Conference Championship Sunday did not disappoint, as both AFC and NFC Title Games came down to the wire.
The Cincinnati Bengals, an unlikely road underdog, traveled into Arrowhead Stadium and toppled the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime thanks to the leg of rookie kicker Evan McPherson.
Those that bet on the Los Angeles Rams to cover the -3.5 spread against the San Francisco 49ers probably didn’t like the result of the NFC Championship Game where LA was able to outlast the Forty-Niners by a score of 20-17.
Super Bowl 56 betting futures have placed the LA Rams near the top of the NFL odds since QB Matthew Stafford arrived in the offseason, but the same cannot be said for the Cincinnati Bengals who were predicted to finish around the middle of the pack.
That’s largely because of the uncertainty of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s health entering the season after missing most of last year due to a knee injury.
Cincinnati selected rookie wide receiver out of LSU, Ja’Marr Chase with their fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he quickly reestablished the connection he had with Burrow. The two won a CFP National Championship at LSU. Can they also win a Super Bowl after only one year together in the pros?
Odds for betting on Super Bowl 56 suggest that the Rams will become champions in their first campaign with Matthew Stafford under center, and currently hold a 4 point edge in the spread.
Super Bowl 56 Betting Line: Rams vs. Bengals
- Bengals Point Spread: +4.0
- Bengals Moneyline: +165
- Rams Point Spread: -4.0
- Rams Moneyline: -195
- Super Bowl Over/Under: 49.5
A 4 point advantage in NFL spread betting would be significant if the game were being played on a neutral field, but for the second year in a row, the Super Bowl is being hosted at the stadium of the NFC Champions.
Our interpretation of the Super Bowl 56 line above is that oddsmakers consider both teams to be very close to even in overall talent and ability. If the game plays out as the playoffs have thus far, the team with the ball last will be the one to win, and both Burrow and Stafford have shown the ability to earn a postseason victory in the closing seconds of regulation or overtime.
Quarterbacks of the winning team most often win the game’s Most Valuable Player honors, that’s why it should come as no surprise that Stafford and Burrow are leading the current Super Bowl MVP odds.
Super Bowl LVI MVP Odds
- Matthew Stafford +105
- Joe Burrow +230
- Cooper Kupp +600
- Ja’Marr Chase +2000
- Aaron Donald +1800
- Odell Beckham Jr. +2500
- Cam Akers +4000
- Tee Higgins +5000
- Joe Mixon +4000
- Von Miller +6000
- Sony Michel +6000
The above Super Bowl prop bet will receive action until after the conclusion of the game because the line will not likely close out until moments before the announcement is made.
Von Miller is the only former Super Bowl MVP winner on the list, as he captured the honors in SB 50 with the Denver Broncos. If Miller occupies the Cincinnati offensive backfield the way he did against the Carolina Panthers in 2016, he could win the MVP again and deliver $60 payouts on one dollar wagers.
Even playing it safe with betting on Stafford or Burrow’s odds will net a profit if they win, so take advantage of these moneylines, as well as the plethora of SB prop bets that will be flooding online NFL sportsbooks in the coming 2 weeks leading up to kickoff.
