NFL Odds: Sportsbooks Still Rooting Against Tom Brady Super Bowl Run

Ever since future NFL Hall of Famer Tom Brady migrated to South Florida two offseasons ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a money magnet at the betting window.

Tampa Bay’s point spreads are taxed higher, Brady’s props are lined heavier and you can forget about getting a bargain deal in the futures market. Even when the 45-year-old quarterback spent notable time away from his team earlier this month due to a personal matter, the odds didn’t budge much.

And when re-retirement rumors began to circulate, American bookmakers weren’t phased.

“I told the guys to leave all the Tampa Bay numbers alone,” WynnBET vice president of trading Alan Berg told NESN over the phone. “[Brady] has won six Super Bowls, man. Who am I to question anything he wants to do? I’m sure he’s not thrilled with the offensive line situation, especially with his age, but if there’s anybody that can find a way to make it work, it’s Tom Brady.

“He’ll be ready to compete when it counts.”

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Buccaneers odds to win Super Bowl LVII:
+700 SuperBook ($100 wins $700)
+700 WynnBET
+750 BetMGM
+750 Caesars
+750 DraftKings
+750 FanDuel
+750 SugarHouse
+900 PointsBet
+1100 Circa Sports ($100 wins $1,100)

Almost every shop is dealing Tampa Bay as the second favorite behind the Buffalo Bills and yes, that felt weird as hell to type out. Sure, Buffalo is the highest power rated team per the oddsmakers and it has an absolute superstar quarterback in Josh Allen, but the Bills have never won a Super Bowl. The franchise also has a history of slipping on the banana peel in the biggest moments.

If I’m a bookmaker, I’m way more fearful of Brady and the Bucs’ defense in the postseason.

“Tampa Bay is our biggest liability in the future book,” Berg reported. “Those odds bounced around when Brady retired then unretired. I extended the Bucs’ odds a little bit even when he came back. There are some holes on the team and the offensive line is getting more and more injured.

“But Brady always makes me nervous.”

As for Brady’s former bunch, the New England Patriots, Berg is eyeing the middle.

“I think they’ll be a scrappy team that’ll hang in almost every game,” he forecasted. “Mac Jones worries me a bit. I don’t know if he’s a game manager or a guy that (Bill) Belichick is going to make better. I feel like they’ll be a tough team to play. They’ll be prepared and be a sneaky opponent in certain spots.

“It’s a middle-of-the-pack team, though. A 9-8 record is very realistic.”