As season begins, Vegas sees a 49ers-Broncos Super Bowl and Eagles as a 60-to-1 longshot

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER

It's the most wonderful time of the year for Las Vegas where the sports books with all of their big-screen televisions and their giant scoreboards filled with flashing numbers all welcome the start of another NFL season.

The major league baseball and NBA seasons generate some action and, of course, so does college football. And the start of March Madness is greeted like a national holiday on the Strip.

But nothing brings in the cash like the NFL in Vegas, which is one of the few spots in the country where it's  legal to bet on the games. It's why New Jersey is fighting so hard to legalize sports betting because the only way Atlantic City is going to bounce back is if you can bet on the games along the boardwalk. It's the only thing that could separate the AC casinos from all of the competition in Pennsylvania.

RJ Bell of Pregame.com has provided the odds on the upcoming season. If you like teams like the Jags, Cardinals, Raiders and Jets and just put down $20 on them to win it all, and somehow, some way, they do, you could earn yourself a nice little early February bonus. Here's a look at the Super Bowl odds and other NFL matters.

Updated Super Bowl odds:

Broncos	6/1
49ers	7/1
Seahawks	8/1
Patriots	10/1
Packers	13/1
Falcons	16/1
Texans	18/1
Saints	20/1
Cowboys	27/1
Giants	27/1
Bears	30/1
Bengals	30/1
Steelers	30/1
Redskins	35/1
Ravens	40/1
Lions	40/1
Colts	43/1
Eagles	60/1
Bucs	60/1
Panthers	66/1
Chiefs	75/1
Dolphins	75/1
Vikings	80/1
Rams	80/1
Charges	85/1
Cardinals	125/1
Jets	130/1
Browns	150/1
Bills	185/1
Titans	200/1
Jags	400/1
Raiders	425/1

Updated Season Win Totals
(bet over/under the number of wins)

Broncos: 11.5 wins
Seahawks: 11 wins
49ers: 10.5 wins
Patriots: 10.5 wins
Packers: 10 wins
Texans: 9.5 wins
Bengals: 9 wins
Steelers: 9 wins
Falcons: 9 wins
Saints: 9 wins
Lions: 8.5 wins
Bears: 8.5 wins
Cowboys: 8.5 wins
Giants: 8.5 wins
Chiefs: 8.5 wins
Ravens: 8.5 wins
Colts: 8 wins
Dolphins: 8 wins
Rams: 7.5 wins
Bucs: 7.5 wins
Redskins: 7.5 wins
Eagles: 7.5 wins
Browns: 7 wins
Panthers: 7 wins
Chargers: 7 wins
Vikings: 6.5 wins
Titans: 6.5 wins
Bills: 6 wins
Jets: 6 wins
Cardinals: 6 wins
Jags: 5 wins
Raiders: 5 wins

Teams bet OVER the heaviest: Lions, Cardinals, Chiefs

Teams bet UNDER the heaviest: Vikings, 49ers, Patriots

Playoff Projections (based on Win Totals):

AFC West (home field advantage): Broncos
AFC East (first round bye): Patriots
AFC South: Texans
AFC North: Bengals
1^st Wildcard: Steelers
2^nd Wildcard: Chiefs
Team closest to making playoffs: Ravens

NFC West (home field advantage): Seahawks
NFC North (first round bye): Packers
NFC South: Saints
NFC East: Cowboys
1^st Wildcard: 49ers
2^nd Wildcard: Falcons
Team closest to making playoffs: Lions

Season Long Props [William Hill]

NFC West is +225 to win Super Bowl. AFC West +450. No other division better than +600

Four “minus money” favorites to win division: Patriots -400; Broncos -350; Texans -225; Packers -125

Calvin Johnson’s receiving yards are favored by 125 yards over Adrian Peterson’s rushing yards

5.5: over/under for 200 yard rushing games during regular season

7.5: over/under for 200 yard receiving games during regular season

61.5 yards: over/under for longest field goal made during regular season

93.5 yards: over/under for longest touchdown from scrimmage during regular season

67% chance there will be at least one 500 yard passing game during regular season (NO pays +190)

65% chance a team will lose 14 or more games (NO pays +180)

55% chance Peyton Manning will have more passion yards than Tom Brady

45% chance a team will win 14 or more games

Other Props:

19% chance a player will gain 2000 receiving yards on season (YES pays +400)

23% chance a player will gain 2000 rushing yards on season (YES pays +300)

31% chance a quarterback will rush for 1000 yards on season (YES pays +200)

$100 wins $2,000 if any team goes 16-0.

$100 wins $3,500 if any team goes 0-16.

$100 wins $4,000 if any team goes 19-0.

First Head Coach Fired:

Rex Ryan: +150
Dennis Allen: +300
Leslie Frazier: +800
Mike Munchak: +1200
Ron Rivera: +1200
Jason Garrett: +1500
Jim Schwartz: +1500

MVP Odds:

P. Manning: 5/1
A. Rodgers: 8/1
Kaepernick: 10/1
T. Brady: 10/1
Brees: 10/1
Peterson: 12/1
M. Ryan: 15/1
RG3: 18/1
R. Wilson: 18/1
A. Luck: 30/1

What will be Tim Tebow’s next football move?

57%: Sign with NFL team
25%: Sign with AFL team
18%: Sign with CFL team

Early Super Bowl line:

NFC favored by 1-point over AFC