49ers given the best odds to make the playoffs in the NFC

I like to track Vegas odds as they give you an idea of who is getting better from an objective perspective. Sports Betting Dime has been tracking Super Bowl LV odds since the season ended. Since the 2020 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers have seen the third biggest improvements in odds after the Cowboys and the Rams. Los Angeles is still outside of the top-10, while Dallas is a distant sixth. The clear betting favorites are the Chiefs, Ravens, and the Niners. Then there is a gap, and you have Tampa Bay and New Orleans.

The 49ers remain favorites to come out of the NFC at +925, with the Saints next at +1200. How hard is it to get back to the Super Bowl in consecutive years? Only Seattle (Super Bowls 48 & 49) have made the big game in back-to-back years since the Packers did in the late 90s. It’s rare, but San Francisco is built for the playoffs with their pass rush, running game, and explosive passing plays. Five of the last seven NFC teams that played in the Super Bowl were top seeds. Only the Kyle Shanahan’s Falcons and the Rams were not. Also, the NFC West has sent a team to the Super Bowl in five of the last eight years.

If you’re unfamiliar with what “+925” is referring to, it means that if you were to bet $100, you’d win $925. The lower the number, the more of a favorite you are. San Francisco’s odds were the highest after dismantling the Packers in the NFC Championship at +750. That number climbed as high as +1050, which was right before the draft, before settling at +925.

The 49ers are clear favorites to win the NFC West. Here’s a fun fact: The 49ers have appeared in seven Super Bowls. The Rams, Seahawks, and Cardinals have combined for eight appearances. With how the roster is currently constructed, the 49ers Super Bowl window is now—knowing that I’d expect general manager John Lynch to continue to be aggressive in the draft, free agency, and before the trade deadline.