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- The Rams’ historic 27-7 opening loss to the 49ers lengthened their Super Bowl odds from 5-1 to 6-1.
- Despite the 20-point defeat, Los Angeles remains the Super Bowl favorite, while San Francisco’s odds improved to 14-1.
The Los Angeles Rams opened their season with a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, and the defeat immediately moved NFL futures markets at major U.S. sportsbooks.
The result mattered beyond one game because the Rams entered the season as the preseason Super Bowl favorites. According to SportsOddHistory.com, they became the first preseason Super Bowl favorite in the past 50 seasons to lose its opener by 20 points or more.
The Rams closed as 3.5-point favorites over San Francisco. BetMGM said 60% of the money wagered on the point spread backed Los Angeles, while DraftKings Sportsbook reported the Rams had drawn more than twice as many bets to win the Super Bowl as any other team.
Rams remain favorites, but prices worsen after opener
Despite the loss, the Rams still remained the favorites to win the Super Bowl, NFC and NFC West. But their prices all moved in a less favorable direction after the opener.
At DraftKings, the Rams’ Super Bowl odds shifted from 5-1 to 6-1. Their odds to win the NFC West moved from -105 to +164, a significant swing after just one result.
The 49ers and Seahawks both gained ground in division betting. San Francisco improved from +300 to +180 to win the NFC West, while the Seattle Seahawks moved from +215 to +184.
49ers gain the most from the upset
San Francisco also saw a notable move in the Super Bowl market at DraftKings. The 49ers improved from 19-1 to 14-1 after the win over Los Angeles.
The historical comparison underscores how unusual the Rams’ opener was for a team carrying preseason title-favorite status. ESPN cited the 1993 Dallas Cowboys, who lost by 19 in their opener, and the 2017 New England Patriots and 1987 New York Giants, who each lost by 15.
That history also offers a reminder that an ugly Week 1 result does not always define a season. The Cowboys and Patriots both went on to play in the Super Bowl in those seasons, while the Giants missed the playoffs.
For bettors, the next key question is whether the Rams’ longer prices hold through the next round of NFL action or whether the opening loss proves to be a short-lived market correction.
Source: As reported by David Purdum.
