Championship Sunday is in the books and now the hype and buildup for the biggest sporting event on earth gets underway. No strangers to playing in the Big Game, the New England Patriots turned the opening line around in hurry, heading into the week as a marginal favorite. The Rams opened at -1 only to see the line quickly wagered in favor of the Pats, who are making their ninth Super Bowl appearance in 18 seasons.
If you’re betting on experience, the Pats are the overwhelming favorite and they are -2 on the line at BookMaker.eu. Both teams earned their spot in Atlanta by winning in overtime on the road on Sunday. The Rams and Pats won outright as 3-point underdogs on the closing line. With the amount of money expected to be wagered on the Super Bowl over the next two weeks, we will see the line jump around.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Super Bowl LIII at a Glance
Los Angeles Rams vs. New England Patriots
Date and Time: Sunday, February 3, 2019, 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Rams vs. Patriots TV Coverage: CBS
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Los Angeles Rams +2
New England Patriots -2
Over/Under 56.5
With Tom Brady at quarterback and Bill Belichick calling the shots on the sideline, the Pats are back in the Super Bowl for the third consecutive year and for the ninth time in the last 18 seasons. New England is only the third team to qualify for three straight Super Bowls and the first to do it since the Buffalo Bills reached four straight from 1990-1993.
The Pats have appeared in the most Super Bowl games with this being the franchises 11th. In fact, their nine visits with Brady at quarterback would also lead the list of teams that have played in the game. Pittsburgh, Dallas and Denver have each appeared in eight Super Bowls. The Pats have been successful when getting here, too. They are 5-3 SU and 3-5 ATS with Brady behind center.
Covering the betting gamut over the years, the Patriots were a two-touchdown underdog when they met the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. Brady delivered for the first time with the Pats pulling off the upset with a 20-17 victory over the Greatest Show on Turf team. That was the last time the Rams reached the Super Bowl until this season.
Six years later the Pats were undefeated and a 12-point favorite for their contest with the New York Giants. We all know how that turned out since the 1972 Miami Dolphins are still the only team to complete a season with an undefeated record. And six years after that game the Pats were involved in the only Super Bowl that closed with a line of a pick ‘em.
Super Bowl XLIX against Seattle was every bit the nail-biter. The Pats rallied to take a 28–24 lead with 2:02 left in the game. Seattle threatened to score late, driving the ball to New England's 1-yard line. With 26 seconds remaining, Malcolm Butler made a game-saving interception to seal the outcome. Brady threw for 328 yards and four touchdowns to match Joe Montana for most game MVPs with three. He would get his record setting fourth MVP two years later in an epic comeback win over the Falcons.
The Rams’ history isn’t nearly as extensive as the Pats, but not many team’s is. They advanced to the fourth Super Bowl in franchise history and the first since the 2001 season with a 26-23 overtime win over the Saints. The Rams played twice in the Super Bowl when stationed in St. Louis, winning their first title with a victory over Tennessee following the 1999 season.
Both teams were considered favorites to win the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season and they have fulfilled their promise. If the current line of Rams +2 holds, that will be good news for backers. Underdogs are 7-3 SU and 8-2 ATS with one pick ‘em over the last 11 Super Bowls.
NFL Betting Odds
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
