerPlay reports that the Bills are one of the most popular picks for outright wins, and with a 13-4 record last year, most players cashed in those bets.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Blue Jays tend to garner strong betting interest, with expectations high for a winning season from both teams.
  • The Blue Jays are hovering around -300 to win American League East, whereas they were +1,000 underdogs at the start of the season.

Statistics:

  • 64.5% of Canadians 15 or older reported gambling in the past year, according to a 2022 Statistics Canada report.
  • 1.6% of Canadians who reported gambling (304,400 people) had a moderate-to-severe risk of problems related to gambling.
  • The Buffalo Bills are listed at +600 to win the Super Bowl, with a payout of $600 for every $100 bet.
  • The Philadelphia Eagles are listed at +700 to win the Super Bowl, with a payout of $700 for every $100 bet.

Sources:

  • Mike Pearson, Insidehalton.com
  • Statistics Canada (2022 report on gambling in Canada)
  • iGaming Ontario (resources for problem gambling)
  • Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG)