As much fun as a Colorado Avalanche game at the Pepsi Center is, as rocking as Coors Field has been in October with the Colorado Rockies, and as bright as the Denver Nuggets’ future looks with the team’s collection of young stars, Denver is and has always been a football town. The one team that is held above all others, and always will be, is the Denver Broncos.
An original AFL franchise that was never very good in that league, the Broncos didn’t get their first taste of postseason play until their 18th season in existence. They quickly made up for lost time, winning the AFC in 1977 (their first season in the playoffs) and taking the first of 10 division titles that year.
The Broncos have gone on to capture seven more AFC titles in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998, 2013, and 2015, and their eight Super Bowl appearances are tied for second all-time.
The most beloved Bronco in team history is John Elway, who led the team to back-to-back wins in Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII. The second favored son is Peyton Manning, who, after leaving Indianapolis, revived his career with two Super Bowl appearances in Denver and a victory in Super Bowl 50.
Along with having a pair of Hall of Fame quarterbacks, the Broncos are best known for having a rabid fan base that has sold out every home game since 1970.
Future Outlook
Since the retirement of Manning, the Broncos have been searching for a quarterback. Between 2016 and 2019, the Broncos got starts from Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Brock Osweiler, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Brandon Allen, and Drew Lock.
It looks like the last of those eight quarterbacks is going to stick. Lock established himself as the future in Denver in the final third of his rookie season, and the team now has the pieces in place to have one of the best offenses in football. And that is particularly important when you’re looking at playing against Patrick Mahomes twice a year over the next decade.
The AFC West is a tough division. The Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV, while the Raiders and Chargers both got injections of new life by opening brand-new stadiums in 2020.
But the Broncos have all the tools to stay near the top of the NFL pecking order for years to come. Great ownership, a legend in Elway as the general manager, fans that will always support the team, and a young nucleus of offensive stars that will make Broncos games fun to watch for the next several years. It all means the future in Denver is bright.
Broncos Betting Forecast
In looking at the years 2017, 2018, and 2019 – all down years for the Broncos – a very specific betting trend emerged. Against the spread, they were awful in 2017. ATS in 2018, they were a little less awful. And in 2019, they were actually over .500 despite finishing the season under .500 in win-loss record.
This says that while the Broncos are getting better, the sportsbooks and betting public are a little behind the curve. They aren’t recognizing the improved play as fast as the Broncos are improving.
That is definitely something to keep in mind when betting on the Broncos going forward. They are being undervalued.
This is particularly true when Denver is the home team. Like the other teams that call the Mile High City home, there is a decided advantage to playing at 5,280 feet.
And that is reflected in how bets on the Broncos do. Against the spread at home in 2019, Denver covered 62% of the time.
With stability at quarterback and head coach, new young speed on the outside, and a defense that is still one of the best in football, there is no reason to think this team won’t continue to improve. If you can find point spreads that don’t quite recognize that reality yet, there is money to be made.
Star Players
As much as the NFL is a team game, it still relies on star power to fuel the engine. Players like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson have the Chiefs and Ravens, respectively, atop the AFC, and the Broncos need a star of two of their own to truly compete for a conference championship.
Drew Lock, Quarterback: Drew Lock grew up rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs. Now he is the guy tasked with dethroning them.
The strong-armed second-round pick went 4-1 as a rookie starter, tying him with John Elway for the most wins by a rookie quarterback in team history. He’s mobile, smart, and has all the tools around him to make the offense click.
Courtland Sutton, Wide Receiver: One of Lock’s tools is wide receiver Courtland Sutton. It was Sutton’s emergence in 2019 that made it possible for the Broncos to trade long-time No. 1 wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. The 6-3 Sutton is a big target deep threat and the primary playmaker in the Denver offense.
Von Miller, Linebacker: As good as the Broncos offense looks, it’s the defense where the future Hall of Famers reside. Von Miller may be getting up there in age, but the former Super Bowl MVP still puts the fear in opposing quarterbacks, with eight seasons of 10 sacks or more.
The versatile Miller, with his more than 100 career sacks, also spent a season on Dancing With the Stars – so naturally, on a list of Broncos stars, he has to be included.
FAQ on Betting the Broncos
Is it legal to bet on the Broncos at a Colorado sportsbook?
Yes. Colorado sports betting laws do not place any wagering restrictions on betting local professional or college teams. This includes all bets involving the Broncos and their players.
Can you bet on the Broncos with in-play wagering?
Yes. Almost all of the sportsbooks in Colorado feature in-play (or live) wagering, and all of the Broncos games will be offered.
In-play wagers are bets on games already in progress and feature constantly changing odds and point spreads, halftime and quarter lines, and multiple buy-out options. Should you find yourself in-person at a Broncos game, you can place these types of wagers right over your phone.