Sportsbook liability Burrow overtakes Allen as MVP favorite - ESPN

Just around the halfway point of the NFL season, there is a new consensus favorite for league MVP, and he is one who could cause headaches for sportsbooks if he goes on to win the honor for the first time.

After throwing for 16 touchdowns over his past four games, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is the new favorite for MVP across the sportsbook marketplace, showing +210 odds at DraftKings. He surpassed Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen (+240), who had been the favorite since the preseason, on Sunday and maintained that lead through Buffalo's victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.

It's a particularly unsettling development for sportsbooks, who have seen Burrow be one of the most consistently backed players for MVP over the past few campaigns. Before this season, the Bengals quarterback had attracted the most tickets at BetMGM and was considered the only liability among the top-three preseason favorites at Caesars Sportsbook, according to the company's head of football Joey Feazel.

«We have continued to shorten his price as he lights up the scoreboard and strengthens his case each week,» Feazel told ESPN over email on Sunday evening. «As of today, Burrow represents one of the best potential outcomes for bettors and one of the more significant liabilities for the book.»

Bookmakers may have been counting on Allen to retake the odds lead on «Monday Night Football,» but that did not materialize when he put up a just-OK performance in a defensive battle with Minnesota. Feazel mentioned that the Bills quarterback has attracted plenty of action from bettors, but his short odds throughout the season dictate that he won't be as much of a liability should he win his second MVP award.

«Burrow I would say is the guy