2012 Super Bowl Odds

A few months ago it looked as though any sort of forecasting related to the 2012 NFL season was a waste of time. The owners had locked out the players and the few negotiations that did take place seemed only to stoke the fires of animosity. That, however, has changed over the past two weeks with each meeting between the two parties becoming more fruitful than the one that preceded it. And, if reports are true, a new collective bargaining agreement should be ratified sometime this week, effectively ending the lockout and the potential for a fall without professional football.

The impending free agency period and the implementation of a salary cap floor (another piece of the rumored deal) could make any speculation on the upcoming season a bit premature as they are certain to change the make-up of more than a few teams. Nevertheless, it is safe to assume, like the odds makers already have, that several of last year’s playoff teams will, once again, be in the Super Bowl mix come January.

Just as likely, though, is a scenario where a couple of big favorites fall flat on their faces. Last season the Cowboys and Chargers, both favorites to win their divisions and viewed as possible Super Bowl representatives for their respective conferences, filled that role as they combined to go 15-17.

The Packers, who were a +800 moneyline favorite to win Super Bowl XLV, are again the choice of book makers and the betting public, coming in at 6 to 1 odds to retain the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl XLVI. Next to Green Bay on the odds leaderboard are the perennial favorite New England Patriots, also listed at +600 odds. After that it is a familiar list of traditional and recent powers with the Colts registering at 9 to 1 odds followed by the Steelers, Ravens, Jets, Falcons, Chargers, Eagles, and Saints at 12 to 1 odds.

Notable shifts include the Raiders and Lions jump to the middle of the odds pack at +5000 and +2500 odds, respectively. Understandably, neither of those two franchises has been anywhere near that high on the list in recent seasons as they usually sport Super Bowl odds somewhere in the range of 100 or 150 to 1.

If any team were to feel slighted by the odds makers it would have to be the Bears and their +3000 moneyline listing. Chicago surprised last season by winning the NFC North with an 11-5 record, and they went on to meet Green Bay in the NFC Championship after beating an even more shocking Seattle squad 35-24 in the divisional round of the playoffs.

2012 Super Bowl Odds:

Green Bay Packers +600
New England Patriots +600
Indianapolis Colts +900
Baltimore Ravens +1200
Pittsburgh Steelers +1200
New York Jets +1200
Atlanta Falcons +1200
San Diego Chargers +1200
Philadelphia Eagles +1200
New Orleans Saints +1200
New York Giants +1500
Dallas Cowboys +1800
Detroit Lions +2500
Chicago Bears +3000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3000
Minnesota Vikings +3000
Kansas City Chiefs +3000
Houston Texans +3500
San Francisco 49ers +4000
Miami Dolphins +4000
St. Louis Rams +5000
Oakland Raiders +5000
Arizona Cardinals +5000
Jacksonville Jaguars +6000
Cleveland Browns +6000
Tennessee Titans +6000
Washington Redskins +6000
Denver Broncos +6000
Seattle Seahawks +8000
Cincinnati Bengals +10000
Buffalo Bills +15000
Carolina Panthers +15000