Cardinals Treated Like Red Headed Step Child by Oddsmakers
The Arizona Cardinals odds to win the 2009 Super Bowl were listed at +2300 or 23/1 heading into the NFL Playoffs for a payout potential of $2300 on every $100 bet at Bookmaker.com. They were among the least likely teams to win the Super Bowl. Then again, the Philadelphia Eagles were given +4000 odds at the time.
Now we head into the NFC Championship game with the Eagles heading to Arizona to play the Cardinals. Despite Philadelphia barely getting into the Playoffs whereas the Cards were the first to clinch a Playoff spot, it is the Eagles who were listed as a favorite in Arizona.
Early odds had the Cardinals as +3 underdogs. This line was likely to move down to +2 ½ over the coming week.
To be fair, it's not just the oddsmakers who have little faith in Arizona to win a Super Bowl.
"Fewer words in NFL history are more improbable than these: The Arizona Cardinals will host the NFC championship game", writes Bob Baum of the Associated Press.
The Cardinals are one of a handful of teams that have never played in a Super Bowl, let alone win one. The Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans are five other teams that are strangers to a Super Bowl appearance. The Buffalo Bills, despite appearances four years straight, failed to win any of those Super Bowls.
Philadelphia beating the New York Giants meant that the NFC championship game will be played in Arizona, where the Cardinals lost only two games during the 2008 regular season. Arizona also lost on the road in Philadelphia by a score of 48-20.
It's an amazing scenario for a Cardinals franchise that until this year had one playoff victory in 61 seasons.
"Obviously, we are excited that we have another home game to host the NFC championship at University of Phoenix Stadium," coach Ken Whisenhunt said Sunday. "It is huge for this organization, for our players, and especially for our fans. "
"The Cards are a totally different team at home," points out Dan Shapiro of Gambling911.com. "Everything seems to be going Arizona's way now and this is an important consideration for gamblers."
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
