Sports betting

NFL Future Odds Betting, NFL Odds, NFL Betting, NFL Season Win Totals Posted

by Tony Epstein | June 8 2009

Early projections for NFL teams are reflected in the opening online sportsbook numbers for Season Win Totals. Compare your picks and see how the numbers stack up. Some of the NFL odds may surprise you.

- For many NFL bettors the football season never really ends. When it comes to sports betting, the NFL has done a fantastic job becoming a year-round point of interest for its fans and as far as football betting goes, that extra bit of offseason handicapping homework can be the difference between 'good' and 'great' results when the action is for real come pre-season NFL betting season.

Super Bowl future odds were the first odds posted at SPORTSBETTING.COM for the upcoming 2009 football season and after the schedule was released it wasn't long before the sportsbooks started working out lines for the very popular Season Win Totals (SWT) future odds option.

Early NFL lines are posted and totals for a lot of NFL teams look a lot different than they did last year at this time. Free agency changes the landscape annually so it's only natural for the numbers on expected wins to change, too, and we've sorted through the list, compared numbers from 2008 and highlighted some spots for potential value.

NFL Odds—Season Win Totals
All odds courtesy SPORTSBETTING.COM

QB elevator, going up!
Chicago Bears: Over 8.5 (-160)
The new and improved QB situation in the Windy City has boosted the number on the Bears by one full game. Chicago did win nine games in `08, too, so if Jay Cutler cannot at least match that number he will take a lot of heat.

Getting no respect
Arizona: Over 8.5 (-125)
The Rodney Dangerfields of the league, Arizona slipped under the radar all year, was doubted throughout the playoffs and then nearly upset Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl yet its "Season Win Total" number is up by only a half-game.

Jump of the year
Atlanta Falcons: Over 8 (-135)
The Falcs "Season Win Total" number closed at 4.5 last year and with a new HC, a rookie QB and a whole lot of bad press stemming from Mike Vick the team rallied to a playoff berth. Minus the Vick part that sounds an awful lot like the Baltimore Ravens (Over 8.5 -160) story but Baltimore saw only a modest increase. Are the Falcons destined to fail?

There are a few sports betting favorites that are always hyped up and see plenty of action no matter what the line. That can lead to inflated pointspreads and win totals are no exception. The Dallas Cowboy (Over 9 -115) are a prime example and although the number could already be too high, if you're going to buy you may as well get in now since it'll only go up.

Here's a look at a few other candidates that are likely to increase by September.

Indianapolis Colts: Over 10 (-120)
The last time Indy finished a season with less than double-digits wins was 2001. Peyton Manning led the team on the field through that seven-year stretch of greatness and he'll be ready again this year. The difference now is no more Tony Dungy.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Over 10.5 (-115)
Any team that wins the Super Bowl will see its stock rise the following season and Pittsburgh SWT has followed suit. Up 1.5 from `08, one thing bettors should be aware of is that of 12 regular season wins last year for the Steelers, six of them were by a TD or less.

Honorable Mention
Detroit Lions: Under 5 (-130)
Quite possibly the biggest head scratcher of the lot. Somebody in Las Vegas must know a secret about the Leos because last we checked Detroit hadn't won since Week 16… of 2007! In a division that's only getting tougher it is hard to envision a rookie coach-rookie QB combo generating six-plus wins.

'Futures' betting is one of the best ways for sports bettors to get a bang for their buck since it essentially places a small chunk of action on each game of the season. It does tie up the money right until the final whistle in Week 17 but as long as bettors don't over-spend, those funds won't be missed.

Check out the lines for all 32 NFL teams at SPORTSBETTING.COM and circle your winners while the numbers are hot.