NFL Betting Picks: New England Patriots at New York Jets

The New England Patriots play their first game without 2007 NFL MVP Tom Brady when they visit AFC East rival New York Jets on Sunday (4:15 pm ET, CBS).

New York is a 1.5-point favorite at Sportingbet.com and the total is 37.

New England is a dominating 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in the past 10 meetings with the Jets, including a 20-10 win last Dec. 16. The Pats failed to cover the 20.5-point home spread.

The Patriots beat the Kansas City Chiefs 17-10 as a 16-point favorite in Week 1, and the score went under the total of 43. Brady was injured in the first quarter and lost for the season with a torn ACL.

New York, with new QB Brett Favre, defeated the Miami Dolphins 20-14 as a 3-point underdog last week. The score went under the total of 37. Favre completed 15-of-22 passes for 194 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

New England is 5-0 SU and ATS in the past five meetings in New York. New England is 19-1 SU in its past 20. The Jets are 4-2 ATS in their past six. The total has gone over in four of the past six meetings.

Pick: Jets

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Sportingbet.com is offering NFL football betting fans something they can’t refuse – a free bet.

NFL football bettors who place a wager (minimum of $10) on any NFL game during September and lose will be given a free bet of the same value up to $50.

The offer is also good when using Sportingbet.com’s Live Betting, which allows bettors to wager while a game is in progress.

NFL bettors can wager live on the following NFL games on Sunday: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (1 pm ET); the Indianapolis Colts at the Minnesota Vikings (1 pm ET, CBS); the New England Patriots at AFC East rival New York Jets (4:15 pm ET, CBS); the San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos (4:15 pm ET, CBS); and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns (8:15 pm ET, NBC). Live Betting will also be available for the Monday Night Football tilt between NFC East rivals Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys (8:35 pm ET, ESPN).  

The Patriots will be playing their first game without 2007 NFL MVP Tom Brady when they visit the Jets Sunday. The Patriots beat the Kansas City Chiefs 17-10 as a 16-point favorite in Week 1. Brady was injured in the first quarter and lost for the season with a torn ACL.

New York, with new QB Brett Favre, defeated the Miami Dolphins 20-14 as a 3-point underdog last week. The former Packer completed 15-of-22 passes for 194 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The $50 free bet offer is not available for NCAA Football.

The offer is open to all Sportingbet.com customers who place a losing first bet on an NFL game up until Sept. 30. Qualifying customers will be notified within 72 hours of their first bet being settled and the bonus credited to their account. Free bet bonuses not used by May 31, 2009 will be removed from player accounts.

Bet NFL Football at Sportingbet.com

Sportingbet Plc, the world’s largest online betting and gaming group, is based in London and is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market (LSE: SBT). The company has over 2.5 million registered customers in 200 countries, who place over 1,000,000 bets (casino, poker, sports and virtual games) per day.

Brady injury shakes up NFL future betting odds

Tom Brady’s season-ending injury has had a major domino effect on NFL Futures, causing lines to move on everything from MVP to Super Bowl betting.

Hours after the Patriots’ pivot suffered a torn ACL on a hit by Kansas City Chiefs’ safety Bernard Pollard on Sunday, New England rose to 9-1 from about 3-1 in Super Bowl Futures Betting at Sportingbet.com.

The main benefactor of Brady’s bum knee has been the Dallas Cowboys, who dropped from 7½-1 to 3-1 and are now the top pick to win Super Bowl XLIII at Sportingbet.com.

Brady, the 2007 NFL Most Valuable Player, will miss the entire 2008 season because he will need surgery to repair the injury that occurred in the first quarter of New England’s 17-10 Week 1 win over Kansas City.

Sportingbet.com’s David Main said Super Bowl futures betting has been very active since Sunday, and not just because of Brady’s injury. A number of Week 1 upsets have also caused line movements.

The Chicago Bears 29-13 road win over the Indianapolis Colts helped push Chicago to 33-1 Super Bowl odds from 50-1 before the game started. And the Carolina Panthers’ odds were cut in half (20-1 from 40-1) after an upset win over the San Diego Chargers.

Despite the loss, however, the Chargers moved up slightly, from 7½-1 to 7-1.

“This is a case where it is partly because of Brady, partly a result of Indianapolis losing to the Bears,” Main said.

