Super Bowl Odds 2015: Early Payout Breakdown and Alternate Lines

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will meet in Super Bowl XLIX; however, these teams gained entry in far different fashions.

Seattle was heavily tested by the Green Bay Packers, finding itself down 16-0 through halftime. The Seahawks managed a late-game rally, and a resurgent Russell Wilson led his team to a dramatic 28-22 overtime victory. On the other hand, New England simply dominated the Indianapolis Colts in all phases of the game, notching a decisive 45-7 win.

Both of these performances were impressive in their own rights, as Seattle proved to be an extremely resilient team capable of winning in the face of adversity, and New England displayed its ability to steamroll the toughest of competitors. But here's the burning question: Which squad has the upper hand in the eyes of Vegas oddsmakers?

Let's take a look at the varying early lines for the NFL's championship game, followed by some insight into how and why the odds have shifted shortly after opening.

Alternate Vegas Lines

Sportsbook	Spread	Over/Under
5Dimes	SEA -1	48.5
MyBookie.ag	Even	48.5
BetOnline	Even	48.5
GTbets	Even	48.5
BetDSI	SEA -1	48.5
SportsBetting.com	Even	48.5

All Vegas game odds courtesy of Odds Shark and current as of January 19 at 1:30 a.m. ET.

Early Odds Breakdown

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While those aforementioned sportsbooks either have Seattle as a one-point favorite or see the Super Bowl teams as even money, the opening line looked a whole lot different.

According to Tim Dahlberg of The Associated Press, the Seahawks opened by as much as 2.5-point favorites while New England was still in action against Indianapolis. That changed rather quickly, as bettors saw the Patriots pour it on against the Colts and started throwing money at the early Super Bowl underdogs as a result.

During an interview with Dahlberg, Jimmy Vaccaro of the South Point sportsbook elaborated on the early wagering and compared it to what happened before the 2014 Super Bowl between Seattle and the Denver Broncos:

"

You're not going to see this one bounce around like you did last year. Last year the whole world was in love with Denver early and there was a crush at the (betting) window. But this game is going to stay right around Seattle a 1-point favorite or pick 'em the entire way.

All smart guys looking to take a position early. The line really went down quick.

"

After taking in Sunday's performances, it's pretty easy to figure out why most of Vegas views Super Bowl XLIX as a pick 'em.

Seattle was winning contests rather easily during its seven-game streak heading into the NFC Championship Game. Over the span, the Seahawks won by no less than 10 points and held opponents to seven points or fewer five times. The only question remaining was how this team would handle adversity. Well, we received the answer on Sunday.

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Mistake after mistake caused the Seahawks to fall into a 16-point hole before halftime. Russell Wilson couldn't seem to keep the ball away from Packers defenders, as three of his four interceptions came before the half. Despite the team's defense playing well, short fields led to easy points for Green Bay.

Then, in the fourth quarter, the quarterback orchestrated a seven-play, 69-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard touchdown scamper, and he followed it up with a four-play, 50-yard scoring drive featuring a 24-yard touchdown carry from Marshawn Lynch. He capped off the incredible comeback with a six-play, 87-yard drive in overtime, tossing a perfect ball to Jermaine Kearse for a 35-yard scoring strike.

According to the wide receiver, Wilson was focused throughout the game, via the Seahawks' official Twitter account:

The offense took a bit of time to get things going, but Seattle's impressive defense gave Wilson and Co. the opportunity to come back for a win, holding Aaron Rodgers and the high-octane Packers to just 306 total yards of offense and six second-half points.

That performance in the face of adversity was likely a factor in Vegas naming the Seahawks Super Bowl favorites early on Sunday.

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Although, soon after, the Patriots put on a performance worthy of entering the NFL's championship as a favorite as well, defeating the Colts convincingly due to brilliant efforts in all phases of the game.

New England's offense was nicely balanced, with Tom Brady throwing strikes and running back LeGarrette Blount punishing defenders with his bruising style. Both players came away with impressive individual statistics, but the offense's numbers were even more remarkable. The Patriots recorded 28 first downs, converted 12 of 18 third-down attempts and controlled the ball for just shy of 38 minutes.

The scary thing about Brady is that he's been succeeding in the playoffs for a long time. Here's a look at the new record he's about to set, according to Pro Football on ESPN:

Defensively, the team was equally as prolific. The dangerous Andrew Luck completed just 12 of his 33 attempts for 126 yards and two interceptions while the Colts tallied just 209 yards of offense. Indianapolis only averaged 4.0 yards per play and converted just three of its 11 third-down attempts.

After watching the Patriots perform on Sunday, and taking those gaudy statistics into consideration, it's pretty easy to see why many bettors jumped at the opportunity to wager on such a dominant underdog.