Oddsmakers make Pats fave to win 2010 Super Bowl

Parity is so great in the NFL that New England, a non-playoff team, is the odds-on-favorite to win next season’s Super Bowl.
This is according to opening 2009 Super Bowl numbers released by the oddsmakers at Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
“It strikes me more than any other year what a difference one call can make,” LVSC senior linesmaker Tony Sinisi said about how equal most of the teams are in the NFL. “A call here or there, can really make a difference.
“Tennessee, for example, lost to the Ravens. The Titans easily could have won that game. Arizona is a classic example. Five weeks ago nobody has the Cardinals in the Super Bowl. But they got hot at the right time.
“It just screams parity.”
The Patriots are 6-1. Pittsburgh is next at 7-1, followed by Indianapolis at 8-1 and last year’s defending champions New York Giants also at 8-1.
New England was LVSC’s choice despite the Patriots missing the post-season and Tom Brady facing an uncertain future after suffering a serious knee injury.
The Las Vegas Hilton also opened the Patriots as the favorites for Super Bowl XLIV to be played in February of 2010. New England is 8-1 at the Hilton. The next closest teams at the Hilton are Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Dallas and the Giants at 10-1.

New England went 11-5,” Sinisi said in defending making the Patriots the top choice. “The Patriots just were in the wrong division. Certainly they had a very solid year without their superstar quarterback.
“Bill Belichick is a brilliant coach. He wins with what he has. Give him the parts and he makes the car run.”
The Patriots hold a lot of credibility, too, with the betting public having reached the Super Bowl in four of the past eight years winning it three times under Belichick. The public likes to back a proven winner with a strong history.
Reserve quarterback Matt Cassel showed enough to make the Patriots worthy of strong respect even if Brady is unable to fully come back.
LVSC has Dallas at 9-1 followed by Baltimore at 11-1 and then Carolina, Philadelphia and Tennessee at 12-1. Next is San Diego at 14-1, a team that Sinisi believes could be dangerous.
“I think they’ll fill in some holes they had defensively,” he said of the Chargers.
One of those holes could be the return to health of dominant pass rusher Shawne Merriman.
Arizona didn’t get much respect opening 15-1. After the Cardinals are the Falcons at 16-1, New Orleans 18-1, Green Bay at 20-1 and Minnesota 22-1.
Miami and Washington are next at 25-1. Then come the New York Jets and Chicago at 28-1. Jacksonville follows at 30-1 and then Tampa Bay minus Jon Gruden at 35-1 and Denver minus Mike Shanahan at 35-1.
Houston and San Francisco are at 40-1 followed by Buffalo at 50-1. Cleveland and Seattle are at 60-1. Judging by how Arizona fared this season, there could be some value taking a shot with the Seahawks.
Seattle, of course, plays in the Cardinals’ weak NFC West Division. The Seahawks had a cluster injury problem in the offensive line and at wide receiver. In addition, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck missed nine games. He figures to be healthy next season.
Cincinnati is 75-1. Three teams are at 100-1. They are St. Louis, Kansas City and Oakland. Winless Detroit has the highest odds at 150-1.
It’s difficult to find odds of more than 100-1 on any NFL team these days in Nevada.
“Places aren’t looking to have great exposure,” Sinisi said. “They’re not going to put themselves out there.”
It’s not worth perhaps writing a few extra tickets to put out astronomical odds on a club for a Nevada hotel. Bookmakers are well aware of the parity that exists in the NFL. Many still remember 1999 when the Rams won the Super Bowl. They had odds as high as 300-1 at some books before the season.
A bad team can get good real fast because of an easy schedule, staying healthy, free agent signings, strong draft choices and getting lucky.
Miami won one game just two years ago. The Dolphins went 11-5 this past season, winning their AFC Eastern Division.
It’s become almost the norm that some team that was below .500 will turn it around in just a year and make a Super Bowl run. The key, of course, is coming up with that team.