NFL MVP, Coach of the Year odds offer long shots
Here’s a couple of NFL trivia questions that might help you win a bar bet whenever bars reopen:
— Who is the only kicker to win the MVP award?
— Who is the only coach to win the Coach of the Year award with a losing record?
We’ll get to the coach later. But kicker Mark Moseley claimed NFL MVP honors in 1982 when he helped lead the Washington Redskins to an 8-1 record in the strike-shortened season en route to the Super Bowl title.
No wide receiver or tight end has been named MVP in the 63-year history of the award. But that didn’t stop a bettor at the Westgate from requesting odds on Seattle Seahawks wideout D.K. Metcalf.
The sportsbook obliged, putting Metcalf up at 500-1, and the bettor wagered $250 to win $125,000 on him.
“Jerry Rice never won an MVP, and he’s the greatest receiver in NFL history. But D.K. Metcalf will?” Westgate vice president of risk Ed Salmons said. “It’s an intriguing award. The public loves to get involved. Any long shot, they love.”
Chicago fans loaded up last year on Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to win MVP, and books are taking action on him again at 300-1.
“MVP Mitch,” Salmons said. “He’s back.”
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson was as high as a 200-1 long shot to win MVP last season, and professional sports bettor Mark DeRosa turned $500 into $63,000 at Circa (at 125-1) when Jackson won the award.
Quarterbacks have claimed 42 of 63 MVPs and are heavy favorites to do so again this season.
Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes is the clear favorite (+350) to win his second MVP in three years. He’s followed by Jackson (12-1), Seattle’s Russell Wilson (14-1), Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady (16-1) and Dallas’ Dak Prescott (16-1).
Betting bunch on Brady
Mahomes is the money leader at the Westgate, followed by San Francisco QB Jimmy Garoppolo (40-1) and Brady. Ticket leaders are Wilson, Garoppolo and Tennessee running back Derrick Henry (60-1). Brady, Garoppolo and 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (80-1) are the biggest liabilities.
“They won’t stop betting Brady,” said Salmons, who made Brady’s true MVP odds 60-1 to 80-1. “Unless he was hiding it in New England the last two years, the quarterback I saw play was a guy ready to wrap it up and the Patriots were ready for him to leave.”
Eat, drink and bet Murray
Arizona’s Kyler Murray (25-1) is the MVP ticket leader at William Hill. The Cardinals added four-time Pro Bowl wideout DeAndre Hopkins for their second season under coach Kliff Kingsbury.
“They’re looking for a dark horse and think he’s going to come out flying,” William Hill sportsbook director Nick Bogdanovich said of Murray. “It’s set up for them in year two of the system. They’ve got good weapons. There’s no reason they can’t take the next step.”
William Hill has taken more MVP money on Patriots QB Cam Newton than it has on Mahomes.
“I can’t see Newton being MVP, just because they’re going to do it with defense, special teams and the running game,” Bogdanovich said.
Coach of the Year
The answer to our other trivia question is Jimmy Johnson, who was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1990, when he guided the Dallas Cowboys to a 7-9 record a year after they finished 1-15. He’s the second coach in the past 37 years to win the award with fewer than 10 wins. Bruce Arians won in 2012 after leading the Colts to a 9-3 record as interim coach while Chuck Pagano was treated for leukemia.
“That tells you right off the bat you’ve got to win double-digit games to win this award,” Salmons said. “People are betting the Bengals’ coach (Zac Taylor, 30-1) and the Dolphins’ coach (Brian Flores, 25-1). But it’s hard to see those teams winning 10 games.”
The Westgate money leaders are Flores and Arians, the 10-1 co-favorite in Tampa Bay with first-year Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy.
Buffalo’s Sean McDermott is 12-1, followed by New England’s Bill Belichick (14-1) and Colts coach Frank Reich (14-1).
Kingsbury (40-1) is the ticket leader at the Westgate.
“If you’re looking for a sleeper, you can make a case for Kingsbury,” Sunset Station sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “Arizona picked up Hopkins, and that’s a team that can take the next step.
“You can throw Reich in there, too. The Colts should’ve been a playoff team last year if not for all the missed field goals. They have one of the best offensive lines in football and a good defense. It’s all contingent on (QB) Philip Rivers.”
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.