Everyone be quiet.
What’s that noise you hear? That is the sound of NFL tickets being printed left and right across sportsbooks around the world.
Bettors have been licking their chops all offseason and with the 2022 NFL season month away, wagering on futures is reaching a crescendo.
Some bets qualify as surprising, such as betting against Tom Brady to hit the over on his team’s win totals. And others are downright unimaginable. As unimaginable as betting on the running back with the longest odds to end the regular season with the most rushing touchdowns.
More specifically: Rhamondre Stevenson of the New England Patriots (+50000) is the most bet on running back at Caesar’s Sportsbook to lead the league in touchdowns despite being tied for the longest odds.
Here's something you don't see that often…@CaesarsSports put up odds for most regular season rushing TDs on Monday. Early on, the player getting the most bets is tied for the longest odds.
Rhamondre Stevenson (500/1) leads in tickets (38.1%) and is second in handle (36.5%).
— Max Meyer (@TheMaxMeyer) August 10, 2022
So, what’s the deal here?
Stevenson is a solid back with lots of upside. In fact, he rushed for 5 touchdowns last year during his rookie season and had plenty of opportunities during the back half of the season. But as it stands, Stevenson is currently playing second fiddle to Damien Harris, who rushed for 15 TDs last season (tied for second most in NFL).
Is this just a case of bettors buying low and hoping for a big payout? If so, I can see this being a cool little dart throw just for the heck of it.
LeGarrette Blount is the last Bill Belichick tailback to lead the league in rushing touchdowns (18) and that was back in 2016. If Stevenson can pull off the major upset this year, it’ll be one of the best betting stories this season.