Other teams benefiting in Super Bowl odds are the Philadelphia Eagles, up to 14-1 from 20-1, the New Orleans Saints (16-1 from 20-1), the Pittsburgh Steelers (14-1 from 25-1), and the New York Jets (33-1 from 50-1).

As for the AFC Championship, former favorite New England is now 7-2 while the San Diego Chargers are up to 3-1. But interestingly, the Pats are still favored to win the AFC East division at Sportingbet.com, at 4-9 (-225) odds. AFC East odds for the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets have moved up slightly, to 7-2.

In NFL MVP betting, Brady’s injury not only killed his chances at a second-straight award, but dropped MVP odds for teammate Randy Moss. Main said the Pats’ WR had been 16-1 but will be up to about 25-1 when MVP betting resumes later this week. Dallas QB Tony Romo is now the favorite.

The Tennessee Titans also lost quarterback Vince Young for up to four weeks when he was injured Sunday, but that hasn’t changed future odds for the team.

“The Titans have pretty much stayed constant at 40-1 to win the Super Bowl,” said Main. “Obviously the loss of Young will hurt them, but backup Kerry Collins is experienced enough to take the reins.”

By Rob Gerein

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Sportingbet Plc, the world’s largest online betting and gaming group, is based in London and is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market (LSE: SBT). The company has over 2.5 million registered customers in 200 countries, who place over 1,000,000 bets (casino, poker, sports and virtual games) per day.

Bookies usually cautious on Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl is annually the biggest one-day event in the sports betting industry, and Super Bowl XLII should be no exception, as some are predicting that this will be the largest in its history with upwards of $95 million being wagered on the NFL’s championship game. Here is a look at how bookmakers and betters have fared in the big game, with the unbeaten New England Patriots coming in as 12-point favorites over the upstart New York Giants at BetOnline.com.

This is only the second time since 1998 that the point spread for the Super Bowl has reached double figures. In both of those occasions, it was the underdog that came out on top, when John Elway led the Denver Broncos to their first of back-to-back Super Bowls in a 31-24 win over the Green Bay Packers as 11-point underdogs in 1998. The Patriots were the second team to pull off the upset when they beat the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in 2002 as 14-point underdogs. This was the first of three Super Bowls for Tom Brady and the current New England dynasty, so you can be sure that head coach Bill Belichick will warn his team to beware of the underdog. Seven of the past nine Super Bowl winners have been favored, and of those seven winners, four have covered the spread. Ironically, two of the teams who have not been able to cover the spread in the big game are the 2004 and 2005 New England teams, winning each time by three points while favored with a 7-point spread. When it comes to the OVER/UNDER, it has been pretty even over the past nine Super Bowls, as the final score has gone UNDER the posted total in five of those games, including the past three.

For more incredible Super Bowl props and odds, make BetOnline.com your Super source.

One More Step

The New England Patriots have dominated headlines throughout the entire NFL season, for both good and bad reasons. But through everything, they have managed to reach the Super Bowl to face the New York Giants at the University at Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and there are a number of reasons they should come away with their fourth Super Bowl in seven years, primarily, their outstanding focus. BetOnline.com has the Patriots as 12-point favorites in this massive annual clash between the AFC and NFC champions.

Early in the season, the Patriots had to deal with “Spygate”, when they were caught stealing signals during their Week 1 38-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Patriots were deemed “cheaters”, and coach Bill Belichick was heavily fined. However, that only seemed to spur the Patriots, as they proceeded to beat their first nine opponents by at least 17 points in each game, including a 52-7 slaughter of the Washington Redskins. In the second half of the season, teams started to adjust to the Patriots’ high-powered offense, but New England still showed the poise to take close games, winning three games by three points or less. When the smoke cleared, the Patriots concluded their regular-season campaign with a 38-35 come-from-behind victory over the Giants in New York to become the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to finish with a perfect record. Quarterback Tom Brady was named the league’s MVP by throwing for a NFL-record 50 touchdowns, just one of many records that were broken by the Patriots in this historic season. Belichick also earned the NFL’s Coach of the Year award, as he managed to keep the Patriots on task and never let the shadow of their unbeaten season stand in the way of their common goal, which was to reach the Super Bowl. This is a trend that has continued throughout the postseason.

