Birds Open Up As 5.5 Point Underdogs
The Philadelphia Eagles are the biggest Super Bowl underdogs since 2009.
The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas on Sunday installed the Eagles as 5.5-point underdogs to the New England Patriots for Super Bowl LII.
Other sportsbooks went higher. The Wynn opened at New England minus-6.5, and Caesars Palace and Station Casinos each made the Patriots minus-6.
William Hill’s Nevada book went a touch lower, with New England opening as a 5-point favorite. The Super Bowl over/under was set at 47.5.
The Patriots will be looking for their second straight Super Bowl title and third in the past four seasons, when they take on the Eagles on Feb. 4, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The betting favorite has won 33 of the previous 51 Super Bowls.
Philadelphia is the largest Super Bowl underdog since the Arizona Cardinals were seven-point underdogs to the Pittsburgh Steelersin Super Bowl XLIII.
New England reached its 10th Super Bowl with a comeback win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game. New England erased a 10-point deficit with nine minutes to play and beat the Jaguars 24-20.
The Eagles hammered the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game to get back to the Super Bowl for the third time and first since facing the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.
The Patriots kicked off the season as the consensus Super Bowl favorites with odds around 5-2 and, after a few early hiccups, remained the team to beat at Las Vegas sportsbooks for the majority of the season.
