Placing the right futures bet can put you in a great position down the road.
Through nine weeks of the NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs were playing like an average football team. Patrick Mahomes couldn't get out of his own way, the defensive line wasn't getting pressure on the pocket and the Chiefs sputtered to a 5-4 start and a last-place standing in the AFC West.
Meanwhile, bettors were salivating over hot starts by the Tennessee Titans (7-2), Baltimore Ravens (6-3) and Los Angeles Chargers (5-3), so those three teams all had shorter future odds than Kansas City in the conference and Super Bowl markets.
One of my main pillars in sports betting is to buy the right team at the right price. Kansas City was +225 ($100 wins $225) to win the AFC before the season, but their slow start raised the odds to as high as +650 ($100 wins $650) in mid-November.
If you listened to "Chicken Dinner" around that time, odds are good you thought long and hard about buying a Chiefs futures ticket and taking the ride at a very, very solid betting price.
Kansas City walloped the Las Vegas Raiders the ensuing Sunday night 41-14 and rattled off five more victories in a row after that. Naturally, the futures prices dropped after every single win and the Chiefs were around +200 to win the AFC at the beginning of the NFL Playoffs.
Now that Andy Reid's talented bunch is one game away from reaching another Super Bowl, you've got a a few options for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Here are three ways you could hedge your Chiefs AFC futures ticket:
1. Bet the Bengals +7
This bet creates a sweet little six-point middle for you. You need the Chiefs to win the game, but you can take the Bengals plus a touchdown. If the Chiefs win by 1 through 6 points, you win both bets.
If you've got $100 on Chiefs +650, risk $110 to win $100 on Bengals +7.
Chiefs win by 1-6, you win $750.
Chiefs win by 8+, you win $540.
Bengals win, you break even.
2. Bet the Bengals moneyline +300
This wager is pretty straight forward -- you need the Bengals to win the game.
If you've got $100 on Chiefs +650, risk $100 to win $300 on Bengals ML.
Chiefs win, you net $550.
Bengals win, you net $200.
3. Bet the Bengals to win the Super Bowl +875
WynnBET has the best Super Bowl price in the world on Cincinnati at +875. Other books are as low as +725 or +750, so always shop around for the best number.
If you've got $100 on Chiefs +650, risk $100 to win $875 on Bengals to win Super Bowl.
Chiefs win, you win $550.
Bengals win, you carry over a potential $775 pot to the Super Bowl.
No matter what you do, you've got options thanks to a properly placed futures bet.