So, what are the keys for the Patriots when they take to the field in Arizona? First and foremost, the health of Brady is a major issue. It has been reported he is hurting after he was pictured with a cast on his foot following the AFC championship game against San Diego. Brady says he will be ready to go for the big game, while the rest of the Patriots have remained tight-lipped about the situation. Rest assured, Brady will play in this game, and he should receive ample protection from his offensive line, which is one of the best in the league. Another major factor will be the play of receiver Randy Moss, who broke San Francisco legend Jerry Rice’s touchdown-reception mark with 23. Moss has been quiet in this postseason, and matters were not helped when he had a restraining order placed on him by a woman in Florida. But Belichick is a master game-planner, and he is the best coach in the NFL at keeping his team focused in the face of numerous distractions. This should be the edge that will put the finishing touches on New England’s glorious season.

For more incredible Super Bowl props and odds, make BetOnline.com your Super source.

Defense wins championships

Much of the talk surrounding Super Bowl XLII has to do with the quarterbacks, New England’s Tom Brady and his counterpart, Eli Manning of the New York Giants. But there is an old saying that pertains to sports, not just football, and that is “defense wins championships”. It is here where the winner of Super Bowl XLII will be decided, as the Pats are 12-point favorites in the big game.

Both of these Super Bowl-contending teams were impressive on the defensive side of the ball, as the Patriots finished fourth in yards allowed per game, while the Giants were not far behind in seventh place. The Patriots’ strength comes in their ability to prevent teams from scoring in the red zone, as they were fourth in the NFL in points allowed with 17.1 points. Experience has a lot of do with this aspect of New England’s play, especially from their linebacking unit of Tedy Bruschi, Junior Seau and Mike Vrabel. Bruschi and Seau’s veteran leadership comes in handy when the Patriots have their backs against the wall, while Vrabel’s versatility makes him very hard for opposing coaches to plan for. Some analysts will say that the age of this trio is the Patriots’ weakness, but when a play needs to be made, chances are one of these three players are around the ball. For the Giants, their pass rush is what sparks their defensive crew. Defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umeniyora combined for 22 sacks, while Justin Tuck contributed another ten sacks for the Giants.

There are many exciting prop bets available for Super Bowl XLII at BetOnline.com, and there are more defense-based bets than in recent years. Just as an example, the New England defense is favored at -150 to record the first sack of the game, and they are also favored at -170 to rack up more sacks than the Giants. Meanwhile, New York is favored in a less-desirable category, as they come in at -150 to commit the game’s first turnover.

For more incredible Super Bowl props and odds, make BetOnline.com your Super Bowl source.

Which players are padding their pockets the most in Super Bowl XLII?

During Super Bowl XLII, millions of dollars will exchange hands through various wagers and prop bets, but how much money do the players have on the line? For many, their Super Bowl shares are much lower than anything they’d make during a regular season game in September, long before games start to truly matter.Last year, each player on the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts pocketed a cool $73,000. It sounds like a lot of dough for three hours work, but not when you’re making “Peyton Manning money.” Manning, Indianapolis’s starting quarterback and Super Bowl XLI Most Valuable Player, made a whopping $10,004,400 in 2006 – or about $625,000 per game.

The star’s $73k Super Bowl share is probably barely enough to cover tips he leaves at restaurants. In fact, 15 Colts made more per game during the regular season than they did in the Super Bowl. It’s even worse if you finish second. The bridesmaid Chicago Bears earned $38,000 a piece; 34 players earned less money in the biggest game of the year than any of their regular season contests.

Players are also paid for other playoff games. Last year, Wild Card winners earned $19,000 while losers picked up $17,000. In the Divisional and Conference Championship games, winners and losers were paid equally, at $19k and $37k, respectively.

Of course, the money is irrelevant if you wind up with the ultimate prize – a Super Bowl ring. Though manufacturers are reluctant to reveal costs of rings, estimates put them in the same range as a cheque from the Divisional round playoffs. The New England Patriots admitted their 2001 title rings, which were made with 14-karat white gold and had 104 diamonds each, cost more than $15,000 apiece.

The NFL pays up to $5,000 per ring for as many as 150 rings, so New England owner Bob Craft had to dig deep in his pockets to make up the difference. But does anyone doubt he wouldn’t mind doing the same thing again this year?

Players aren’t the only ones making money come Super Bowl time. The game kicks off at 6:20 ET in Glendale, Arizona. Visit BetOnline.com’s sportsbook or tons of bets and props for Super Bowl XLII.

