The 2023 NFL Schedule will be released in total Thursday evening at 8P Eastern on Peacock, but the word is out, and the buzz has begun regarding a few individual marquee matchups.
Three jump out for fans and bettors alike. Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets hosting Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins on Black Friday at Met Life Stadium. It’s the first-ever NFL game on Black Friday…and it will be televised on Amazon. Daniel Jones and the New York Giants travel to Philadelphia on Christmas Day to take on Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. New Year’s Eve features a clash of the titans as Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Rodgers Looms Large
No shock that we have not yet seen odds posted for any of these games but let’s look at how the public has attacked these teams on the Futures Market this offseason.
A regular at Knicks’ playoff games and other hot spots in the Big Apple since his arrival, Aaron Rodgers is the catalyst for the Jets’ odds of winning the Super Bowl dropping at BetMGM from +2500 to +1400. Seems a bit odd that although the Jets (+225) are now the 2nd betting favorite to win the AFC East behind the Buffalo Bills (+135), but the books still list Tua (+1400) as a stronger candidate to win MVP than Rodgers (+1600). The Dolphins’ odds (+3000) to hoist the Lombardi Trophy remain unchanged since said odds were first posted.
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Eagles Remain a Favorite
The Eagles (+900) were co-favorites in the NFC along with San Francisco to win the Super Bowl at BetMGM a few months ago. While the odds Kyle Shanahan‘s club (+900) wins the Super Bowl remain unchanged, Philly’s odds (+700) have dropped to +700. They are the clear favorite in the NFC to win the Super Bowl in February. While the Eagles’ odds of winning it all have improved, their signal caller’s odds to win MVP remain right where they started (+1000). Meanwhile, the Giants expect to field a more talented roster this season, but their odds have drifted from +4000 to +5000 the past few months.
BetMGM list the Chiefs (+650) as the overall favorite to win the Super Bowl on February 11th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Their opponent on New Year’s Eve, Cincinnati, is still among the favorites but their odds have moved (+900 to +850). Joe Burrow (+650) remains co-favorites with Mahomes to claim the MVP.
No question the odds will shift as the summer unfolds. The second wave of free agency may cause a random bump for a team or two and no doubt when training camps begin, we will see a handful of teams’ projected fortunes rise and fall, but until then the release of the schedule and subsequent posting of Week 1 odds should be the focal point for NFL fans and bettors.
Know when BetMGM and the rest of the sports books know. Tune in to the NFL Schedule release Thursday at 8P Eastern on Peacock.
