Chiefs slight favorites over 49ers in Super Bowl

The Kansas City Chiefs are tiny favorites over the San Francisco 49ers as the two-week lead-up to Super Bowl LIV begins.

The consensus opening line at sportsbooks around the nation was pick ’em. The point spread had grown to Kansas City -1 late Sunday night at most shops.

According to ESPN Stats & Information’s line archive, no Super Bowl has ever closed with a point spread of pick ’em. Four Super Bowls have had a line of less than two. This year’s Super Bowl appears destined to be the fifth.

Caesars Sportsbook opened the Chiefs at -1.5 on Sunday and took early bets on the 49ers.

“We had the Chiefs a little higher than the 49ers in our power ratings,” Alan Berg, senior oddsmaker for Caesars Sportsbook, told ESPN on Sunday night. “You can make a case for either team, and I expect decent, balanced action from the public.”

Bookmaker William Hill reported taking an early $33,000 bet on Kansas City at pick ’em. At the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, more than 70% of the early bets were on the Chiefs, who, for now, are Super Bowl favorites, just as they were when the season started.

The Chiefs kicked off the season as the consensus favorites to win the Super Bowl, overcame a midseason knee injury to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and mounted consecutive playoff comebacks in wins over the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans to reach the franchise’s first Super Bowl since the 1969 season.

The 49ers were considered middle-of-the-pack contenders to start the season, with 40-1 Super Bowl odds at Caesars Sportsbook. They secured their spot in Miami with a 37-20 win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.

Super Bowl LIV is slated for Feb. 2 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The favored team has won 34 of 53 Super Bowls. However, favorites of three points or less are 8-7.

The over/under total opened at 51.5 and had grown to 52.5 late Sunday.

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