Cleveland Browns open as favorites to win AFC North

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The Cleveland Browns suddenly have become a talented — and public — team this offseason.

Their Super Bowl odds shifted from 25-1 to 14-1 at the SuperBook at the Westgate Las Vegas after their trade for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and they’re now the most bet-on team to win the Super Bowl by tickets and money at DraftKings Sportsbook in New Jersey.

Add favorites to win the AFC North to the list of offseason accomplishments, too.

The SuperBook on Saturday opened the Browns as +140 favorites to win the division, trailed closely by the Pittsburgh Steelers at +160 and Baltimore Ravens at +250.

“They have the most talented roster in the division, and they are the team the public will be looking to bet,” SuperBook director John Murray told ESPN. “Multiple big-name stars means public fascination, and I think they would’ve won the division last season had they gone with Kitchens/Mayfield duo from Week 1.”

Some other notable divisional odds:

• The New England Patriots are the biggest divisional favorites at -700 to win the AFC East for an 11th straight season.

• The Miami Dolphins have the worst divisional odds at 40-1. The Indianapolis Colts are AFC South favorites (+125), followed by the Houston Texans at +225.

• The Philadelphia Eagles are slight favorites (even) in the NFC East over the Dallas Cowboys (+125).

• The Chicago Bears (+160) are the favorites in the NFC North, with Minnesota and Green Bay at +200.

As ESPN’s David Purdum reported, the addition of Beckham to the Browns’ upgraded roster is worth “.5 to 1 point” to the team’s power rating, in line with other elite players such as Julio Jones and Antonio Brown. Cleveland also added defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and defensive end Olivier Vernon this offseason.

According to sportsoddshistory.com, the Browns have never closed as the AFC North favorites (dating to 2002 when the four-team division was created).



Source : ESPN