by PHOENIX — This will probably be the most betted Super Bowl ever. We can say that almost every year for the foreseeable future.
With more states adding legal bets and more fans downloading apps, sports betting is growing every year. This Super Bowl will be held for the first time in a state with legal sports betting.
The Super Bowl brings out every type of punter each year, from the seasoned professional to those who bet on one game a year. Here is your guide to betting on Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles:
What is the point difference for the Super Bowl?
The Eagles are 1.5 point favorites over the Chiefs at BetMGM. That number hasn’t budged in over a week. When the conference championship games ended, BetMGM briefly had the Chiefs by 1.5 points, and almost immediately moved to the Eagles -1.5 when the money rolled in on Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter the Eagles were 2.5 favorites. Eventually settled at Eagles -1.5.
Who is the popular choice?
Since the spread was released, most of the money has been on the Eagles. Two-thirds of the money wagered on the spread is on Philadelphia. There’s no shortage of Super Bowl picks on the internet, but here’s an in-depth analysis and pick at Yahoo Sportsbook.
Should I bet on the point spread?
Many fans like to remove the point spread and bet on the moneyline, which is just a bet on which team will win. The Eagles are -125 on the moneyline, meaning bettors would need to bet $125 to win $100. As of Friday night BetMGM’s two biggest Super Bowl bets were on the Eagles’ moneyline: $1.25 million to win $1 million and $1 million to win $800,000. The Chiefs are +105, with a $100 bet winning $105.
What is the Super Bowl over/under?
The over/under, also known as the total (the combined points for both teams), is 50.5. There are -115 odds on the over, which means you would have to bet $115 to win $100 if you go over 50.5. The odds are usually -110. The under hit in four consecutive Super Bowls. Most of the bets have been on the over, but there are reasons to look into betting on the under.
Are there other historical trends for Super Bowl betting?
Yes, and you can find some here. The favorites are 28-25-2 against the spread (one game, Super Bowl XLIX, was a pick ’em). There were 28 unders and 27 overs (for the Super Bowl I didn’t have a total). Also, tails wins 29-27 on the coin toss.
How about some more crazy prop bets?
There are many, though not all states offer them. In addition to the coin toss, a popular one is the Gatorade bath color for the winning coach. Yellow/Green is the +275 favorite and Yahoo Sportsbook’s Greg Brainos broke the best bet for it.
What are some game props?
Generally you can separate the props into game props and player props. The props of the game are geared towards team-based stats or bets like “Will there be safety in the game?” (The “yes” for safe is +750.) There are practically endless props, but our team at Yahoo Sportsbook has put our bets on favorite game props for starters. There’s also a great argument from Yahoo Sportsbook’s Pete Truszkowski for betting “no touchbacks” for the game to kick off.
How about props for players?
Player props have become a huge part of the betting market. There are dozens for Super Bowl LVII. For example, Patrick Mahomes’ total passing yardage is 294.5 and it is 238.5 for Jalen Hurts. Travis Kelce and AJ Brown are very much in love with our favorite players bets.
What is the most popular prop bet?
The first touchdown scorer has become a popular bet in recent years and the most bet item of Super Bowl LVII is Travis Kelce hitting the first touchdown of the game. That’s +650 odds. The second most wagered prop is Kelce who scores anytime (-125 odds). We analyzed which players scored the first touchdown most often for each team.
Can you bet on the Super Bowl MVP?
Absolutely. Patrick Mahomes, of course, is the favorite at +130. Jalen Hurts is second at +140. Followed by Travis Kelce (+1100), AJ Brown (+1400) and Miles Sanders (+2500). Everyone else has odds of at least 30 to 1. A shot from distance like Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Haason Reddick up 30 to 1 would cash in a nice ticket. There was already a $2,500 bet on Eagles backup running back Kenneth Gainwell to win the MVP at odds of 125 to 1. Yahoo Sportsbook’s Greg Brainos explained why there are value bets on non-QBs for MVP. Yahoo Sportsbook’s Mark Drumheller had his top three non-QB picks for MVP.
What’s the weirdest betting trend this season?
The fourth most bet installment (heads up at -105 is #3, after props Kelce TD) is the Eagles beating the Chiefs by the exact score of 37-34. That prop has odds at +8000. Why are so many people betting that seemingly random final score? A Twitter user shared a Pro Football Reference score that said the game would end with that score. So it became a hot bet for the Super Bowl. You can’t make it up.
What other tips are there for betting on the Super Bowl?
Have fun with it. Don’t bet more than you are willing to lose. With proper bankroll management, betting on the Super Bowl should be a fun way to enhance your game viewing. And don’t forget to pick up the yellow/green for the Gatorade bath.
