Bettors in New Jersey are placing their faith, and their money, on a local team to win the Super Bowl and produce the league’s most valuable player.
According to New Jersey’s two preeminent sportsbooks, FanDuel and DraftKings, the Philadelphia Eagles are getting the most futures bets to win Super Bowl 54, and the team’s quarterback, Carson Wentz, is getting the most action to take home the MVP award.
FanDuel has taken more bets on the Eagles at 14-1 odds to win the championship than the four teams — New England Patriots (7-1), Kansas City Chiefs (8-1), New Orleans Saints (9-1) and Los Angeles Rams (11-1) — that bookmakers favor more.
The New York Giants (80-1) and New York Jets (60-1) round out the top three most bet-on teams to win the Super Bowl at FanDuel’s local sportsbooks.
More than 17% of all bets placed on a team to win the Super Bowl have been on the Eagles at FanDuel’s retail and online sportsbooks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and the company’s brick-and-mortar location inside the Tioga Downs Casino Resort in Nichols, New York.
People are also reading…
The Chiefs (9.2%), Jets (6.3%), Patriots (6.1%) and Cleveland Browns (6%) round out the top five.
The data is based on the total number of bets placed, not the amount being wagered, said Kevin Hennessy, director of publicity for FanDuel.
Wentz moved up from 13-1 to 10-1 odds to win MVP at DraftKings’ sportsbook after the surprise retirement announcement by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, said Hal Tendler, manager of the DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. FanDuel has the Eagles quarterback listed at 14-1 odds. Both sportsbooks have Chiefs quarterback and last year’s MVP Patrick Mahomes as the favorite to win again this year.
With retail and online sportsbooks available in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Hennessy said the results are not all that surprising. FanDuel’s New Jersey sportsbook is located at the Meadowlands Racetrack in the shadow of MetLife Stadium where the Giants and Jets play home games. The Pennsylvania FanDuel sportsbook is at Valley Forge Casino Resort, which is about 20 miles outside of Philadelphia.
“People are betting on their hometown teams,” he said.
Tendler said the Eagles and Wentz are “sentimental” picks for the local crowd. DraftKings has the Eagles listed at 13-1 odds to win the Super Bowl, which is also behind the same four favorites on FanDuel’s board.
“We’re in the Philadelphia market, and I think most of the region here is Philadelphia Eagles fans and people support the local team,” Tendler said.
The Browns are also getting a lot of action among futures bettors at DraftKings, Tendler said.
In Las Vegas, the Chicago Bears are garnering the most action for Super Bowl winner, according to ESPN, followed by the Browns. The Eagles did not crack the top-10 most bet on teams to win the Super Bowl at Caesars Sportsbook in Vegas.
FanDuel and DraftKings have dominated the New Jersey sports betting market since June 2018 when the state legalized and regulated the gaming option. Combined, the two companies have accounted for nearly 80% of the $127.5 million in revenue generated statewide by sports betting in 2019.
On average, 80% of all sports wagers in New Jersey are done via a mobile app or online.
