Courtesy Structure has been playing together since 1998 and cites bands like Breaking Benjamin as its influence.

The NFL season is a little more than a month away, which makes it a perfect time to look at futures for the 2008 campaign. Futures are exactly as they sound: bets where gamblers can predict the future and make money when they are right. The bigger the underdog that wins the bet, the bigger the payout.

For example, if the odds list a team at 10/1, a winning bet would return roughly $10 for every $1 wagered. Since futures bets are very difficult to win, it is very rare that the odds for any team listed in a sports book are worse than 2/1. Here are select early listings courtesy of vegasinsider.com for the upcoming NFL season:

NO BRAINERS

New England Patriots (5/2): New England lost the Super Bowl in heartbreaking fashion last season after mowing through only the second undefeated regular season in NFL history. Very little is different with this season’s version, but you can bet that the Patriots are angrier.

Dallas Cowboys (9/2): Sure, Tony Romo puts a lot of effort into his celebrity and the red-carpet lifestyle that follows girlfriend Jessica Simpson. But he’s also pretty damned good on the football field. Add in a boosted defense, and you have a team that should run the NFC table and represent the conference in the Super Bowl.

San Diego Chargers (10/1): Solid odds for a team that made it all the way to the AFC Championship game last season.

GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN

Minnesota Vikings (30/1): The Vikings promise to have one of the most explosive offensive attacks in football this season. They have one of the elite running backs in the game in Adrian Peterson, and rumors continue to swirl that the Vikings could add the services of Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. A Favre addition would shoot these odds down to at least 15/1, so booking the Vikings at 38/1 could be the futures deal of the century.

Cleveland Browns (30/1): Cleveland plays in the Special Olympics division of the NFL (AFC North) with four games against the lowly Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, so a strong regular-season record is likely. Quarterback Derek Andersen was one of the most effective passers in the league last season and should be deadlier in his second season as a starter.

Philadelphia Eagles (45/1): The Eagles are less talented and a lot older than they’ve been in the past five seasons, so there is a reason they are considered a long shot. However, they may also be the league’s best-coached team. Andy Reid works miracles, and if he can get his team into the playoffs, sitting on a 45/1 ticket could make the run to the Super Bowl very exciting.

NO SHOT WHATSOEVER

If you even consider a future with such teams as the Miami Dolphins (150/1), Atlanta Falcons (150/1), San Francisco 49ers (125/1) or Oakland Raiders (125/1), please take the money out of your wallet now and set it on fire. It will save you time — and the embarrassment of making the bet.

Chuck Blount | 210SA contributor