The Post’s Dylan Svoboda takes a look at the NFL’s betting trends and storylines heading into Super Bowl 2026.
A big favorite
To little surprise, the Seahawks, who came into the postseason as the most likely to win it all in the eyes of oddsmakers, are the Super Bowl favorites over the Patriots.
Seattle opened as a 3.5-point favorite after taking down the Rams on Sunday night before moving to -5 or -4.5 at most major sportsbooks as of this writing.
It’s still early, but bettors are liking the Seahawks so far, putting 59 percent of tickets and 65 percent of the handle on them to cover the spread.
Long shots prevail
It doesn’t get much more unlikely than this Super Bowl match up.
The Seahawks and Patriots came into the season with little expectation of contending for a Lombardi Trophy, setting up one of the most surprising Big Games in recent history.
With preseason odds of 60/1 for Seattle and 80/1 for New England, next Sunday’s game will be the first time since the 2001 Super Bowl between the Ravens and Giants that both teams had title odds of 20-1 or worse before the year.
No matter who wins on Feb. 8, they will be the biggest long shot to win the Super Bowl since the 1999 Rams, who were 150/1, according to Sports Odds History.
Betting on the NFL?
- Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NFL
- Check out the best NFL betting sites
- Get the BetMGM Bonus Code
Jumbled Super Bowl MVP odds board
Without clear cut stars and some shaky quarterback play, the race for the Super Bowl MVP is wide open.
Sam Darnold (+100, FanDuel Sportsbook) and Drake Maye (+230) are the leading contenders, but those are relatively low odds for an award that is almost always given to a quarterback.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (+600) and Kenneth Walker (+850) round out the top four, followed by Rhamondre Stevenson (+3000) and Stefon Diggs (+4500), who are also being given an outside shot.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
