Ray Rice Suspension and Impact on the Ravens Future Odds

Baltimore Ravens star running back Ray Rice is facing a multiple game suspension following an assault on his then girlfriend (now wife) at an Atlantic City hotel earlier this year.  Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com have priced the Ravens at -145 to win OVER 8.5 regular season NFL games nonetheless. 

It’s not yet known how many games Rice will miss.

Fantasy sports leagues are already in the process of examining the impact a suspension of Rice will have during the 2014 NFL season.

Reasonable expectations have the NFL suspending Rice for two games and this is not likely to significantly impact season results. 

Then again, Baltimore will face division foes – Pittsburgh and Cincinnati - in their first two games of the season and can ill-afford to start off 0-2. 

The Ravens, Steelers and Bengals are in a virtual dead heat early on when it comes to odds of winning the AFC North.  Each team would pay out between $200 and $250 on a $100 bet.

- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com