It turns out that the opening game of the 2023 NFL season between the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs was an exhibition performance by the two teams that would be most relevant to their Super Bowl future ahead of the 2024 season.

The Chiefs, who have defended the Super Bowl twice, are widely recognized as favorites and are among the most popular picks to win an unprecedented third consecutive championship, with odds of +500 at ESPN BET and having won 13% of tickets and 17% of revenue.

Kansas City also leads the way in bets and money on DraftKings and FanDuel, with 17% of tickets and 17% of revenue and 11% of tickets and 19% of revenue, respectively.

“As far as betting interest on the Chiefs goes, the traffic was again largely one-way,” said Patrick Jay, head of sports betting at ESPN BET.

According to Christian Cipollini, trading manager at BetMGM, Kansas City was a popular pick last season because the reigning Super Bowl champion always brings in an immediate windfall.

“There’s a lot going on with the Chiefs and a lot of money at stake, but when you’re 5-1, you need a lot more money as a bookmaker to put yourself in a dangerous position,” Johnny Avello, director of sportsbook operations at DraftKings, told ESPN. “When you’ve got all these other teams with a much higher number, you need less money to put yourself in a dangerous position.”

One of those teams is the Lions (+1000), who have taken 15.9% of wagers and a leading 13.3% of bets at BetMGM, making them the bookmaker’s biggest drag. ESPN BET, DraftKings and FanDuel all show Detroit taking the second-largest share of betting share by both bets and money. The Lions have been a fan favorite since coach Dan Campbell took the helm.

“Last season we had a lot more risk on them because they opened at 40-1, 30-1 or whatever. Now at 12-1 it’s a much easier pill for the bookies to swallow,” Cipollini said. “A lot of Michigan bettors definitely bet on the Lions last season, and I think they’ve put their tickets back on them for the division win or whatever they won last season this season.”

Otherwise, there is no real consensus on which teams are the most popular among bettors, but the Cincinnati Bengals (+1300), Philadelphia Eagles (+1100) and Baltimore Ravens (+1000) are all in the top three by stakes and/or turnover at various bookmakers.

The reigning NFC champion San Francisco 49ers (+600) have seen comparatively less activity across the market, but have the third-highest turnover at BetMGM (9.4%).