Insane NFL Week 1 betting trend involving Super Bowl teams
By Jason Logan
One glaring NFL Week 1 football betting trend that has shown up since the turn of the century has to do with teams coming off an appearance in the Super Bowl the year before.
Defending Super Bowl champs have ridden that wave of momentum to a stellar 12-3 SU and 10-4-1 ATS record in Week 1 the following season since 2000, most recently the Seattle Seahawks beating the Green Bay Packers 36-16 as 4.5-point favorites in a Thursday night opener last September.
The team that lost in the Big Game isn’t so lucky. Apparently, getting over that crushing defeat takes more than an offseason, with Super Bowl losers going 6-9 SU and only 3-12 ATS the last 15 seasons. The Denver Broncos, who were blown out by Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII, defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-24 in Week 1 but couldn’t cover the 8-point spread.
That puts the spotlight on the defending champion New England Patriots and Seahawks in Week 1 of the 2015 campaign. The Patriots are 7-point favorites hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday night, but were down to -2.5 when it was thought Tom Brady would be suspended for the first four games of the year. Seattle is currently a 4-point road favorite visiting the St. Louis Rams Sunday.