In a stunning turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the sports betting world, the Detroit Lions have surged to become the betting favorites to win Super Bowl 59. The long-suffering franchise, known more for their perennial struggles than playoff success, now finds itself in the unprecedented position of being the team to beat in the eyes of oddsmakers and bettors alike.
From Underdogs to Top Dogs
The Lions’ ascent to Super Bowl favoritism is a remarkable shift for a team that has traditionally been an afterthought in the betting market. According to sources familiar with the matter, this marks the first time Detroit has been installed as the odds-on favorite to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
The surge of Lions betting has put sportsbooks in a precarious position. Several large wagers on Detroit to win it all, placed when their odds were much longer, have created substantial liabilities for bookmakers. One bettor at FanDuel stands to win over $88,000 on a $27 parlay if the Lions complete the job, while another at DraftKings could net nearly $95,000 on a $50 bet.
They are our biggest overall loser almost every week.
Christian Cipollini, BetMGM trading manager
The bookmakers’ pain has been the public’s gain, as bettors have cashed in consistently by backing the Lions. Detroit has gone an impressive 10-1 straight up and 9-2 against the spread this season, the best mark in the league on both fronts. Dating back to 2021, the Lions boast a staggering 44-18 record against the spread, the best of any team in the Super Bowl era over a four-year span.
A Nation of Believers
The Lions’ success at the betting window has been fueled by a groundswell of public support that extends far beyond the team’s traditional Michigan fan base. At BetMGM sportsbooks nationwide, more money has been wagered on the Lions to win the NFC than on the next seven teams combined.
I think that shows Lions fans aren’t just in Michigan. More money bet than the next seven teams combined? Those wagers are coming in from all over the country, which, as a Lions fan, is kind of strange to see. But it’s pretty cool, too.
Wes Westhoff, Michigan native and BetMGM regional marketing manager
The betting public’s embrace of the Lions marks a dramatic shift for a franchise that has long been synonymous with futility. Detroit holds the third-worst winning percentage of any team in the Super Bowl era and just 16 years ago suffered through a winless 0-16 campaign. Now, the Lions find themselves as not just a popular bet but a trendy pick to win the Super Bowl.
Riding the Wave
For Lions fans who have endured decades of disappointment, the team’s emergence as a betting juggernaut has been a cathartic experience. Westhoff, the BetMGM marketing manager and lifelong Lions devotee, summed up the feeling:
Lions fans have put in a lot of years watching maybe not the greatest of teams. You can have a long life and not experience what we’re experiencing right now. So, that’s a good place to be for now. Hopefully, the success continues.
Wes Westhoff
As the Lions prepare for a Thanksgiving Day clash with the rival Chicago Bears as massive 10.5-point favorites, the betting market’s infatuation shows no signs of abating. The public has hitched its wagon to Detroit, and bookmakers can only watch and hope that this roaring Lions team finally meets its match. But for now, the Lions’ reign as Super Bowl betting kings continues unabated, leaving sportsbooks to ponder the once-unthinkable prospect of a Lions championship as their worst-case scenario.
The surge of Lions betting has put sportsbooks in a precarious position. Several large wagers on Detroit to win it all, placed when their odds were much longer, have created substantial liabilities for bookmakers. One bettor at FanDuel stands to win over $88,000 on a $27 parlay if the Lions complete the job, while another at DraftKings could net nearly $95,000 on a $50 bet.
They are our biggest overall loser almost every week.
Christian Cipollini, BetMGM trading manager
The bookmakers’ pain has been the public’s gain, as bettors have cashed in consistently by backing the Lions. Detroit has gone an impressive 10-1 straight up and 9-2 against the spread this season, the best mark in the league on both fronts. Dating back to 2021, the Lions boast a staggering 44-18 record against the spread, the best of any team in the Super Bowl era over a four-year span.
A Nation of Believers
The Lions’ success at the betting window has been fueled by a groundswell of public support that extends far beyond the team’s traditional Michigan fan base. At BetMGM sportsbooks nationwide, more money has been wagered on the Lions to win the NFC than on the next seven teams combined.
I think that shows Lions fans aren’t just in Michigan. More money bet than the next seven teams combined? Those wagers are coming in from all over the country, which, as a Lions fan, is kind of strange to see. But it’s pretty cool, too.
Wes Westhoff, Michigan native and BetMGM regional marketing manager
The betting public’s embrace of the Lions marks a dramatic shift for a franchise that has long been synonymous with futility. Detroit holds the third-worst winning percentage of any team in the Super Bowl era and just 16 years ago suffered through a winless 0-16 campaign. Now, the Lions find themselves as not just a popular bet but a trendy pick to win the Super Bowl.
Riding the Wave
For Lions fans who have endured decades of disappointment, the team’s emergence as a betting juggernaut has been a cathartic experience. Westhoff, the BetMGM marketing manager and lifelong Lions devotee, summed up the feeling:
Lions fans have put in a lot of years watching maybe not the greatest of teams. You can have a long life and not experience what we’re experiencing right now. So, that’s a good place to be for now. Hopefully, the success continues.
Wes Westhoff
As the Lions prepare for a Thanksgiving Day clash with the rival Chicago Bears as massive 10.5-point favorites, the betting market’s infatuation shows no signs of abating. The public has hitched its wagon to Detroit, and bookmakers can only watch and hope that this roaring Lions team finally meets its match. But for now, the Lions’ reign as Super Bowl betting kings continues unabated, leaving sportsbooks to ponder the once-unthinkable prospect of a Lions championship as their worst-case scenario.
