The Major League Teams Americans Bet On The Most

The NFL

5. Oakland Raiders
> Team value: #31
> Attendance 2010: 371,448 (the lowest)
> Pct. change attendance 2001 – 2010: -21.32% (3rd biggest decline)
> W-L Last Ten Years: 58-102-0 (2nd worst)

Oakland is among the most storied franchises in the NFL. For nearly its entire history, the team had been either coached or owned and managed by Al Davis, who recently passed away. John Madden also coached the team for a decade. The team is the only NFL franchise to play in Super Bowls in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. More recently, the team has fallen on hard times, posting the second-worst record in the NFL between 2000 and 2010, behind only the Detroit Lions. The team has not had a season above .500 since 2002. Nevertheless, because of its history, it remains one of the most popular teams to bet on in football.

4. Green Bay Packers
> Team value: #9
> Attendance 2010: 566,362 (9th highest)
> Pct. change attendance 2001 – 2010: +18.38% (5th biggest increase)
> W-L Last Ten Years: 96-64-0 (5th best)

The Green Bay Packers play in a smaller market than most NFL teams, but the team is one of the most popular sports franchises in history. Legendary coach Vince Lombardi won the first two Super Bowls with the team, and the Pack has played in three more since, winning two, including last year’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Future Hall of Famer Brett Favre was quarterback and leader of the team for 17 years. When he left in 2008 many thought some of the wind would be taken out of the team’s sails. Instead, after one shaky year, QB Aaron Rodgers has led the team to consecutive highly successful seasons, and the team is currently the only undefeated franchise left in the NFL. Between 2000 and 2010, Green Bay had the fifth best record in the NFL.

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3. Pittsburgh Steelers
> Team value: #13
> Attendance 2010: 504,669 (12th lowest)
> Pct. change attendance 2001 – 2010: +1.1% (15th biggest increase)
> W-L Last Ten Years: 106-53-1 (3rd best)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won six Super Bowls — the most in the NFL. They have competed in eight, just one less than Dallas. Pittsburgh won four of those in the six-year period in the 1970s under Terry Bradshaw, and has been highly successful in the past decade, winning two more under Ben Roethlisberger in 2005 and 2008. The team had the third best record over the last ten full seasons, winning roughly two games for every one it has lost.

2. Dallas Cowboys
> Team value: #1
> Attendance 2010: 696,377 (the highest)
> Pct. change attendance 2001 – 2010: +37.76% (the biggest increase)
> W-L Last Ten Years: 83-77-0 (14th best)

Since the late 1970s, the Dallas Cowboys have been known as America’s Team. Dallas won two Super Bowls in the 70s and three in the 1990s under Hall of Famer QB Troy Aikman. The team had a poor season last year, going 6 and 10. Nevertheless, it has managed to be the subject of more bets than all but one other NFL team.

1. New England Patriots
> Team value: #3
> Attendance 2010: 550,048 (13th highest)
> Pct. change attendance 2001 – 2010: +14.04% (6th biggest increase)
> W-L Last Ten Years: 121-39-0 (the best)

The New England Patriots joined the league in 1970, and while they have not had the historical success of teams like Green Bay, Dallas, and Pittsburgh, they are now one of the NFL’s most dominant teams. Under star quarterback Tom Brady, the team won three Super Bowls in four years between 2001 and 2004, and lost one in 2007 to the New York Giants after a perfect season and playoffs, going 18-1. The team had the best record in football last year, and recorded the best winning percentage over the last decade, losing just 39 times in 160 games.

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