Suberbowl odds...RAMS -14 vs Patriots

[Natymike]

pretty big spread, just what I expected though.

who would you take.

 

[thermo]

The wise guys must already be all over this game. I found a book that has the Rams as a 16 point chalk.

New England certainly has a Super-sized task on its hands as the Patriots have opened as 16-point underdogs, the third highest opening line in Big Game history. Of course, New England has been in this boat before, losing to Green Bay 35-21 as a 14-point 'dog in 1997 and to Chicago 46-10 as 10 1/2 point 'dogs in 1986. Find out how oddsmakers at Las Vegas Sports Consultants decided on the side and total by reading this Super edition of the Sports Book Insider More...

 

[thermo]

By Barry Daniels
VegasInsider.com Managing Editor

The Price is Right has been a popular television game show for 30 years, as contestants try to guess the correct price of merchandise ranging from a tube of toothpaste to a new car.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants, the company that dispenses odds to over 90 percent of Nevada's legal sports books, played its own version of that game by opening the St. Louis Rams as a hefty 16-point favorite against the New England Patriots for Sunday's Super Bowl XXXVI. The 'over/under' has been set at 53 points.

The 16-point opening line is the third largest in Super Bowl history and the highest since the 1995 campaign when San Francisco was minus-18 against San Diego. The 49ers won that game, 49-26.

"The idea is to make a price that will divide the betting action equally," stated LVSC odds manager Cesar Robaina. We believe the general public will jump on the high-scoring Rams, so we thought 16 would be a good starting point.

"We opened the total at 53 because even though New England proved its defense was more than adequate by allowing the Steelers just 17 points, there is a big difference between Pittsburgh's Kordell Stewart and St. Louis' Kurt Warner.

"We are also concerned about the status of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and how the public will react to his injury."

The Rams are 10-7-1 ATS as a favorite this season, with the 'over' going 10-8 in the first 18 outings. The Patriots were a sparkling 8-3 ATS as an underdog, with the 'over' also going 10-8.

The Patriots reached the Super Bowl by upsetting the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC title game, 24-17. New England closed as a 10-point road underdog, while the combined 41 points skipped 'over' the 38-point closing total.

Drew Bledsoe replaced Tom Brady with 2:42 remaining in the first half when the starting quarterback injured his knee after being hit by Steelers safety Lee Flowers. Brady will be evaluated early this week.

Bledsoe completed 10-of-21 passes for 102 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown to David Patten shortly after Brady was injured. Bledsoe got plenty of help from Troy Brown, who returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown and was the middle man on a 60-yard return of a blocked field goal that put New England ahead 21-3 early in the third quarter.

St. Louis reached the NFL championship game by overcoming a 17-13 halftime deficit to defeat Philadelphia as a 10 1/2-point home favorite, 29-24. The combined 53 points catapulted 'over' the closing 48-point total.

The Rams last appeared in the Super Bowl during the 1999 campaign when they defeated Tennessee, 23-16. The game ended in a 'push' when the Rams closed as a seven-point favorite. The combined 39 points ducked 'under' the closing 48-point total.

New England last reached the NFL title game during the 1996 season, but the club finished as the runner-up after dropping a 35-21 decision against the Green Bay Packers. Again, the game ended in a 'push' when the Packers closed as a 14-point favorite.

The two Super Bowl participants have met once this season (Nov. 18) with the Rams recording a 24-17 victory but failing to cover as a 7 1/2-point road favorite. The combined 41 points ducked 'under' the closing 47 1/2-point total.

Results from the last six Super Bowls, along with the closing sides and totals, appear below.

Year Result Closing line Total
1996 Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17 Cowboys -13 1/2 52
1997 Green Bay 35, Pats 21 Packers -14 49
1998 Denver 31, Green Bay 24 Packers -11 1/2 49
1999 Denver 34, Atlanta 19 Broncos -7 1/2 51 1/2
2000 St Louis 23, Tennessee 16 Rams -7 48
2001 Baltimore 34, NY Giants 7 Ravens -3 33 1/2

The amount of money wagered on the Super Bowl during the last 10 years, along with the won/loss and hold percentage, appears below

YEAR WAGERS WIN(LOSS) HOLD %
2001 $67,661,425 $11,002,636 16.3%
2000 $71,046,751 $4,237,978 6.0%
1999 $75,986,520 $2,906,601 3.8%
1998 $77,253,246 $472,033 .6%
1997 $70,583,211 $2,265,701 3.2%
1996 $70,907,801 $7,126,145 10.1%
1995 $69,591,818 $(396,674) (.6%)
1994 $54,483,221 $7,481,541 13.7%
1993 $56,811,405 $7,174,869 12.6%
1992 $50,334,277 $301,280 .6%






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