The Chargers spent more than five decades in San Diego before returning to Los Angeles, where the franchise first started. They're known for innovative passing offenses and a history of close games. Here's how to read their odds.
Who the Los Angeles Chargers are
City and stadium
The Chargers were founded in Los Angeles in 1960 as an original AFL team, then moved to San Diego in 1961. They stayed there until 2017, when they returned to Los Angeles. Since 2020 they've shared SoFi Stadium in Inglewood with the Los Angeles Rams. SoFi has a translucent roof over the stadium, so weather isn't a major factor.
Famous eras
- AFL champions: the Chargers won the 1963 AFL championship.
- Air Coryell: in the late 1970s and early 1980s, head coach Don Coryell and quarterback Dan Fouts ran one of the most innovative passing offenses in football history, influencing the game for decades.
- Super Bowl XXIX: the Chargers reached the Super Bowl after the 1994 season, losing to San Francisco.
- Talented rosters, close finishes: many Chargers teams have had star talent, and the franchise has a reputation among fans for dramatic, close results.
Rivalries
The AFC West includes the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos. These rivalries date back to the AFL. In Los Angeles, the shared stadium with the Rams creates a local rivalry, although they meet rarely.
How to read odds on Chargers games
Favorite or underdog
Chargers -2.5 (-115), moneyline -145: implied 145 ÷ 245 = 59.2%. Chargers +2.5 and +125: implied 100 ÷ 225 = 44.4%.
Home advantage in a shared, crowded market
The Chargers play in a huge market with many transplanted fans of other teams, and they share a stadium with the Rams. Visiting fans sometimes make up a large part of the crowd. Some analysts believe this has reduced the Chargers' home advantage compared with a typical NFL team. The market tends to account for that. See home-field advantage.
Worked example: adjusting for weaker home advantage
Suppose two teams are rated equal on a neutral field.
- With a standard 2-point home edge: home team -2.
- With a reduced 1-point home edge: home team -1.
That one point might not sound like much, but over many games it changes how often a team covers. If you think the market is using too large or too small a home edge for a team, that's where you'd see value.
Close games
When a team frequently plays close games, the moneyline and spread can tell quite different stories. A team that is +2.5 might lose many games by 1 to 2 points, covering the spread but losing outright. See moneyline bets.
Travel and time zones
West Coast teams playing early-afternoon games on the East Coast is one of the most discussed scheduling factors in the NFL. A 1 p.m. Eastern kickoff is 10 a.m. body-clock time for a Los Angeles team. Research on this has been mixed, and teams have adapted with travel and sleep strategies, but it remains a factor worth noting. When you see a Chargers early road game, check whether the line already seems to account for it.
Season-long markets
If the Chargers are +250 to win the AFC West, the implied chance is 100 ÷ 350 = 28.6%. Divide by the total implied probability across the division to estimate a fair number before comparing it with your own.
What to check before picking Chargers games
- Quarterback status.
- Key injuries, particularly to playmakers and pass rushers.
- Crowd and home advantage in Los Angeles.
- Travel: West Coast teams traveling east for early kickoffs is a common talking point.
- AFC West spots.
- The price. See implied probability.
Practice with play money
Chargers games are good for learning about home advantage in shared, big-market stadiums. On MockSport you can make free play-money picks and track whether home games behave differently from road games. Browse the odds page.
FAQ
Where do the Chargers play?
At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, which they share with the Los Angeles Rams.
How long were the Chargers in San Diego?
From 1961 to 2016, more than five decades, before moving back to Los Angeles in 2017.
What was Air Coryell?
A pioneering passing offense run by head coach Don Coryell in San Diego in the late 1970s and early 1980s, featuring quarterback Dan Fouts.