Per ‘DraftKings,’ Vikings Gambling Odds Shift Significantly
Dustin Baker
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Two months ago, detailed in an article by Lines.com, the Green Bay Packers were the odds-on favorites to conquer the NFC North for a third consecutive season.
This was about three weeks inside the Aaron Rodgers saga that engulfed the NFL, casting uncertainty on the future outlook for the Packers quarterback’s eventual destination. On the first day of the 2021 NFL Draft, credible news broke indicating that Rodgers was disillusioned with Green Bay’s front office, loudly hinting that his tenure of 16 seasons with the organization was kaput.
Even then, the Packers remained the frontrunners to win the NFC North per Vegas — Rodgers melodrama be damned.
It was a curious situation as the Minnesota Vikings were assembling a bounceback-from-2020 roster, signing newcomers like Patrick Peterson, Dalvin Tomlinson, Xavier Woods, Sheldon Richardson, Bashaud Breeland (and others), while drafting Christain Darrisaw and Wyatt Davis. Then, the Chicago Bears finagled their own fate, drafting quarterback Justin Fields to perhaps finally solidify stability at QB1 — a trend that has avoided the Bears since Jay Cutler’s heyday. The Detroit Lions were never perceived as a threat to win the NFC North — and they still aren’t.
In recent days, the Packers kerfuffles are piling up. The Rodgers friction has not ceased. Some outlets are even pointing at the possibility of retirement for the longtime Green Bay icon:
As Green Bay 2021 over-under win totals disappear from places like DraftKings, PointsBet, and Westgate, multiple sports books reportedly believe Aaron Rodgers will be retiring next week. https://t.co/LOIRFWJm1c
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) July 24, 2021
Wide receiver Davante Adams joined the disgruntled-about-money club, too:
It’s not just Aaron Rodgers: The #Packers and star WR Davante Adams have broken off long-term extension talks. There are no current plans to resume them. The two sides have been negotiating for months, but they are now in a bad place, sources say. First the QB, now the No. 1 WR.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 23, 2021
And strangely, Green Bay’s top EDGE rusher, Za’Darius Smith, claimed he needs a realtor.
I need a realtor in GreenBay ASAP‼️
— Za'Darius Smith (@zadariussmith) July 23, 2021
But Smith quickly cleaned this up, stating he merely wants to seize the day for the current housing market.
Are you guys crazy??? the Market is up! I’m just trying to find a new house
— Za'Darius Smith (@zadariussmith) July 23, 2021
Regardless, gambling odds have shifted per DraftKings.com.
The Vikings are now favored to win the NFC North — the first time in a while that Minnesota has bumped off the Packers for odds prognostication.
If one was to wager $100 dollars on Minnesota to win the division, $125 would be the spoils from such a bet. And a $100 bet on Green Bay equates to a $175 payout if the Packers win the NFC North once again.
This is is the first occasion that a notable sports-betting entity has recognized the potential fall of the Packers. Up until now, sportsbooks erred on the side of Rodgers returning, resuming his MVP campaign from 2020 while birthing another division crown.
What’s more, the Vikings now have better odds to win Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles than the Packers — which, if you’ve recovered from falling off of your chair, you can resume mentally processing.
Bet $100 on Minnesota to win the Super Bowl — win $2,800 if that [finally] happens. So forth for Green Bay, $3,500 if Rodgers returns to win his second Lombardi trophy.
Of course, gambling odds are not entirely predictive of future happenstance, but the sports body politic is, once and for all, coming to terms with Rodgers’ loudly whispered possible exodus.
And the Vikings are the team nominated to reap the benefits.
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