Bookmakers around the country are scrambling to adjust their lines as a wave of Lions betting has caught them off guard. Christian Cipollini, a trading manager for BetMGM, noted that “week to week, it doesn’t matter who they’re playing, the Lions are one of the most if not the most bet-on team. They’re the public darling.”
A Liability for the Books
The surge of Lions betting has put sportsbooks in a precarious position. Several large wagers on Detroit to win it all, placed when their odds were much longer, have created substantial liabilities for bookmakers. One bettor at FanDuel stands to win over $88,000 on a $27 parlay if the Lions complete the job, while another at DraftKings could net nearly $95,000 on a $50 bet.
They are our biggest overall loser almost every week.
Christian Cipollini, BetMGM trading manager
The bookmakers’ pain has been the public’s gain, as bettors have cashed in consistently by backing the Lions. Detroit has gone an impressive 10-1 straight up and 9-2 against the spread this season, the best mark in the league on both fronts. Dating back to 2021, the Lions boast a staggering 44-18 record against the spread, the best of any team in the Super Bowl era over a four-year span.
A Nation of Believers
The Lions’ success at the betting window has been fueled by a groundswell of public support that extends far beyond the team’s traditional Michigan fan base. At BetMGM sportsbooks nationwide, more money has been wagered on the Lions to win the NFC than on the next seven teams combined.
I think that shows Lions fans aren’t just in Michigan. More money bet than the next seven teams combined? Those wagers are coming in from all over the country, which, as a Lions fan, is kind of strange to see. But it’s pretty cool, too.
Wes Westhoff, Michigan native and BetMGM regional marketing manager
The betting public’s embrace of the Lions marks a dramatic shift for a franchise that has long been synonymous with futility. Detroit holds the third-worst winning percentage of any team in the Super Bowl era and just 16 years ago suffered through a winless 0-16 campaign. Now, the Lions find themselves as not just a popular bet but a trendy pick to win the Super Bowl.
Riding the Wave
For Lions fans who have endured decades of disappointment, the team’s emergence as a betting juggernaut has been a cathartic experience. Westhoff, the BetMGM marketing manager and lifelong Lions devotee, summed up the feeling:
Lions fans have put in a lot of years watching maybe not the greatest of teams. You can have a long life and not experience what we’re experiencing right now. So, that’s a good place to be for now. Hopefully, the success continues.
Wes Westhoff
As the Lions prepare for a Thanksgiving Day clash with the rival Chicago Bears as massive 10.5-point favorites, the betting market’s infatuation shows no signs of abating. The public has hitched its wagon to Detroit, and bookmakers can only watch and hope that this roaring Lions team finally meets its match. But for now, the Lions’ reign as Super Bowl betting kings continues unabated, leaving sportsbooks to ponder the once-unthinkable prospect of a Lions championship as their worst-case scenario.
Bookmakers around the country are scrambling to adjust their lines as a wave of Lions betting has caught them off guard. Christian Cipollini, a trading manager for BetMGM, noted that “week to week, it doesn’t matter who they’re playing, the Lions are one of the most if not the most bet-on team. They’re the public darling.”
A Liability for the Books
The surge of Lions betting has put sportsbooks in a precarious position. Several large wagers on Detroit to win it all, placed when their odds were much longer, have created substantial liabilities for bookmakers. One bettor at FanDuel stands to win over $88,000 on a $27 parlay if the Lions complete the job, while another at DraftKings could net nearly $95,000 on a $50 bet.
They are our biggest overall loser almost every week.
Christian Cipollini, BetMGM trading manager
The bookmakers’ pain has been the public’s gain, as bettors have cashed in consistently by backing the Lions. Detroit has gone an impressive 10-1 straight up and 9-2 against the spread this season, the best mark in the league on both fronts. Dating back to 2021, the Lions boast a staggering 44-18 record against the spread, the best of any team in the Super Bowl era over a four-year span.
A Nation of Believers
The Lions’ success at the betting window has been fueled by a groundswell of public support that extends far beyond the team’s traditional Michigan fan base. At BetMGM sportsbooks nationwide, more money has been wagered on the Lions to win the NFC than on the next seven teams combined.
I think that shows Lions fans aren’t just in Michigan. More money bet than the next seven teams combined? Those wagers are coming in from all over the country, which, as a Lions fan, is kind of strange to see. But it’s pretty cool, too.
Wes Westhoff, Michigan native and BetMGM regional marketing manager
The betting public’s embrace of the Lions marks a dramatic shift for a franchise that has long been synonymous with futility. Detroit holds the third-worst winning percentage of any team in the Super Bowl era and just 16 years ago suffered through a winless 0-16 campaign. Now, the Lions find themselves as not just a popular bet but a trendy pick to win the Super Bowl.
Riding the Wave
For Lions fans who have endured decades of disappointment, the team’s emergence as a betting juggernaut has been a cathartic experience. Westhoff, the BetMGM marketing manager and lifelong Lions devotee, summed up the feeling:
Lions fans have put in a lot of years watching maybe not the greatest of teams. You can have a long life and not experience what we’re experiencing right now. So, that’s a good place to be for now. Hopefully, the success continues.
Wes Westhoff
As the Lions prepare for a Thanksgiving Day clash with the rival Chicago Bears as massive 10.5-point favorites, the betting market’s infatuation shows no signs of abating. The public has hitched its wagon to Detroit, and bookmakers can only watch and hope that this roaring Lions team finally meets its match. But for now, the Lions’ reign as Super Bowl betting kings continues unabated, leaving sportsbooks to ponder the once-unthinkable prospect of a Lions championship as their worst-case scenario.
