Literally minutes after the Super Bowl matchup was finalized, bettors spoke volumes with their wallets. Covers checks in on the opening line and early action for the Feb. 3 showdown in Atlanta, with insights from John Murray, sportsbook director at The Superbook at Westgate in Las Vegas.
Super Bowl LII:
New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams (-1)
No. 2 seed New England looked well on its way to another Super Bowl by halftime of Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, holding a 14-0 lead at No. 1 Kansas City. But a football game broke out in the second half, particularly in a bang-bang, back-and-forth fourth quarter that resulted in a 31-31 tie and overtime.**video
However, the Patriots (13-5 SU, 11-7 ATS) won the coin toss and marched right down the field for a touchdown and a 37-31 victory as 3-point underdogs.
No. 2 Los Angeles also needed an extra frame at No. 1 New Orleans to punch its Super Bowl ticket, in an NFC Championship Game with huge controversy. Sean McVay’s troops benefited from a shocking noncall of defensive pass interference late in regulation, which forced the Saints to kick a field goal with 1:41 remaining to take a 23-20 lead.
The correct call would have allowed the Saints to run out much of the clock, then attempt the game-winning kick.
The Rams (15-3 SU, 9-8-1 ATS) took advantage by tying the game at 23 on a field goal with 15 seconds left to force overtime. Los Angeles then picked off Drew Brees on the opening possession of OT and won on Greg Zuerlein’s 57-yard field goal, 26-23 as a 3-point road pup.
The SuperBook opened the Rams -1 for this 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Feb. 3, but that number evaporated in a hurry, jumping the fence in the process as bettors – mostly public – hit New England fast and furious.
“Everybody was betting the Patriots,” Murray said. “We were moving with the money and with the market. I wouldn’t be surprised if we go to Patriots -2 in the near future. I don’t know if it’ll touch 3 before Super Bowl Sunday, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it did.”
Murray said that the Patriots are a better team in the futures book for his shop, but with the way the next two weeks will likely unfold, The SuperBook won’t be fans of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
“We’re gonna need the Rams by kickoff,” he said. “I’ll be shocked if we don’t need the Rams.”
The SuperBook opened the total at 58 and quickly jumped to 59 before settling at 58.5 later Sunday night.
Per usual, The SuperBook will have its massive packet of Super Bowl proposition bets out on Thursday night. Murray expects those to be as popular as ever this year.
“The other two teams, the Chiefs and Saints, would’ve probably been better for the props. I think there’s some New England fatigue,” Murray said. “But I still think it’ll be a very good Super Bowl for prop bets.”
Patrick Everson is a Las Vegas-based senior writer for Covers. Follow him on Twitter: @Covers_Vegas.
