LOS ANGELES — The Rams began the season with championship expectations, but five games into their schedule, they have surrendered their place atop the Super Bowl odds to an unbeaten division rival.
The San Francisco 49ers are the new favorites to win Super Bowl LXI at 7/1, according to odds released by BetOnline Sports & Casino following Week 5. San Francisco’s 5-0 start has also made it the favorite to win the NFC, overtaking a Los Angeles team that fell to 2-3 with Monday night’s 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The Rams remain close behind at 15/2, or +750, giving them the second-shortest Super Bowl odds on the board. Despite winning on the road against Los Angeles, Buffalo remains third at 8/1, followed by the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs at 9/1.
That positioning reflects how much confidence remains in the Rams’ championship potential despite their uneven start. But their margin for error has narrowed, particularly with the 49ers building a three-game advantage over Los Angeles in the NFC West.
Monday’s matchup offered another reminder of both the Rams’ ability to compete with a contender and their difficulty turning those performances into wins. Buffalo outlasted Los Angeles in overtime a week after the Rams narrowly avoided another defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles.
San Francisco now leads the NFC championship odds at +340, with the Rams second at 4/1 and the Seattle Seahawks third at 6/1. The Minnesota Vikings follow at +850, ahead of the Chicago Bears at 12/1.
The NFC West’s strength is also evident in the Super Bowl market. Seattle is tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars at 12/1, putting three teams from the division among the seven teams with the shortest championship odds. According to BetOnline’s accompanying update, the Rams moved ahead of the Seahawks into second in the division betting market despite their loss to Buffalo.
Elsewhere in Southern California, the outlook is considerably less optimistic for the Chargers. Their Super Bowl odds lengthened from 125/1 to 300/1, while their odds to win the AFC stand at 150/1. The Las Vegas Raiders are listed at 100/1 to win the Super Bowl and 40/1 to win the conference.
Among the larger moves elsewhere, the Houston Texans shortened from 75/1 to 40/1 to win the Super Bowl, while the Eagles drifted from 28/1 to 50/1.
For the Rams, the latest odds offer some reassurance that a losing record has not erased belief in their roster. Still, five weeks into the season, the team they are chasing in both the standings and the championship betting market is San Francisco.