The Rams were Super Bowl favorites. Now they're fighting a 30-year curse

The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2026 season as 5-1 Super Bowl favorites with odds of +500. However, their season has seen a steep decline, with a 2-4 record thus far. The team's early success has been hampered by injury and poor performances, and they risk joining a long line of preseason Super Bowl favorites who have yet to win the championship.

Since 1991, there have been 20 instances of a preseason Super Bowl favorite entering the season with odds of +500 or better, but none of them have managed to secure the title. Some failed early in the season, while others only narrowly missed in the final moments of the Super Bowl. The list includes notable teams like the 2007 Patriots, 2014 Seahawks, and 2024 Chiefs, all of whom stumbled despite favorable odds at the start of the year.

The cause of this "30-year curse" is multifaceted. Football inherently remains unpredictable, as a team's +500 odds at the onset of a season only translate to a 16.67 percent chance of winning the Super Bowl. Additionally, the way preseason odds are calculated plays a role. Sportsbooks, analysts, and fans rely on historical results to set baseline expectations, and any significant gains a team might make are then amplified by group psychology.

As bettors pour money into a team they perceive as a strong favorite, oddsmakers will adjust the line accordingly, further increasing the challenge for the favored team to come through on the promise of their favorable odds.

For the Rams specifically, factors such as injuries, lack of depth, and a sense of invincibility among bettors have contributed to their downfall. Despite being perceived as one of the best teams in the league just a year prior, the team has faltered. The addition of players like Myles Garrett did not fully offset these challenges, and this year, the Rams have the second-highest ticket and handle percentages, behind only Buffalo, highlighting the financial risk they pose to sportsbooks.

Ultimately, the Rams face a choice: confront their current obstacles and aim to validate the preseason optimism of many bettors, or risk becoming another name in the storied list of Super Bowl favorites who never claimed the ultimate prize.