Super Bowl XLII Unsung Heroes

Of course, we all know who are the big names participating in Super Bowl XLII this Sunday at the University of Phoenix Stadium: Brady, Moss, Manning, Strahan. But there are other players in this contest that could have an even bigger impact on the game, in which New England are 12-point favorites according to BetOnline.com.

The New England Patriots’ offense comes into this game with the spotlight directly on them, as they rolled to a historic and record-setting season. A huge reason for this would be receiver Wes Welker, who came out of nowhere to lead the NFL in receptions during the regular season. Welker was arguably the most important part of the offense with his ability to convert on third down, and his knack for gaining tough yards after the catch. Welker is rated at +650 by BetOnline.com to claim the prestigious Super Bowl MVP award. The ultra-quick Welker will feast on a linebacker or safety who dares to cover him one-on-one. Kevin Faulk is another underrated player ,but he is known as one of the best receiving running backs in the NFL. He proved this during the Patriots’ win over San Diego in the AFC championship, as he is a valuable outlet to Brady when all downfield options are covered. Faulk is listed at +1200 as a Super Bowl MVP darkhorse.

The New York Giants have gotten some recent help from a pair of rookies, as running back Ahmad Bradshaw and receiver Steve Smith have stepped up their games in the postseason. Bradshaw has emerged as a good change of pace from starter Brandon Jacobs, whose physical style of running softens up the opposing defense for Bradshaw’s shifty style. Bradshaw is listed at +1400 to win the Super Bowl MVP award. Smith should receive one-on-one coverage from the Patriots, who will be looking to contain Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer on the outside. Smith has good hands, and is becoming a dependable third-down receiver. Smith is a +4000 darkhorse for the MVP award, but it will definitely be interesting to see if the glare of the biggest stage in football is enough to throw these two first-year players off their game. Smith has been involved with big games before, coming out of college powerhouse USC, but Bradshaw, a graduate of Marshall, could have the final say in the Giants’ success.

For more incredible Super Bowl props and odds, make BetOnline.com your Super source.

The Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Players

One of the most popular Super Bowl prop bets is predicting the game’s Most Valuable Player. The honour has been awarded 42 times (Randy White and Harvey Martin were co-MVPs in Super Bowl XII, hence 42 MVPs in 41 games) – does history reveal any trends bettors can rely on when the New England Patriots and New York Giants clash Sunday?

Over the years, offensive players have been voted Super Bowl MVP an overwhelming 78 per cent of the time (33/42). Recent trends are no different, as a defensive player hasn’t picked up the award since Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis in 2001. Not surprisingly, a slew of offensive stalwarts are favored to win this year’s award.

The starting quarterbacks head the list, and with good reason. Of the 42 Super Bowl MVPs, half have been passers (Joe Montana won three, while Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw and New England’s Tom Brady have won two apiece). No other position has won more than seven MVPs, so Brady sits atop the board for Super Bowl XLII at -250, trailed by Giants pivot Eli Manning at +500.

Running backs and wide receivers are the next most-popular MVP picks, at seven and five, respectively. Receiver has been a little more popular in recent years; two of the last four MVPs were wideouts while a running back hasn’t won in a decade, when Terrell Davis ran roughshod over the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.

Based on this logic, The Pats’ high-octane offence provides the next few favorites in receivers Wes Welker (+650) and Randy Moss (+750), and running back Laurence Maroney (+750). New York wide receiver Plaxico Burress (+1100) and running backs Brandon Jacobs (+1200) and Ahmad Bradshaw (+1400) follow.

Most Valuable Player honors have been harder to come by for defensive players, meaning their odds of winning are much longer. Only eight times has the hardware been presented to a defensive back (three), defensive lineman (three) or linebacker (two), so bettors can expect a huge payout if they correctly wager on players like New England’s Asante Samuel (+2000), Rodney Harrison (+2500) or Adalius Thomas (+5000), or New York’s Michael Strahan (+3500), Gibril Wilson (+4500) or Antonio Pierce (+5000).

A tight end, offensive lineman or kicker have never been chosen MVP, but selectors proved their willingness to remain open-minded after choosing Green Bay Packer Desmond Howard, a kick-return specialist, as the best player of Super Bowl XXXI.

Either way, when New England and New York square off in Super Bowl XLII, bettors will have plenty of MVP options in their prop bets.

The Super Bowl kicks off at 6:20 ET in Glendale, Arizona. Visit BetOnline.com’s sportsbook for all your MVP odds and tons of other exciting Super Bowl props.