Lions make franchise betting history ahead of Buccaneers game

The Detroit Lions are rewriting franchise history books this postseason and ahead of Sunday's home divisional playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

"According to ESPN Stats & Information, since Nevada legalized sports betting in 1949, Detroit's consensus 6.5-point favorite status for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay is its largest ever in the playoffs," ESPN's Doug Greenberg explained on Friday afternoon. "It surpasses the Lions as a four-point favorite against the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970 divisional round, a game Detroit would lose 5-0." 

Detroit defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 last Sunday night — their first playoff victory since January 1992. Greenberg mentioned that Detroit hasn't won multiple playoff games in the same postseason since 1957. 

"They haven't been favorites in the playoffs for sure, but they haven't been in the playoffs that much," DraftKings director of race and sports operations Johnny Avello said about the Lions while speaking with Greenberg. "The team has just not had many opportunities."

As of late Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Lions as second among the betting favorites behind the San Francisco 49ers (-185) at +330 odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVIII. DraftKings had Detroit at +900 odds to win the Super Bowl in February. 

"They operate as a collective, not as individuals, and I think it suits them and (head coach Dan Campbell)," Caesars assistant director of trading Adam Pullen added about the Lions. "The coach is the biggest star of the team. ... That works, I think, to their benefit."

On Jan. 12, the Cleveland Browns served as road playoff betting favorites for the first time in the Super Bowl era. Cleveland then lost 45-14 at the Houston Texans last Saturday. 

Head coach Todd Bowles and others associated with the Buccaneers have openly discussed the club embracing an "us against the world" mentality this month. Sportsbooks are giving Tampa Bay more fuel for that fire heading into the weekend.