Ready To Bet On A Winner For Super Bowl LVI?

As of Sunday night, the world found out which two teams will be playing for glory and the right to be called ‘champions’ in Super Bowl LV—the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The time leading up to the game will be different this year, as will the environment around it. But the result, compared to past Super Bowls, will still be the same—a champion will be crowned.

So, all we will hear from the media regarding the NFL will be about the Chiefs and Bucs for the next two weeks. The press will beat every possible storyline involving Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady to death. Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell will get more attention than they deserve, too.

There is an endless possibility of Super Bowl LV storylines—and we can count on the media to explore each one in-depth and then some, ignoring an excellent storyline in the process.

Who is going to win Super Bowl LVI?

Talking about next season’s Super Bowl already may seem a little crazy. It is not too early to do so, though. It is actually the more interesting and relevant conversation.

Chiefs and Buccaneer fans will be the only ones genuinely invested in the game. Players and coaches from the other 30 teams will be more concerned with figuring out how they get to the Big Game next year.

Viewership for Super Bowl LV will be through the roof like it always is. But the hearts and minds of many players, coaches, and fans have already moved on to next year.

So, since we have two weeks until the next game, why not talk about something other than Super Bowl LV? You know– like Super Bowl LVI? 

Looking ahead to the next Super Bowl before the current one is even played involves a mixture of speculation and educated guessing. Right now, there are just too many variables to do more than speculate.

As could be expected, the Kansas City Chiefs are favored to win (+600; odds via BetMGM).

But what if the Houston Texans do the smart thing and hire offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy? Will the loss impact the offense, or will his replacement keep the offense on track?

The Green Bay Packers (+900) will always be in the conversation as long as Aaron Rodgers is on the roster. But will he be coming back? If he does, will the team select someone who can help him in the draft this year?

Are the Baltimore Ravens (+1200) good enough to go all the way, or do they need a more reliable pass game? The Buffalo Bills (+1200) will undoubtedly be in the conversation again. But without a more reliable run game, can they win the AFC?

With Brady at the helm of the offense, the Buccaneers (+1200) will remain in the conversation. But what if Father Time finally catches up with him next season?

‘What if’ scenarios will cloud the perception of several teams until the 2021 season gets underway:

• Will a healthy San Francisco 49ers (+1400) team become a contender once again?
• Can the New Orleans Saints (+1800) make it happen with or without Drew Brees?
• Will Kevin Stefanski, Baker Mayfield, and the Cleveland Browns (+2500) take the next step?
• Were the Dallas Cowboys (+2500) as bad as they looked last season?
• Can the Indianapolis Colts (+2500) contend with a new quarterback– again?
• Will the Tennessee Titans (+2500) miss their offensive coordinator?
• Will anyone emerge from the back of the pack to become a contender (i.e., Chargers (+3000), Cardinals (+4000), Raiders (+5000))?

As far as Super Bowl LVI is concerned, there are more questions than answers. So, with that in mind, should you wait or go ahead and put some money down on someone?

With free agency and the draft bound to change the outlook for several teams, it is hard to make a legitimate case for the outliers. But that does not mean you should wait before putting money down.

However, it would be best if you tried to narrow the field before betting on anyone.

Of the last 20 Super Bowl winners, 12 of them had preseason odds of +1500 or better. Six of the last seven winners had odds shorter than +1000. As for longshots, there were three winners with preseason odds of +3000 or greater.

If recent history is any indication, Super Bowl LVI’s winner will likely be one of the current favorites.