Vegas sets Detroit Lions 2019 win total at 7

We know the Detroit Lions’ odds to win the NFC North or the Super Bowl in 2019 are pretty bad, according to early Vegas betting lines, but what exactly are the expectations for this team. If they aren’t viewed as a contender, where does the general perception of this team lie?

Well, CG Sportsbook released their over/under win totals for the 2019 NFL season, and it gives us an idea of what Vegas believes is the national expectation for the Detroit Lions this upcoming season. According to Vegas lines, the Lions’ over/under on 2019 wins is currently set at just seven.

Of course, seven wins would actually be a slight improvement on last year’s 6-10 record for the Lions, but that doesn’t really reflect how uninspiring the Lions’ betting line is. There are only eight teams with lower win totals than the Lions: the Bengals, Bills, Buccaneers, Giants, Raiders, Cardinals, Dolphins and Washington.

When it comes to the Lions’ divisional foes, everyone else is dancing in the top half of the league. Ahead of the pack is the returning NFC North champion Chicago Bears, with an over/under set at 9.5. The Packers and Vikings aren’t far behind, with both 2019 win totals set at nine.

While the Lions have had a particularly good offseason, these Vegas lines read more like the 2018 standings. That’s certainly understandable, because the general public they’re trying to predict has a hard time changing their own perception, which is based on on-field results, not free agency signings. The Lions will always have this well-earned stigma until they can prove themselves on the field. An uninspiring 6-10 season won’t have Vegas bettors confident in their abilities until they start racking up some wins and actually win a division title for the first time in 28 years.