Skip to main content
Bear Digest

Jeffery Simmons Trade by Bears Makes Big Impact With Gambling World

When the NFL season began the Bears rated in the middle of the pack for Super Bowl odds but after a 5-2 start and the Jeffery Simmons trade things have changed.
Gene Chamberlain|
The trade by the Bears for former Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons has had a big influence on gamblers.
The trade by the Bears for former Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons has had a big influence on gamblers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The world of betting can often be a tough sell for teams trying to make a climb to favorite status.

The same teams always at the top seem to linger there with those setting odds and, hence, bettors because their money helps alter the lines. The Bears and coach Ben Johnson are a good example, but now they seem to have either sold America's betting public on their chances or are in this process.

According to BetMGM, the Bears are tied for the third-best odds to win the Super Bowl after the trade for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. The Bears are in a group of teams at +1000 to win it all, trailing only Buffalo (+550) and San Francisco (+600). The Bears are tied with Monday night's opponent, Seattle, as well as Kansas City and Jacksonville.

They've come a long way. On opening day, the Bears came in at 30-1 odds and 15th best chance to win it all. The only NFC North team the Bears rated above was Minnesota on opening day.

BetMGM had the Bears at just +1400 prior to the trade for Simmons, so they took a big step up in the minds of oddsmakers/bettors with the move made last week by GM Ryan Poles.

There has been a similar move up with other sites. DraftKings, for instance, has them at +1100, or 12-1 odds. They were 30-1 on opening day, or +2500.

The somewhat surprising numbers are how they remain only the third-best bet for their own division despite being one of the Super Bowl favorites.

BetMGM had them at +240 in the NFC North, worse than the favored Vikings (+150) and even the Lions (+230).

There are other factors at work in a division title battle, such as the fact they have started out 0-2 in the NFC North and now are actually behind the Lions per tiebreaker of divisional record, and trailing Minnesota by a game.

Perhaps there is no other way for the Bears to move up faster among the favorites for the Super Bowl than to win Monday night's game in Seattle. Beating the champions in their place a week after they just obliterated Kansas City can convince a lot of people.

  • Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
  • If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

— Sign up for the Bears OnSI newsletter for more free coverage from Chicago Bears on SI



Add us as a preferred source on Google
Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

Home/News