I don't usually pay a lot of attention to the Vegas odds. I'm not a betting man, and 'getting some action' has a very different meaning in my world. Nevertheless, I find it interesting to occasionally look at the odds, and what better time to indulge in this nonsense than in the offseason?
Earlier in the week I ran across an article on Betvega.com that has the Cowboys as the odds-on favorite to win the NFC East. Here are the odds as Vegas currently sees them for winning the NFC East:
Less than 24 hours after the Saints won the 2010 Super Bowl, online sportsbook broburysports.com published their Super Bowl odds. In the table below we compare those odds with the odds published on their site on May 27th, 2010.
Odds to Win 2011 Super Bowl XLV - Arlington, Texas, Feb 06, 2011
| Team | Odds Feb. 8th, 2010 | Odds May 27th, 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Colts | 16.7% (6/1) | 14.3% (7/1) | -2.4% |
 |
Chargers | 12.5% (8/1) | 12.5% (8/1) | - - |
 |
Saints | 12.5% (8/1) | 11.1% (9/1) | -1.4% |
 |
Ravens | 6.7% (15/1) | 11.1% (9/1) | +4.4% |
 |
Cowboys | 8.3% (12/1) | 10.0% (10/1) | +1.7% |
 |
Packers | 8.3% (12/1) | 10.0% (10/1) | +1.7% |
 |
Vikings | 8.3% (12/1) | 10.0% (10/1) | +1.7% |
 |
Patriots | 10.0% (10/1) | 8.3% (12/1) | -1.7% |
 |
Steelers | 10.0% (10/1) | 8.3% (12/1) | -1.7% |
 |
Jets | 6.7% (15/1) | 8.3% (12/1) | +1.7% |
 |
Eagles | 8.3% (12/1) | 5.0% (20/1) | -3.3% |
 |
Giants | 3.3% (30/1) | 5.0% (20/1) | +1.7% |
 |
49ers | 2.5% (40/1) | 5.0% (20/1) | +2.5% |
 |
Falcons | 3.3% (30/1) | 4.0% (25/1) | +0.7 |
 |
Bears | 2.5% (40/1) | 4.0% (25/1) | +1.5% |
 |
Dolphins | 2.5% (40/1) | 4.0% (25/1) | +1.5% |
 |
Titans | 3.3% (30/1) | 3.3% (30/1) | - - |
 |
Texans | 2.5% (40/1) | 3.3% (30/1) | +0.8% |
 |
Bengals | 3.3% (30/1) | 2.5% (40/1) | -0.8% |
 |
Seahawks | 2.0% (50/1) | 2.0% (50/1) | - - |
 |
Redskins | 2.0% (50/1) | 2.0% (50/1) | - - |
 |
Cardinals | 3.3% (30/1) | 1.7% (60/1) | -1.7% |
 |
Panthers | 2.5% (40/1) | 1.7% (60/1) | -0.8% |
 |
Broncos | 2.0% (50/1) | 1.7% (60/1) | -0.3% |
 |
Jaguars | 2.0% (50/1) | 1.0% (100/1) | -1.0% |
 |
Bills | 1.0% (100/1) | 1.0% (100/1) | - - |
 |
Browns | 1.0% (100/1) | 1.0% (100/1) | - - |
 |
Lions | 1.0% (100/1) | 1.0% (100/1) | - - |
 |
Chiefs | 1.0% (100/1) | 1.0% (100/1) | - - |
 |
Raiders | 1.0% (100/1) | 1.0% (100/1) | - - |
 |
Rams | 1.0% (100/1) | 1.0% (100/1) | - - |
 |
Buccaneers | 1.0% (100/1) | 1.0% (100/1) | - - |
Vegas did not take kindly to the Eagles' offseason moves. The loss of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, still no replacement for Brian Dawkins in sight and a leaky secondary did not inspire the Vegas folks, and they drop the Eagles further than any other team.
The Colts and Saints stay on top of the pile but both lose a little - not a big surprise given that the initial odds were published amid all the Super Bowl hype.
Baltimore and the 49ers are the biggest gainers. The 49ers not only had a very strong draft, but they look like early favorites for the Kurt-Warner-free NFC West. Now wouldn't that be a nice déjà vu if we were to beat them in the NFC championship game ...
The Ravens arguably profit more from Ben Roethlisberger's 6-game suspension than from their own off-season moves. Somewhat surprisingly, the same suspension increases the odds for the Steelers less than may have been expected.
The Cowboys' odds improve slightly. Vegas must have heard that Roy Williams is "sinking his hips, bending his knees a little more, getting down in some of his routes" en route to a monster season with the Cowboys.
In an interesting side note, the odds for all teams who picked in the top 10 in the draft remain unchanged, with the exception of the Jaguars, whose odds doubled. I guess this means that Vegas does not believe in the first year impact of a top 10 draft pick.
Finally, the Giants and Steelers are the only teams in the top 12 that did not make the playoffs last year. If the trend of 'six new teams making the playoffs each year' continues this season, then these odds are seriously off.
Winners: Ravens, 49ers, Cowboys, Packers, Vikings, Giants, Jets
Losers: Eagles, Colts, Steelers, Patriots, Cardinals, Saints, Jaguars
Who are your winners and losers of the offseason so far?