NFL Draft Produces Surprises and a Few Major Payouts on Michael Penix Jr.

The talk of the first day of the 2024 NFL Draft surrounded the Atlanta Falcons and their surprise pick of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. It wasn't just shocking to the general public and NFL media but also some of our best sports betting sites

Not only did Penix's selection shock the NFL world, but it also drew questions from the Falcons' prize free agent signing, QB Kirk Cousins, while providing a good payday for a few lucky bettors who looked into their crystal balls and bet on the selection at longshot odds.

Looking at a few of the bets

There had been whispers leading up to Thursday's first round of the NFL Draft that Penix could join the Atlanta Falcons with the 8th overall pick. Oddsmakers at our best sports betting apps apparently didn't completely buy into the hype and had the Sugar Bowl star, at one time, listed as high at +10000 odds to be selected by Atlanta.

Oddsmakers had good reason to be skeptical after the Falcons committed $180 million to former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins in a four-year deal.

One FanDuel bettor took advantage of the longshot odds and turned a $20 bet into $1,720 at +8500 odds.

Another one of the U.S. legal sports betting behemoths, DraftKings also saw a bettor win big on the Penix selection. A bettor threw down $100 on the former Washington QB, ending up in Atlanta. At +3000 odds, that bettor collected $3,000.

AT BetMGM, odds for Penix to be drafted in the top ten before the draft were as high as +750.

Why the shock?

There was no doubt ahead of the NFL Draft about Michael Penix Jr.'s talent. But his injury history, combined with the fact that just two months ago the Falcons seemed all-in on Kirk Cousins, made his selection a surprise.

Those injuries include two ACL tears in his young football career and a right shoulder separation. His history alone makes him a risk. The fact that he may not see any meaningful action in the next four years is another.

Insiders feel that the Falcons could have addressed other needs with their pick including on defense, where edge rusher Dallas Turner could have certainly had an immediate impact on the team. He was the oddsmaker favorite to be joining the Falcons.

But with Kirk Cousins Achilles tear putting a question mark on his availability early in the 2024-2025 season, the Falcons look as though investing in an insurance policy was top-of-mind on night one of the draft in Detroit.