The Las Vegas Raiders, based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, is a professional American Football team (gridiron). They play in the AFC West division in the American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The team has its home ground at the Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada and its headquarters are in Henderson, Nevada.
The team was originally founded in January 1960 in Oakland, California. They started playing regular-season pro games as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) in September that year. At that time, they were named the Oakland Raiders. It was during the 1970 NFL-AFL merger that the team became one of the official NFL Clubs.
In 1982, the Raiders left Oakland to play in Los Angeles, where they stayed until the 1994 season as the LA Raiders. Somewhat of a nomadic team, they returned to Oakland, which is in the San Francisco area, for the start of the 1995 season. In March of 2017, the NFL team owners voted to approve the Raiders’ application to move their franchise to Las Vegas… and they finally made the move in January 2020.
The Raiders have had their fortunes vary a lot throughout the years. In their first three years in the league, between 1960 and 1962, their performance was poor – and this was alongside a lack of attendance and financial problems. However, things got better for the team in 1963, with the introduction of a new head coach – and eventual team owner, Al Davis. The team started performing better and in 1967 the Raiders reached the NFL playoffs for the first time – going on to win their one and only AFL Championship game – making it through to Super Bowl II, only to be beaten by the Green Bay Packers.
Since its 1963 improvement, the team has won the division title 15 times (three times with the AFL and 12 times with the NFL). They have won 4 AFC Championships, one AFL Championship, and three Super Bowl Championships – with the last being in 1983. The team has managed, to date, to achieve a winning record in both the regular season and in the playoffs.
Al Davis owned the Raiders from 1972 until he died in 2011. Management of the team was then taken over by his son, Mark Davis, whilst Al Davis’ wife, Carol, kept ownership. Since their establishment, they have become well-known for their strong team culture and wide fan base. They also have 14 previous team members who have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Previous to their move to the Allegiant Stadium, they have also played home games in San Francisco – the Kezar Stadium and Candlestick Park. In Los Angeles, they played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and in Oakland at the Oakland Coliseum and Frank Youell Field.
All About the Las Vegas Raiders
The team was established in January 1960 and plays its home games at the Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, with its Headquarters at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada. Their Thursday games are regularly shown on the NFL Network.
The Las Vegas Raiders Player Personnel
- Owner: Mark Davis and Carol Davis (who is the majority owner)
- President: Sandra Douglass Morgan
- Head Coach: Position Vacant
- General Manager: Dave Ziegler
Arguably, the best player that has ever been part of the Raiders team was Gene Upshaw, who played on the squad from 1967 until 1981. After earning the starting left guard role, he started 207 consecutive games for the Raiders and helped to create a dominant left side to the offensive line. He went on to lead the team to two out of their three Super Bowl wins. He was rewarded for his success in 1987 by taking his place in the Professional Footballers Hall of Fame.
The Las Vegas Raiders Main Rivalries
The Las Vegas Raiders’ main rivals in the NFL are:
The Kansas City Chiefs
One of the Raiders most iconic rivals is the Kansas City Chiefs, their long-standing division opponents. Their rivalry dates back to the start of the AFL. As the Oakland Raiders, they lost the AFL Championship in 1969 to the Chiefs – who then went on to beat the Minnesota Vikings and win the Super Bowl. In the 1990s, the Raiders lost 17 out of the 20 regular-season matchups, with a 10-game losing streak at Kansas City. They also lost to the Chiefs in the postseason Wild Card game in 1991. To the end of the 2022/23 season, the Chiefs lead the all-time series 72-54-2. With only two games per season, it would take quite some time before this rivalry could possibly see a degree of parity.
The Denver Broncos
One of the most heated rivalries in NFL history is between the Raiders and the Broncos. Between 1965 and 1971 the team enjoyed a 14-game winning streak – lasting up until October 1972. Up until the end of the 2022/23 season, the Raiders hold the all-time series advantage, 71-54-2.
The rivalry intensified when the Broncos hired Head Coach Mike Shanahan in 2008, who had also coached the Raiders for four games in 1989 before being fired. The Broncos also managed to reach their first-ever Super Bowl after defeating the Raiders 20-17 in the AFC Championship Game. They regularly face-off on Monday Night Footbal – which makes this the most regular Monday Night game in the history of the league.
The Los Angeles Chargers
The final divisional rivalry is with the Los Angeles Chargers – which dates back to the 1963 season when they managed to beat the LA Chargers – heavy favorites, both times… and both coming from behind. They went on to rack up a streak of 16-0-2 against their rivals between 1968 and 1977. The most momentous of all games was the Holy Roller game – which was highly controversial. The Raiders played the Chargers in the 1981 postseason first playoff game and went on to beat the Eagles and win the Super Bowl. The Las Vegas Raiders lead the series 68-57-2.
