As the sports world reacts to the news of Tom Brady's retirement, we asked David Purdum and Tristan H. Cockcroft to put into context what Brady meant to fantasy players and sports bettors over the past two decades. For as many wins as Brady had on the field, and Super Bowl rings on his fingers, he has had a part in countless fantasy football championships while helping those who bet on him at the sportsbooks win more often than not.
By the Numbers: Brady's sports betting legacy
Tom Brady covered the spread in more regular-season games than any other quarterback in the Super Bowl era. Brady's teams covered the spread in 60.0% of his starts, second only to Joe Montana among quarterbacks with at least 100 starts. Brady was 186-124-6 against the spread.
Brady was the greatest quarterback of all time. He went 30-20 straight-up in 60 of his games as a betting favorite. That is the best winning percentage of any quarterback with at least 20 starts in the Super Bowl era.
Brady's teams covered the spread in 71.4% of regular-season games, the best percentage of any quarterback with at least 40 starts in the Super Bowl era.
Brady was 16-3 against the spread in the 2016 season. The 1989 San Francisco 49ers were the best record against the spread in the Super Bowl era.
The streak of games favored by the Pats was a record 67 in a row, stretching from Week 3 of the 2015 season to the divisional round of the 2018 playoffs. The Los Angeles Rams were defeated in the Super Bowl by the New England patriots.
Las Vegas sportsbook Circa Sports moved the Buccaneers from 17-2 to 12-1 to win the Super Bowl after the news of Brady's retirement.
Brady was the second-favorite to win the regular-season award at the casino. The big favorite was Rodgers.
David Purdum.
In fantasy, the best of Brady came with age
Brady retires as the all-time leading scorer in fantasy football with 5,672.75 points. He broke the all-time career fantasy record in November 2020 with a score of 5,141.8.
The top 10 in fantasy points.
5,672.75-- Tom Brady, QB, 2000-20215,188.92 -- Drew Brees, QB, 2001-20205,141.84 -- Jerry Rice, WR, 1985-20054,683.10 -- Peyton Manning, QB, 1998-20164,389.22 -- Brett Favre, QB, 1991-2010
4,335.50 -- Aaron Rodgers, QB, 2005-present
4,021.62 -- Ben Roethlisberger, QB, 2004-2021
3,906.12 -- Larry Fitzgerald, WR, 2004-20203,812.80 -- Philip Rivers, QB, 2004-20203,679.8 -- Matt Ryan, QB, 2008-present
