They are a team that thrives during the NFL regular season.
And collapses during the playoffs.
They have won all of two playoff games since 2010 but remain a betting magnet across American sportsbooks.
The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most interesting teams, from a betting perspective, in the entire league.
As another NFL season looms, just over a month away, Dallas money again shows up at major gambling establishments.
Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook operations for DraftKings, told How Bout Them:
“They don’t call them America’s Team for nothing.”
“Wherever I have been over the years, whether it was at the brick-and-mortar books in Las Vegas or now with DraftKings, the Cowboys have always been bet. They have a pretty big following. They are usually bet heavily in the futures every year.
“They just happen to be one of these teams people always follow,” noted Avello, who, in past years, has listed the San Francisco 49ers, The Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs in this realm, whenever they start to excel.
But Dallas gets money, always. Any year. Any record. Any circumstance.
Avello added:
“They are a team people always think is going to do well. But it’s going to be a tough road for this team this year. Regardless, we have them at +1800 to win the Super Bowl, that shows respect for them.”
Dallas is ninth in Super Bowl futures behind the pacesetting Buffalo Bills, who are at +1600.
In the NFC Conference, the Cowboys are +850, fifth behind front-running Tampa Bay. The defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams are right up with the leaders at +500.
In the NFC East, that’s where the money starts to get shorter.
Cowboys NFC East 2022 odds
The ‘Boys are favored at +135. In fact, they are favored nearly every year to win this. Just hitting their projected DraftKings wins total of 10 (-110 on under or over), the Cowboys would be in a position to win the NFC East.
Dallas leads the second-place Philadelphia Eagles at +165. The Washington Commanders, + 500, and the New York Giants, +800, are not given a serious chance.
“Overall, you would think they have a reasonable chance to at least win that division. You could see Washington getting eight wins, maybe the Giants have seven. Philly’s number is 9.5 and they have a chance to be a pretty good team, I am just not high on Jalen Hurts. I liked the kid in college, he’s only okay in the pros. He does want to win, but I am not sure how much better he will get.”
Johnny Avello, DraftKings
This is an excellent betting avenue for Cowboys backers. Some bettors may jump on this line now, others may wait for it to fluctuate. A couple of losses would make Dallas suddenly playable.
Why does this team hit such an early wall every year?
In 2021, for instance, they looked like the NFC East bullies. They stomped on teams. But in the playoffs, they bowed at home to the San Francisco 49ers.
“This is just my personal opinion, but I think owner Jerry Jones gets too involved in running that team. I know that it’s his life, his team and he can do what he wants, but he is involved too much.
“When the Cowboys had coaches like Bill Parcells and Jimmy Johnson, they were really something. But that’s not the case right now. Jones is involved and these guys don’t want to be told what to do.”
Avello said the Cowboys could use more offensive diversity.
“Sure, you have Dak Prescott and he is a good quarterback,” Avello noted, “but they put too much pressure on Dak and Zeke Elliott. A lot of other guys have to step up for this team. They have the look of a good regular-season team but not the look of a team that is going to win everything.”
Prescott has also been an injury liability, missing most of 2020, and Elliott is getting long in the tooth. He’s a platoon running back now, averaging less than 15 carries a game.
More Cowboys betting possibilities
What options does the Cowboys big picture give bettors?
Actually, many.
The DraftKings board is loaded with opportunities for gamblers who wish to hone in on any particular angle.
Here is a perfect one for a player to try predicting how far the Cowboys will go at DraftKings:
- Dallas to miss the playoffs is +190.
- Dallas to get eliminated in the Wild Card round is +225.
- The Cowboys to bow out in the division round is +300.
- The ‘Boys to lose in the conference championship game is +500.
- Dallas to lose in the Super Bowl is +1400.
- Dallas to win it all is +1800.
It would appear logical, based on past years, that Dallas gets eliminated in the wild card or divisional round. Some may view this as a good return and will make the play prior to the season.
A Cowboys bettor also can save a bundle of bets for division games.
Dallas opens with a rematch against the Buccaneers, who beat them in a final-play thriller in Week 1 last year.
The Cowboys visit the Giants on Sept. 26 on Monday Night Football and host the Commanders on Oct. 2.
Some bettors may wait and tee off for NFC matchups.
Avello said:
“You have to be very patient that way, but it can be done. You can take them on the moneyline and make some other bets one week and you can go off of them when they are playing outside the division and go with somebody else.”
Los Angeles bettors have another reason to pay attention to the Cowboys this year.
Mark Oct. 9 on the calendar. That’s when the Cowboys visit the Rams.
