Odds Favor Washington Redskins Changing Name to ‘Presidents’

The Washington Redskins franchise is undergoing a thorough review to determine if the team s name should change, and oddsmakers say it will.

Sports bettors are putting money on the Washington Redskins picking a new identity. (Image: Bloomberg)

With racial tensions continuing to escalate and a societal reckoning sweeping the nation, it now appears likely that the storied NFL team will do away with its controversial name and mascot. It s not a matter of if the name changes, but when, said one source close to the organization.

Billionaire owner Dan Snyder, who once decried, We ll never change the name. It s that simple, never, is apparently reconsidering. FedEx, the corporate sponsor of the , Maryland, has requested the team change its designation. Nike and Pepsi have additionally pressured the organization to sever ties with the Native American name and imagery.

Online oddsmakers are offering lines in anticipation of Washington indeed opting for a new identity. Presidents is currently the front-runner at 3/1. Generals and Lincolns are next at 4/1, and Americans, Kings, and Memorials at 5/1.

Other notables include Capitols at 6/1, Jeffersons and Roosevelts at 7/1, Monuments 8/1, and Arlingtons at 10/1. As for Washington kicking off Week 1 of the regular season as the Redskins, those odds are at 13/2 (+650).

Changing Course

In 2013, Snyder successfully thwarted an attempt by various fans and politicians including President Barack Obama and advocacy groups to force the Redskins to change their name. It was some seven years ago that the billionaire made the comments that the name would never change.

But times do change, and so can public opinions. Billionaire Snyder, with tens of millions of dollars at stake in sponsorship revenue, seems ready to fold on his hostility to arguments that the Redskins identity is racist. Snyder has long argued that the name honors Native Americans, not disparages them.

In light of recent events around our country and feedback from our community, the Washington Redskins are announcing the team will undergo a thorough review of the team s name, a statement from the franchise explained.

This process allows the team to take into account not only the proud tradition and history of the franchise, but also input from our alumni, the organization, sponsors, the National Football League, and the local community it is proud to represent on and off the field, Snyder added.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday that the league has ongoing discussions with Snyder and is supportive of this important step.

Rough Year Ahead

The odds on the Redskins doing away with the Redskins moniker are short. But the having a successful season this year remain long.

The Redskins have the second-longest Super Bowl odds of the 32 NFL teams. Washington is at 150/1. A $5 winning wager would net $750, should the nearly unthinkable happen. The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs have the shortest odds at 6/1.

Washington s over/under for regular season wins is at five games (over -120, under +100).