The Chiefs and 49ers Dominate Super Bowl Betting
There were shocks aplenty in the regular season NFL matchups in 2023. Results left gridiron fans scratching their heads and waving goodbye to their dollars. However, as is nearly always the case, the pre-season favourites prevailed when it came to the crunch. A Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl showdown proved the point.
Patrick Mahomes will attempt to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a third successive Super Bowl victory this season. ©GettyImages
The pair were among the favourites throughout the regular season. There is no reason to suppose that the big guns from last season will not prove equally challenging to keep out of the playoffs in the coming season. A repeat of last year’s finalists battling out 2025’s Super Bowl would be no big surprise.
The Chiefs – offered on 6/1 odds by NFL betting sites – will attempt to land an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl final. It would be a fantastic feat, should they pull it off. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has already reached legendary status in the NFL. He would become immortal if he led his team to a Super Bowl hat-trick.
Is KC the Perfect Package?
Mahomes has looked as brilliant and tricky as ever in his pre-season appearances, and adding Carson Wentz as the backup quarterback gives Kansas even more depth. Put a particularly lethal offence into the equation, and you will have the near-perfect package.
With a multi-talented defence, the Chiefs will undoubtedly be the team all the others have to beat. It is nigh impossible to see them not making the playoffs, and if so, the elusive hat-trick will be within their grasp.
The San Francisco 49ers are likely to prove as formidable as last season. Quarterback Brock Purdy will be more than hopeful that he can top the rankings for his position. He proved his critics were way off the mark in 2023, and with another season behind him, he is likely to be an even more potent weapon.
Unsurprisingly, the Chiefs and the 49ers hog the Super Bowl betting markets. The Ravens, the Bills, the Lions and the Bengals are others prominent in the betting. The Eagles ultimately disappointed last season after promising so much after their narrow Super Bowl defeat in the 2022 season.
.@PatrickMahomes has his eyes set on making history 👀 The 3x Super Bowl champ breaks down what he looks forward to the most this season!@HUGOBOSS | @Chiefs pic.twitter.com/o7xJ0iXt0j
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2024
The Packers and the Cowboys made their mark in 2023 and are among other teams in the top third of the betting. If they can improve further, they may feature when it gets down to the business end of the season.
Take the Texans for Super Bowl Stardom
The Houston Texans were the team that fired the imagination last season more than any. Their rookie quarterback, CJ Stroud, announced himself as a precious talent. He will start the season full of confidence and can step up on some outstanding first-season performances in the NFL.
The Texans started to turn things around after losing their opening two games in 2023. However, a few narrow defeats that could have so easily gone their way spoilt what would have been a stunning winning run. It was an excellent season, and they deserved to be winners of their division.
The team hammered the Cleveland Browns in their Wild Card Weekend game, with Stroud throwing three touchdowns. A rampant Baltimore Ravens stifled the Texans in the Divisional Playoffs. However, it was by far the best year for the Texans since they reached the playoffs in the 2019 season.
It could spell a new era for the youngest franchise and one-time whipping boys of the NFL. Former 49ers defensive coach DeMeco Ryans was an inspired signing as head coach in 2023, as was the draft pick of Stroud. The Texans became the first NFL team to win their division under a rookie quarterback and head coach. With that first season behind them, they will fear no one.
It is still a big ask for the Texans to lower the colours of the Super Bowl market leaders such as the Chiefs, the 49ers, the Bills, and the Ravens. However, with Stroud directing a potent offensive unit, bolstered by the signing of superstar wide receiver Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills, they have the potential to go all the way.
Looking elsewhere, the Miami Dolphins could be a good option at a chunky price. Quarterback Tua Tagovalloa led the side to some spectacular wins last season. They came up short against the top teams but gave the impression that better things would come.
The Dolphins have made some decent closed-season transactions to bolster their defence. Things could come together for them in this campaign if they can perform better in that department.
| Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl | 6/1 |
| Houston Texans to win the Super Bowl | 16/1 |
| Miami Dolphins to win the Super Bowl | 25/1 |
What Are the Best Picks for the Divisionals?
AFC East: The Patriots (21/10) look like a spent force, and this will be between the Bills and the Dolphins. There was much to admire about the Dolphins and their quarterback, Tua Tagovalloa, last season, and they could be the ones to beat.
AFC North: The Ravens were the winningest team in the 2023 regular season with an impressive 13-4 record. Quoted on 7/5 by the UK’s American football betting sites, Baltimore is good value to come out on top again in this competitive-looking division.
AFC South: The Texans (11/10) have some very winnable early games, but it gets more difficult in the second half of the season. However, they are a team on the way up and are unlikely to be easily beaten, no matter the opposition.
AFC West: With quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the driving seat, it will be a mighty upset to see the Chiefs toppled in the AFC West, and their 4/9 odds reflect that assumption.
NFC East: The Eagles dominate the division betting, but they failed to deliver in 2023, and their odds-on quote makes scant appeal. The Cowboys were getting their act together last season, topping the division 12-5, and they are taken to follow up at 17/10 odds.
NFC North: The Bears and Packers have solid claims of winning the NFC North, but The Lions won with plenty in hand last season and should be supported to do so again at a tasty 7/5.
NFC South: This division is too close to call. The Panthers will likely be out with the washing again, but the other three are closely matched. It is tough to make a strong case for any of them. Based on value grounds, the tentative selection is the Saints on 4/1 odds.
NFC West: Although they made some shocking slip-ups last season, getting away from the 49ers is tough. When the 1/2 favourites were hot, they were red hot, and they will prove tough to crack again.
