The NFL point spreads were posted at sportsbooks on Thursday, just after the league announced its 2022 schedule. Week 1 is full of home underdogs.
ESPN Stats and Information reveals that Ten home teams are the underdogs for Week 1, which is the most in a Super Bowl opening week. The biggest home underdogs for Week 1 are the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. The Texans are 7.5 points underdogs against the Indianapolis Colts and the Bears are 6 point underdogs against the San Francisco 49ers.
In the early lines of their Week 1 games, home underdogs include the New York Jets (and Atlanta Falcons), Carolina Panthers; Detroit Lions; Arizona Cardinals; Minnesota Vikings; Dallas Cowboys; and Denver Broncos.
According to the betting market, the value of home-field advantage during the NFL's regular season is declining over the years. The home team was third in Super Bowl history, trailing only 2020 (1.10) or 1969 (-1.65). The spread was covered by home teams in 48%, 69% and 48% respectively in last season's Super Bowl.
In the season opener on Sept. 8, the Los Angeles Rams, who are the current Super Bowl champions, are 1 point favorites over the visiting Buffalo Bills.
At sportsbooks, the Bills are the favorite to win the Super Bowl. Caesars Sportsbook's Buffalo has attracted more wagers than any other team on the Super Bowl odds.
“This year is big for them and certainly an opportunity for them on a major stage to open the Super Bowl champions season,” Adam Pullen, Caesars Sportsbook's assistant director of trading, stated in a company statement. They will have to prove it right from the start.
The Bills are the favorite, but the long-shot Jets are attracting attention from punters. The Borgata Atlantic City in New Jersey offers more bets for the Jets to win The AFC than any other team. In fact, only the Bills attract more bets to win Super Bowl. In Week 1, the Jets are a 5-point home underdog against Baltimore Ravens.
Caesars Sportsbook offers opening lines for other Week 1 matchups:
•Buccaneers -2.5 at Cowboys, 51.5 at Cowboys
•Chiefs -3, 53 at Cardinals
•Raiders at Chargers, -4, 51.5
•Broncos –3.5, 41 at Seahawks Monday
This article was written by Matt Willis (ESPN Stats and Information Researcher).
