Two of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL will square off in Super Bowl 51. Four-time QB Tom Brady may be looking to ride off into the sunset with a fifth crown with the New England Patriots, while Matt Ryan is seeking his first Super Bowl ring with the Atlanta Falcons.
Here are some betting options and prop wagers to consider, with odds courtesy of Bovada.
New England Patriots (-160) vs. Atlanta Falcons (+140)
The stage is set for Super Bowl 51 as the New England Patriots will take on the Atlanta Falcons in what could turn into a shootout between two of the NFL’s best offensive teams.
Flashback to the start of the season, not many football experts expected the Patriots to be in this position — especially after the team started the 2016 campaign without future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, who served a four-game suspension in the infamous “Deflategate” case.
Heading into next month’s Super Bowl, the Pats are now -160 favorites to capture their fifth NFL championship in 16 years. The Patriots secured the spot in Super Bowl 51 in convincing fashion, disposing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Foxborough to win the AFC Championship.
When grading the Falcons’ team earlier this week, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said their Super Bowl opponents “look like they’re faster than almost every team they play.”
The Patriots’ defense, which ranked eighth in the league in total purpose yards against, will certainly have its hands full against the run-and-gun Falcons offense.
With MVP-candidate Matt Ryan leading the charge, the Falcons finished third in passing with 4,725 yards only behind the New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins this season. Ryan had a spectacular year, finishing second in passing yards with 4,944 — second only to Drew Brees.
As good as the Patriots are come playoff time, the Falcons head to Super Bowl 51 as appealing +140 underdogs.
If you’re looking for a few interesting prop bets to put your money on, Bovada has you covered. The online sportsbook is offering a -125 line that the Patriots will score first in the game. That’s a pretty good bet as New England has scored first in its past seven games dating back to Dec. 4 against the Los Angeles Rams.
However depending on who wins the opening coin flip, the Falcons can be a dangerous team if they have first possession of the ball. Just ask the Green Bay Packers, who gave up 24 first-half points in their NFC Championship defeat at the hands of the Falcons.
No matter how you cut it, this has the makings of a close game. Bovada pegs the Patriots as +350 favorites to by a margin between 1-6 points. If you’re predicting a blowout in favor of New England, you may want to take Bovada’s +1600 line that the club will win by a 25-30 point margin.
Banking on Brady to have a big game? Bovada is offering -125 odds that the Patriots’ star pivot will throw more than 305.5 yards in Super Bowl 51.
Who will score the game’s first touchdown? Falcons’ No. 1 receiver Julio Jones, who scored two touchdowns in Atlanta’s NFC Championship victory, is the odds-on favorite at +750 to reach the end zone first. Patriots’ speedy receiver Julian Edelman and running back LaGarrette Blount come in at a close second at +800.
It’s not very often these two powerhouse clubs square off. The Patriots and Falcons have only met three times in the last 12 years, with New England winning all three encounters. Their last meeting came during the 2013 season, when the Patriots escaped with a 31-28 victory over the Falcons on the road.
As expected, the projected points total is soaring, with several online sportsbooks setting the line at 59.5, including Bovada. If there are two teams that can cover that line, it’s the Patriots and Falcons — two offensive giants.
Pick: New England Patriots (-160) and the Over (59.5)
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