Raiders still longest shot at sportsbooks to win AFC West
Off to their first 3-0 start since 2002, the last time they won the AFC West, the Raiders are arguably the NFL’s biggest surprise.
But Las Vegas oddsmakers would still be surprised if they won the division and ended the Chiefs’ five-year reign as AFC West champions.
Despite the Raiders being tied for first place with the unbeaten Denver Broncos, they remain +550 long shots at BetMGM to win the division after opening the season at 18-1.
Two-time defending AFC champion Kansas City, which fell to 1-2 after Sunday’s home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers (2-1), is still the -125 favorite after starting the season at -275.
Denver is the +350 second choice at MGM and the Chargers are +475.
At Caesars Sportsbook, the Chiefs are -105, followed by LA (+380), Denver (4-1) and the Raiders (+425).
“The Chiefs are still the best team in the division. They could easily be 3-0. They’re the best 1-2 football team in years,” MGM Resorts director of trading Jeff Stoneback said. “It’s a good division. The Broncos are undefeated, and the Chargers have beaten the Chiefs.
“The Raiders still have some value at +550.”
The Silver and Black represent the largest divisional liability of any team at BetMGM, which will lose mid-six figures if they win the AFC West.
“It’s the same thing when they play their games here, too. We’re just writing a ton of tickets on the Raiders,” Stoneback said. “They’ve always been popular in town, but now that they’re the hometown team, it’s magnified.”
Las Vegas is +100 to make the playoffs at Boyd Gaming after opening the season at +325 at Circa Sports.
The Raiders, 3½-point road underdogs to the Chargers on “Monday Night Football,” are 30-1 at Circa and BetMGM to win the Super Bowl.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
