Just as it seems the Philadelphia Eagles have crash-landed after flying high with their Super Bowl LII win in February 2018, they’ve received an unexpected boost from another very highflyer: New Jersey billionaire Jared Isaacman paid an estimated $220 million for himself and three others to be on board the first-ever, civilian-only SpaceX mission to go into orbit.
On Friday 17th September 2021, Isaacman made history by placing the very first sports bet in Las Vegas from outer space, 363 miles above the Earth. He wagered $4,000 with 66/1 odds on the Philadelphia Eagles to win the 2022 Super Bowl and if the Birds do win, Isaacman will net $268,000 for his charitable cause, Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN.
Yet this wager placed during the Inspiration4 mission might not inspire other sports bettors to follow suit. After all, with a dismal 2020 record of 4-11-1, the Eagles have certainly had their wings clipped.
However, it’s true that the franchise is fighting back with the appointment of a new head coach, Nick Sirianni, and a roster of rookie 2021 draft picks signed to four-year contracts with a view to laying the foundations for an Eagles winning team of the future.
Can Hurts Ease The Pain?
With that abysmal 2020 season end, head coach Doug Pederson was fired, Sirianni hired, and former star quarterback Carson Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts. Now here’s the twist: the Colts’ coach Frank Reich was previously with the Philadelphia Eagles and was credited with developing Wentz’s infamous offensive skills. So, where did Sirianni learn his coaching prowess? Working alongside Reich at the Colts.
It seems the Birds may still hope to benefit from Reich’s expertise via Sirianni, but all eyes this season are undoubtedly focused on the Eagles’ starting quarterback, 23-year-old Jalen Hurts, who takes over from Wentz.
As with any rookie, Hurts’ 2020 season saw some ups and downs and he has a very different playing style from Wentz. Yet how this up-and-coming player develops, builds chemistry with his teammates, and contributes this season could mean the success or failure of the Eagles’ aspirations to return to top-flight football.
The Winds of Change
For now, the Eagles aren’t favored by the online sportsbooks to make an impact this season and are certainly not expected to pull off another Super Bowl appearance any time soon. Nonetheless, that doesn’t stop fans from placing wagers on the team, with spread, props, futures, and live betting all in play right now in Pennsylvania.
With reputable sportsbooks offering up to $1,000 bonuses and weekly free bets, the convenience of betting ahead of time or whilst the game’s in play via your smartphone or PC just adds to the excitement and experience of getting right behind your team, enjoying the game and just maybe winning a few dollars into the bargain.
Whilst the Philadelphia Eagles seem grounded, for now, new signings, new coaches, a new vision, and new goals to achieve might just be the wind beneath the Eagles’ wings that sees them take flight once more and soar back to those 2018 heights.
They might not get to orbit Earth, but this team has the potential to deliver some out-of-this-world results in the coming years.
