The NFL season officially starts tomorrow (!), which means now is the time to get in those lottery ticket Super Bowl futures bets.
The Patriots, Panthers, and Seahawks are among the favorites to go all the way, but if you’re looking to gamble, then take a look at the good ol’ Browns.
Seriously. ESPN’s David Purdum writes that nearly 750 people have wasted money on the longshot (200-1) Browns:
Caesars Palace has accepted close to 750 bets on the Browns, and the ticket count on Cleveland at sportsbook operator CG Technology is approaching 500 and includes a $1,000 bet at 175-1 and a $500 bet at 200-1.
Purdum adds that the Browns have garnered more bets than 11 other teams, despite, you know, being historically futile.
It is worth noting that most of the bets are jokes:
Overall, the vast majority of bets on the Browns to win the Super Bowl are tiny. Some were even done as a joke, like Chris Hovan’s $5 ticket placed at Bally’s during an annual March Madness trip to Las Vegas with friends.
“It was made strictly as a joke,” Hovan, a 35-year-old maintenance worker in Brooklyn, Ohio, told ESPN. “I just wanted to place the ticket on the wall of my bar in the basement. I’ve been a season-ticket holder for 14 years and I know that the Browns are going to be horrible again this year.”
