When the New York Jets drafted Zach Wilson with the second pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Jets fans expected the former BYU quarterback to be the second coming of Joe Namath.
Jets backers and gamblers are now betting on Wilson to play at a Namath-like level this upcoming season.
Let’s jump into how the young quarterback has become a popular MVP bet, with odds via FOX Bet.
ZACH WILSON ODDS AT FOX BET*
To win NFL MVP: +6600 (bet $10 to win $670 total)
To win offensive player of year: +12500 (bet $10 to win $1,260 total)
Jets make postseason
Yes: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
No: -1000 (bet $10 to win $11 total)
* odds as of 7/14/2022
The Jets finished last in the AFC East last season with a 4-13 record (five games behind the third-place Miami Dolphins).
Wilson finished 33rd among NFL quarterbacks with a 69.7 passer rating (Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers led the NFL at 111.9). Wilson was 213-for-383 passing (55.6%) for 2,334 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
So why is he getting so much love to win MVP from bettors in his second season?
Kyle Newman, public relations associate at oddschecker.com, said Wilson has received 31.7% of the MVP bets over the past seven days.
“Zach Wilson wasn’t even among the top-10 most bet on. Then, Wilson went viral on social media due to a feud with his ex-girlfriend and former best friend Dax Milne,” Newman explained. “Ever since, bettors have been hammering Wilson to win the award. Over the last seven days, Wilson is now the most backed player in OddsChecker’s MVP market.
“Pair that with recent betting that shows the Jets are the second-most bet on to win the Super Bowl, and it’s clear that betting confidence in the Jets is at an all-time high.”
Caesars Sportsbook content writer Max Meyer said Wilson is tied for 11th-most bets this month. But, the young QB has gotten more MVP wagers recently than other big-name quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers.
BetMGM data analyst John Ewing said Wilson’s ticket percentage has recently increased from 0.7% to 1.3%, moving him from 23rd to 19th most-bet player to win the award. His MVP odds have also shortened to +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) from +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total).
“BetMGM is seeing movement on Wilson but his odds and the number of bets on him indicate he is not a true MVP contender,” Ewing said.
Shannon Sharpe: Zach Wilson is extremely arm-talented, but I don’t know if he’s in the Mahomes’ stratosphere I UNDISPUTED
Zach Wilson has impressed for the New York Jets this preseason and the rest of the NFL is taking notice. Tony Romo said that Wilson is going to be in the discussion as one of the league’s top three-to-five quarterbacks very quickly, and even says the rookie has Patrick Mahomes-like potential.
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Wilson’s MVP odds haven’t changed at DraftKings Sportsbook, but he moved from 26th to 17th in total handle and from 29th to 19th in bets in the past week, according to a DraftKings spokesperson.
Zach Wilson Fever hasn’t quite caught on at other sportsbooks,
“We’ve seen no movement or many bets on Wilson for MVP on our side,” FOX Bet trader Daniel Montanari said.
For some perspective on how difficult it is to win the award, Jets Hall of Fame QB Joe Namath was the MVP of the American Football League (AFL) in 1968 and 1969, throwing for more yards and touchdowns (3,147/15 in 1968, 2,734/19 in 1969) than Wilson. And Namath won Super Bowl III!
“The only question left is whether that confidence is the result of a fleeting joke or if it’s real,” Newman summed up.
Fun betting stats on Wilson via FOX Sports research:
– The Jets were 5-8 against the spread (ATS) and 3-10 straight up (SU) when Wilson started last season
– The Jets went 1-3 ATS and 1-3 SU in games Wilson did not start or play last season
– During his three seasons at BYU (2018-20), Wilson was 16-11-1 ATS and 19-9 SU as a starter.
– Wilson was 2-1 ATS and 2-1 SU as a starter in bowl games.
So, what do you make from all the hype around Wilson and the Jets? Head over to FOX Bet for all your wagers.
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