The Oakland Raiders are a team on the rise in the NFL. After over a decade of being a bottom-feeder in the AFC, the silver and black have become a team to watch in the conference and a legitimate Super Bowl title contender.

In fact, the Raiders have become a popular bet to win the Super Bowl next season with their odds changing drastically as of late, according to ESPN's David Purdum:

This offseason, more bets have been placed on the Raiders to win the Super Bowl than on any other team at sportsbooks around town.

Oakland's Super Bowl odds, which opened as high as 20-1, have moved to as short as 6-1. Just four weeks before the regular season, only the New England Patriots, the consensus favorite, have better odds than the Raiders. The Patriots are listed at 3-1.

Following a 12-win season in which they ended their playoff drought, Oakland heads into the 2017 campaign with high expectations and a fan base excited for the future. Derek Carr and company will try to take the next step and become a threat to the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

Article Continues Below
More Las Vegas Raiders News
Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly before playing against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Raiders rookie WR gets major Chip Kelly endorsementJordan Llanes ·
New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) warms up before the start of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium.
Raiders’ Jakobi Meyers earns prestigious tag that’ll leave Patriots fans screamingJaren Kawada ·
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette (20) against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.
Texans sign ex-Raiders first-round cornerbackBenedetto Vitale ·
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III (11) reacts before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Former Raiders WR Henry Ruggs sends message to victim’s family after special prison releaseMiguel La Torre ·
image thumbnail
Insider makes Chip Kelly prediction for Raiders forgotten Brock Bowers running mateOwen Crisafulli ·
Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll on radio row during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
Raiders rumors: Insider hints at roster moves after Pete Carroll commentsBen Strauss ·

As pointed out by Purdum, the Patriots are the favorites to win it all at 3-1 with Bill Belichick's squad as strong as ever. New England added a few new faces to their roster in wideout Brandin Cooks and tight end Dwayne Allen. The addition of these two offensive weapons to go along with Brady and his current receiving corps making the team that much more dangerous in their title defense.

The Raiders, however, made an addition of their own on the offensive side of the football bringing running back Marshawn Lynch out of retirement. Oakland's high-powered offense may light up the scoreboards on a weekly basis once again this season as they try to keep up with and potentially surpass the Patriots as the top team in the AFC.

New England will remain the team to beat in the NFL, but Oakland could make things interesting as they attempt to make a statement in 2017.