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The future of football is here at Bovada Sportsbook. Odds are available right now for who will win all the big trophies on the gridiron, both in college and in the pros. In this preview, we’ll look at the top five favorites (including ties) at press time for the Super Bowl and the National Championship, as well as the NFL MVP odds and NCAA Heisman odds. You’ll find all these lines and plenty more on the NFL and NCAAF futures markets at Bovada.
If you’re new to futures betting, the concept is straightforward: A futures bet is a wager on something that will be resolved in the future, such as which team will win the Super Bowl, or who will win MVP. Last year’s futures winners included the New England Patriots at the Super Bowl, and the Clemson Tigers at the college football National Championship. In our futures section, you can wager on who will win this year.
NFL Futures – Odds to Win the Super Bowl
1. New England Patriots: +700 NFL Odds
It’s business as usual for the defending Super Bowl champions. The Patriots went into training camp as the top favorites on the NFL Vegas odds, and they’ll be tough to beat in the AFC East – the weakest division in the league. However, they lost a franchise icon when TE Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement, and QB Tom Brady is about to turn 42.
2. Kansas City Chiefs: +800 NFL Odds
The Chiefs almost put away New England during last year’s AFC title game. Their Super Bowl odds look even better now that WR Tyreek Hill has avoided suspension, although he suffered a bruised right quad during camp on Tuesday – early reports suggest the injury isn’t too serious.
3. New Orleans Saints: +850 NFL Odds
Father Time will eventually catch up to Saints QB Drew Brees (age 40), but for now, the Saints are the leading Super Bowl favorites from the NFC. Brees will have some extra targets to throw at this year with the signing of WR Rishard Matthews and the promising development of rookie WR Emmanuel Butler.
4. Los Angeles Rams: +900 NFL Odds
The Rams are the reigning NFC champions, but they laid an egg against the Patriots at Super Bowl LIII, partly because of injuries to RB Todd Gurley (knee) and WR Cooper Kupp (ACL). Better things are expected this year after both reported to training camp on Saturday.
5. Chicago Bears: +1200 NFL Odds
It won’t be easy for the Bears to defend their NFC North title this year, after they led the NFL in 2018 with 27 interceptions and five pick-sixes. But at least their two place-kicking hopefuls, Elliott Fry and Eddy Pineiro, are both performing well in training camp.
5. Cleveland Browns: +1200 NFL Odds
Everyone’s raving about the Browns now that they have WR Odell Beckham Jr. in the lineup. He’ll be the prime target for hotshot sophomore QB Baker Mayfield, but it’s still up to rookie head coach Freddie Kitchens to prove he’s got the right game plan to beat the NFL betting lines.
NFL Futures – Odds to Win MVP
1. Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes: +550 NFL Odds
He’s the reigning MVP, and just the second player ever to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 TDs in a season – Peyton Manning being the first. Expecting Mahomes to do it again behind an offensive line weakened by the departure of center Mitch Morse (now with Buffalo) might be too much to ask.
2. Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck: +600 NFL Odds
Manning’s successor in Indianapolis has rediscovered his Pro Bowl form after shoulder issues ruined his 2016 campaign and kept him on the sidelines in 2017. Luck’s comeback performance in 2018 was aided by the arrival of LG Quentin Nelson and RT Braden Smith, who should be even better now as sophomores.
3. Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers: +1000 NFL Odds
He’s already won the MVP twice (2011, 2014), but if Rodgers is going to beat the NFL lines and make it three, he’ll have to develop some quick chemistry with rookie head coach Matt LaFleur. And Green Bay’s offensive line will have to stay healthy – especially LT David Bakhtiari.
4. Cleveland QB Baker Mayfield: +1100 NFL Odds
Mayfield showed tons of promise last year, although he’ll probably see some of his MVP votes go to Beckham. Don’t overlook the loss of RG Kevin Zeitler, a former first-round pick who went to the New York Giants in the Beckham trade.
5. New Orleans QB Drew Brees: +1200 NFL Odds
The 12-time Pro Bowler has won just about every major award there is, except league MVP. Now that the Saints have a more balanced offensive attack with RB Alvin Kamara, Brees isn’t putting up the same kind of video-game numbers that he used to, and the retirement of center Max Unger won’t help his MVP cause.