Las Vegas Raiders Facts
Everything you need to know about the Las Vegas Raiders…
Las Vegas Raiders Nicknames
- Silver and Black
- Men in Black
- Team of the Decades
- The World’s Team
- The Malosos (translation ‘Bad Boys’) – the nickname of their Mexican fan base.
Championships Wins:
In NFL history, the Las Vegas Raiders have won the league Championship 3 times – once pre AFL-NFL merger:
- 1967
Plus two Super Bowl wins :
- 1976: Super Bowl XI
- 1980: Super Bowl XV
- 1983: Super Bowl XVIII
NFL/NFC Conference Championships
In the Las Vegas Raiders’ history, they have won the Conference Championships four times- all during their time in the AFC conference:
- 1976
- 1980
- 1983
- 2002
Division Championships
The Las Vegas Raiders NFL team has won 15 Division championships – 3 whilst playing in the AFL Western Division:
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
Plus 12 as part of the AFC West division:
- 1970
- 1972
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1983
- 1985
- 1990
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
Playoff Berth Appearances
The Las Vegas Raiders reached the divisional playoffs 23 times – three times in the AFL:
1967, 1968 and 1969
and the NFL playoffs 20 times:
1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2016 and 2021.
Las Vegas Raiders Home Fields
Since they were first created, the Las Vegas Raiders have had six home fields:
- The Kezar Stadium in 1960
- Candlestick Park in 1961
- The Frank Youell Field between 1962 and 1965
- The Oakland Coliseum between 1966 and 1981 then between 1995 and 2019
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum between 1982 and 1994
- The Allegiant Stadium from 2020 until present
Las Vegas Raiders Pro Football Hall of Famers
Here are the players who have spent all or part of their football careers playing for the Las Vegas Raiders and who have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Players
- No. Player Position Dates Induction
- 77 Ron Mix OT 1971 1979
- 00 Jim Otto C 1960–1974 1980
- 16 George Blanda QB/K 1967–1975 1981
- 24 Willie Brown CB 1967–1978 1984
- 63 Gene Upshaw G 1967–1981 1987
- 14, 25 Fred Biletnikoff WR 1965–1978 1988
- 78 Art Shell OT 1968–1982 1989
- 83 Ted Hendricks LB 1975–1983 1990
- 22 Mike Haynes CB 1983–1989 1997
- 29 Eric Dickerson RB 1992 1999
- 75 Howie Long DE 1981–1993 2000
- 42 Ronnie Lott S 1991–1992 2000
- 87 Dave Casper TE 1974–1980, 1984 2002
- 32 Marcus Allen RB 1982–1992 2003
- 80 James Lofton WR 1987–1988 2003
- 76 Bob Brown OT 1971–1973 2004
- 26 Rod Woodson S 2002–2003 2009
- 80 Jerry Rice WR 2001–2004 2010
- 99 Warren Sapp DT 2004–2007 2013
- 8 Ray Guy P 1973–1986 2014
- 81 Tim Brown WR 1988–2003 2015
- 12 Ken Stabler QB 1970–1979 2016
- 18 Randy Moss WR 2005–2006 2018
- 24 Charles Woodson CB 1998–2005. 2013–2015 2021
Coaches and Contributors
- Name Position Dates Inducted
- Al Davis Coach/Owner/Commissioner 1963–2011 1992
- John Madden Head Coach 1969–1978 2006
- Ron Wolf Scout/Player Personnel Director 1963–1974. 1979–1989 2015
- Tom Flores Asst. Coach/Head Coach 1972–1987 2021
Las Vegas Raiders Most Valuable Player Awards
In the history of the Super Bowl, the Las Vegas Raiders have had one Super Bowl MVP player.
- Season Player Position
- 1984 Marcus Allen RB
Las Vegas Raiders FAQs
What Types of Bets Can I Place on the Raiders?
If you live in a state where betting is legal, then there are numerous bets. Firstly, you can bet on single games – Moneyline bets, against the spread bets etc. Other options include props bets such as single-player playlist playoffs – betting on how well a player performs independently in the game. The most popular wager is Super Bowl futures betting. If you want to bet on the Super Bowl, simply open up NFL betting, then the Super bowl menu, teams menu and choose the Raiders and place your wager.
Other popular bets offered are fantasy football bets. These are easy to make, just open the draft fantasy menu games, download draft fantasy filter and pick the players you want in your team.
Should I Bet on the Raiders Winning the Super Bowl?
This a franchise that has had some struggles in recent seasons. Furthermore, they lost their quarterback, Derek Carr, to free agency. They will be looking to Jimmy Garoppolo and/or Brian Hoyer for quarterbacking duties. It could be a difficult season. If you are partial to this team, then read the location network news, pause and decide which bet type offers the best value. Choose a safe and regulated bookmaker and wait for the result to come in. Win totals would be the market to focus on instead of winning the Super Bowl title.
