Best Super Bowl Bets to Make Before NFL Training Camps Begin

Why on Earth would anyone want to bet on the Super Bowl in June, before the preseason gets underway? The answer to that is simple: to make more money when you win. But who do you want to bet on now? Well, I’ve got a few ideas on Super Bowl bets you want to make before the preseason.

This market is a great one for line shopping at this time of year. While the odds for the favorites may not differ much, you can find some significant discrepancies with long shots and dark horses (odds via BetMGM).

My Favorite: Los Angeles Rams +500

The Rams had the No. 1 scoring offense last year and made a good defense even better by acquiring Myles Garrett. So, naturally, they became the betting favorite to win Super Bowl 61. But why bet on them now? Because of the 2023-24 Kansas City Chiefs.

In June, prior to the preseason that year, they had +650 odds of winning Super Bowl 58. While there was some fluctuation in their Super Bowl 58 odds throughout the preseason and most of the regular season, their odds never got longer than +650 until the final two weeks of the season.

The moral of the story is this: bet on them now because there is a solid chance their odds may never get longer than they are now. Betting on them now maximizes your potential winnings.

My Dark Horse: Kansas City Chiefs +1500

Stealing Kenneth Walker III away from the Seahawks was a masterful move and gave them an enormous upgrade at the position. Assuming he picks up where he left off, defenses will have to gameplan to stop the run. This will, of course, make playing so much easier for Patrick Mahomes.

The only problem, we don’t know when or if Patrick Mahomes will play. With him, they are contenders. But without him…there’s always next year.

Honorable mention: Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals

My Longshot: Minnesota Vikings +5000

Why waste your money on one of these? Easy—because sometimes they win. You know, like last year.

Last June, the Patriots and Seahawks both had +6600 odds of winning Super Bowl 60. Had you bet on the Seahawks in June last year, your $100 wager would have won you $6600. But since you waited until prior to the Wild Card game, you only won $375 off a $100 wager.

Last season, the Vikings had a solid defense, but J.J. McCarthy could never get the offense rolling. If he starts this season, your money is lost. But if Kyler Murray gets the nod and he lives up to his potential while working with Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones, Minnesota could absolutely be the next rags-to-riches story in the NFL.

Honorable Mention: Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints