ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson, center, runs between David Harris, left, and Sione Pouha during morning practice at the team’s NFL football training camp in Cortland, N.Y., Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010. Tomlinson is one reason Las Vegas sports books expect the Jets to have a big year in 2010.
Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
AFC Win Totals
- Baltimore — 10
- Buffalo — 5 1/2
- Cincinnati — 7 1/2
- Cleveland — 5 1/2
- Denver — 7 1/2
- Houston — 8
- Indianapolis — 11
- Jacksonville — 7
- Kansas City — 5 1/2
- Miami — 8 1/2
- New England — 9 1/2
- New York — 9 1/2
- Oakland — 6
- Pittsburgh — 9
- San Diego — 11
- Tennessee — 8 1/2
- Numbers from The M Sports Book
The New York Jets won the Super Bowl of attention during the NFL offseason.
The Jets acquired a stable of well-known NFL veterans for their 2010 roster, including running back LaDainian Tomlinson, linebacker Jason Taylor, cornerback Antonio Cromartie and wide receiver Santonio Holmes.
Las Vegas has taken notice. Most sports books have posted their NFL season win totals, and New York owns one of the highest numbers in the AFC.
The M lists the Jets over/under season win total at 9.5 with the over at a price of -105 (risking $1.05 to win $1) and the under at -125 (risking $1.25 to win $1).
"We're pretty even on the Jets," said Mike Colbert, The M's race and sports book director. "We've had quite a few over bets, but also a few under. You would think they'd get more over, because of the way they ended last season and they've been the hot team in the offseason."
AFC East rival New England Patriots, who have won the divisional title in six of the past seven years, share the 9.5 mark with the Jets.
But not everyone in town is ready to declare the Jets, who went 9-7 and lost in the AFC Championship Game last year, among the NFL's elite. R.J. Bell, founder and CEO of sports betting website Pregame.com, said one of his strongest leans in win totals was the under 9.5 when it came to the Jets.
"They have received so much press and people say 'Whoa, they got LaDainian Tomlinson,'" Bell said. "But Tomlinson is really just a guy that San Diego didn't even want. There's a lot of value going with the under there."
As far as an attractive over, Bell stayed in the AFC East. He advocated the Miami Dolphins to surpass 8.5 wins. The Dolphins picked up a few new players of their own, including top receiver Brandon Marshall and linebacker Karlos Dansby.
The M lists both Miami's over and under at a price of -115 (risking $1.15 to win $1).
"I really like Miami," Bell said. "I think Miami has done really good offseason stuff."
Las Vegas sports books began posting season win totals less than 20 years ago as a way to give bettors a chance to prognosticate a team's season and bring excitement before the year actually started.
Every year, the win total wager seems to get more popular. Colbert said it was seen as an easier way to make money than traditional future bets, where bettors are given odds on each teams' chances to win the Super Bowl or their conference.
"It's not a bet we put up not thinking we will get rich off of it," Colbert said. "It's usually a bone we throw to the customer. It's not big either way. Last year I think we came out a little bit ahead, and I have no reason to think it will be much different this year."
Bell said anyone who was serious about sports betting knew win totals were a better preseason option than futures, because sports books hold up to 40 percent of the futures pool.
"The case can be made that there's eight times the amount of juice or commission in future bets than there are in win totals," Bell said. "It's like going to Wal Mart and paying $100 for the futures when you can pay $12 for the win totals."
One of the biggest wagers the M has taken was over 7.5 wins for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like the Jets, the Bengals made headlines for an offseason acquisition. Cincinnati signed troubled but talented receiver Terrell Owens last week to team up with Chad Ochocinco.
The Bengals went 10-6 last year and won the AFC Central.
"I wouldn't be in a hurry to bet the under," Bell said. "But I wouldn't be in a hurry to bet the over either because we've learned character matters in the NFL and they seem to go the other way."
Unsurprisingly, the Indianapolis Colts own the highest win total number at 11. The M also lists the Chargers over/under at 11.
"The Colts to me are probably the best regular season franchise I've ever seen," Colbert said. "They know how to win games. I think it would be tough to ever bet the under."
Check back next week for a look at NFC win totals.
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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