The sports-betting community seemingly likes the New England Patriots’ chances of playing their way to Tampa, Fla., less the passing of time.
FanDuel Sportsbook on Wednesday set the Patriots’ odds of winning the AFC Championship for the 2020 NFL season at +1000. These latest lines cast New England well outside of the ranks of favorites, which the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens comprise with +300 and +330 odds, respectively.
Odds to win AFC Championship 📊
+300: Chiefs
+330: Ravens
+1000: Patriots
+1100: Colts
+1200: Steelers
+1300: Bills
+1600: Titans
+1700: Browns, Chargers
+2400: Texans
+3000: Broncos, RaidersIf you got a free $100 bet, who would you put your money on to win the AFC❓
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) May 6, 2020
The Patriots’ latest AFC Championship odds are worse than they were in February when Caesars Palace set them at +600 in the aftermath of Super Bowl LIV. New England’s apparent prospects for success have dimmed, following Tom Brady’s and others’ high-profile departures in free agency and the Patriots’ 2020 NFL Draft performance, which some have criticized harshly.
The downward shift in the Patriots’ AFC Championship odds over the course of the offseason reflects other betting projections of trouble, including underwhelming lines for the team’s win total and chances of reaching the NFL playoffs.
With four-plus months to go before the start of the 2020 season, it’s clear the Patriots will have to upset the odds in order to reach Super Bowl LV, which will take place Feb. 7, 2021 in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium.