It was August 21, 2012 and the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts were two of the three biggest longshots to make the NFL playoffs.
NFL playoffs 2013: Vikings, Colts Make Playoffs as Huge Preseason Longshots
Indianapolis and Minnesota bucked long odds to make the NFL playoffs, as did the Redskins and Seahawks. Who was the biggest longshot back in the preseason?
Only the Cleveland Browns, a +1000 longshot, had longer odds at Bovada, according to an article on OddsShark.com.
But here we are on the eve of Wild Card weekend and the Vikings and Colts are preparing for games against the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens respectively.
“It just goes to prove that the NFL is full of surprises and full of longshot betting potential,” said Mike Pickett of OddsShark.com. “Both are underdogs on the NFL odds menu this weekend as well.”
Minnesota, with an untested rookie QB in Christian Ponder and a faltering RB in Adrian Peterson, was +800. The Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars, picked as bottom dwellers in the AFC South, were each +750.
Washington was a +450 underdog and their Wild Card foes from Seattle were +300, two more preseason longshots that paid off.
Meanwhile, the three teams most considered guaranteed playoff participants all came through. The New England Patriots were -900 (meaning you had to bet $90 to turn just a $10 profit) to make it and the Packers and Houston Texans were -600 each.
The Saints, Eagles and Steelers were all preseason picks to make the playoffs and the Bovada odds reflected that fact. But all three bombed early and none made it.
And Denver, currently the Super Bowl favorite, was actually favored to not make the playoffs. The Broncos were -140 to NOT make the playoffs back in August.
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