5. Philadelphia QB Carson Wentz: +1200 NFL Odds
If Wentz can put in a full season without getting hurt, the Eagles won’t regret letting Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles (now with Jacksonville) walk in free agency. They’ve got arguably the best offensive line in football, improving Wentz’ chances of remaining upright and playing the full 16 games.
NCAAF Futures – Odds to Win the National Championship
1. Clemson Tigers: +225 NCAAF Odds
There’s a new Big Man on Campus. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney signed a record-breaking contract to stay with the Tigers after guiding them to the first 15-0 season in modern NCAAF history. Swinney has led Clemson to two national titles over the past three years, but he’ll need to replenish his defense after losing DE Clelin Ferrell, DT Christian Wilkins and DT Dexter Lawrence in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide: +225 NCAAF Odds
Nick Saban is thirsty for revenge. His Crimson Tide got smoked by Clemson in last year’s National Championship Game, leaving them 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS against the Tigers and the NCAA lines on college football’s biggest stage. With Clemson’s defense possibly taking a step back, Saban and the Tide should have the advantage if they meet again this year.
3. Georgia Bulldogs: +650 NCAAF Odds
They almost dealt a death blow to Alabama in both 2017 and 2018; this year, the Bulldogs hope they’ve improved enough to finally get the job done. Kirby Smart has put some talented players around QB Jake Fromm, who will operate behind arguably the best offensive line in college. If everyone stays healthy, Georgia has everything they need to win the title.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes: +950 NCAAF Odds
This will be Ohio State’s first full year under head coach Ryan Day, after Urban Meyer stepped down (ostensibly for health reasons) to become an assistant athletic director for the Buckeyes. There’s ample talent still left in the cupboard, but is former Georgia QB Justin Fields good enough to take them back to the College Football Playoff?
5. Michigan Wolverines: +1400 NCAAF Odds
One of these days, Jim Harbaugh might get the Wolverines the title they so desperately crave. Harbaugh hasn’t quite gotten there yet; he had QB Andrew Luck with him in Stanford, and is still waiting for someone like that to show up in Ann Arbor. Maybe QB Shea Patterson will have a better 2019 campaign under new offensive co-ordinator Josh Gattis – who spent last year working under Saban.
NCAAF Futures – Odds to Win Heisman
1. Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa: +250 NCAAF Odds
He was well on his way to winning the Heisman last year before a shaky performance during the SEC title game against Georgia, where Jalen Hurts came on to secure the comeback victory in the second half. Tagovailoa will have every chance to win it this year before he moves on to the NFL.
2. Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence: +275 NCAAF Odds
Lawrence might have won the Heisman had he played the entire season for Clemson – he took over for Kelly Bryant in Week 5 and never looked back. His domination of the Crimson Tide at the National Championship Game spoke volumes about his potential for 2019 and beyond.
3. Ohio State QB Justin Fields: +900 NCAAF Odds
It’ll be trial by fire for the new Buckeyes quarterback. Fields was one of the top recruits in the Class of 2018 – ESPN had him ranked No. 1 overall – but he couldn’t get past Fromm on Georgia’s depth chart. A successful year in Columbus would put Fields squarely in the middle of the Heisman conversation.
4. Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts: +1000 NCAAF Odds
Speaking of transfers, Hurts will get his chance to shine now that he’s escaped Tagovailoa’s long shadow in Alabama. And he’ll have the luxury of working for head coach Lincoln Riley, who’s produced back-to-back Heisman winners in Mayfield and Kyler Murray.
5. Nebraska QB Adrian Martinez: +1100 NCAAF Odds
This might be a bit of a reach, considering the other quality quarterbacks in contention for the Heisman, but Martinez definitely made a splash with the Cornhuskers last year. Head coach Scott Frost is a former Nebraska QB who was part of Chip Kelly’s coaching tree at Oregon, where Frost helped Marcus Mariota win the Heisman in 2014. Maybe he can do the same for Martinez.