Skip to main content

Las Vegas Sportsbooks Bracing for Rodgers’s Retirement

One sportsbook has taken the entire NFC North off the board in anticipation of Aaron Rodgers not returning to the Packers at quarterback.
  • Author:
  • Updated:
    Original:

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Las Vegas sportsbooks are preparing for Aaron Rodgers to retire and not return to the Green Bay Packers.

Because of the importance of the reigning NFL MVP, Westgate SuperBook recently closed all its NFC North markets, including projected wins, playoff odds, divisional odds and weekly lines for the four division teams, one oddsmaker at the sportsbook said via a Twitter direct message.

Two other sportsbooks contacted after that initial message said the expectation is Rodgers is going to announce his retirement sometime before the first practice on Wednesday. In response, one of those sportsbooks pushed out its prices on the Packers to win the NFC North and shortened the odds for the other teams. It also shortened the odds of Patrick Mahomes winning NFL MVP.

RELATED: IF RODGERS RETIRES, WHAT COULD PACKERS GET IN TRADE?

The Packers, in some form or fashion, are open for business at most sportsbooks. At FanDuel, Green Bay’s over/under win total is 9.5 and is a considerable favorite to win the NFC North. Considering the Packers won 13 games during a 16-game season in 2019 and 2020, the 9.5 for a 17-game season reflects the uncertainty, if not the expectation that Rodgers will not return for the 2021 NFL season.

The Packers are the favorite to win the NFC North at DraftKings, too, but their win total is not on the board. At PointsBet, the Packers are +1600 to win the Super Bowl, tied for the seventh-shortest odds, and Rodgers (+1000) is behind only Mahomes (+450) for MVP. However, neither their season win total nor the make/miss playoff bet is available.

Bovada has over/under touchdown and passing yardage totals for the projected starting quarterbacks but no line for Rodgers. At another offshore sportsbook, Bet Online, Rodgers is a distant eighth on the MVP board and the Packers are not available on the yes/no playoff bet.

Circa Sports posted updated NFC North odds on Friday night. The Vikings are the favorite, with the Packers second, Bears third and Lions fourth.

Countdown to Packers Training Camp

Feature: Charles Woodson on Packers, Hall of Fame, win

Feature: Bronson Kaufusi's position change

Feature: Jake Dolegala wouldn't take "no" for an answer

Training Camp schedule

30 Days Until Training Camp: Potential cuts

29 Days Until Training Camp: First-year starting QBs

28 Days: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon and top running back tandems

27 Days: Record-setting red-zone dominance

26 Days: In Wisconsin sports, misery loves company

25 Days: Matt LaFleur's record-setting start

24 Days: The triumph of turnovers and the one that got away

23 Days: Jaire Alexander

22 Days: Green Bay's record-setting second quarter

21 Days: Aaron Jones' place in NFL history

20 Days: How many kicks has Crosby missed since 2018 at Detroit?

19 Days: Eliminating big-play passes

18 Days: The snubbed star, Za'Darius Smith

17 Days: Davante Adams' dominance

16 Days: Marquez Valdes-Scantling fills need for speed

15 Days: These five players must rebound

14 Days: 53-man roster projection

13 Days: Quarterbacks preview

12 Days: Running backs preview

11 Days: Murphy talks financials ... status of Aaron Rodgers ... COVID-19.

10 Days: Tight ends preview

9 Days: Receivers preview

8 Days: Offensive line preview

7 Days: Defensive line preview

6 Days: Outside linebackers preview

5 Days: Inside linebackers preview

4 Days: Cornerbacks preview