From bettors in Las Vegas cashing in at long odds on William “Refrigerator” Perry to score a touchdown in Super Bowl 20 to literally thousands of betting options offered at sportsbooks across the country for Sunday’s Chiefs-Eagles showdown, there is no slowing the popularity of Super Bowl prop bets.
In fact, from a betting perspective, Super Bowl props have become more popular than the game itself.
In a Q&A with Gaming Today’s Bob Christ, renowned Las Vegas oddsmaker Jay Kornegay — who’s been booking this kind of action as long as anyone — estimates prop bets will account for 70% of the Super Bowl handle at his shop, the Westgate SuperBook.
What is a Super Bowl Prop?
Simply put, a prop is a way to bet on a game other than the more traditional point spread, Over/Under, and moneyline. In today’s legal sports betting environment, props can be found on practically any game in a major sport, but they are particularly prominent and popular for the Super Bowl.
These Super Bowl bets come in many shapes and sizes — from player props (Over/Under on Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards, ‘Will Miles Sanders score a touchdown’), to game props (‘Will the first play of the game be a run or pass,’ ‘Who will score the game’s first TD,’ Over/Under longest field goal), to novelty props (‘Will the coin flip lands head or tails,’ ‘What color Gatorade will be poured onto the winning coach’s head’).
Sportsbooks even offer cross-sport props, offering customers the chance to bet on things like “Who will have more: Ohio State first-half points vs. Dallas Goedert receiving yards?” (BTW, Goedert opened -10.5).
Again, there are literally thousands of these prop bets, so if you are in a state with legal sports betting, open your favorite sportsbook app and see what it has to offer. Surely, you can find a prop or three you’ll enjoy wagering on!
Keep in mind, though, that what sportsbooks are allowed to take bets on varies from state to state. For example, as Kornegay pointed out, Ohio and Colorado do not permit betting on the coin flip.
What about the Gatorade color? If that’s up your betting alley, you’re in luck if you live in Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, West Virginia, or Wyoming. Those states allowed sportsbooks to offer this market in 2022.
While it’s impossible to list here all the Super Bowl props available, here’s a taste of what’s out there, along with some links to our articles to help you make some wagering decisions:
Super Bowl Player Props
This Chiefs-Eagles matchup is replete with star power, so player props will be especially fun to bet on this Super Bowl Sunday.
Among the stars, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts sat atop the NFL MVP oddsboards for much of the season. Mahomes closed as the massive favorite, Travis Kelce has played his way into the ‘Best Tight End of All Time’ conversation, and the Eagles feature a pair of stud WRs in AJ Brown and Devonta Smith.
But you don’t have to be a star player at a skill position for there to be some props posted on your performance. How about Over/Under sacks for the Chiefs’ Chris Jones or Eagles’ Haason Reddick? Or who will have more tackles + assists: Willie Gay or Darius Slay?
If you enjoy fantasy football but are new to sports betting, player props are a great way to dip your toes in the prop betting waters.
Super Bowl Game Props
One of the most popular bets in each Super Bowl is ‘yes’ in the ‘Will there be a safety’ prop. After all, there have been nine safeties in Super Bowl history, most famously the Seahawks sacking the Broncos’ Peyton Manning in the end zone for the first score of Super Bowl 48.
FanDuel offers better than 10-to-1 odds on a safety happening on Sunday.
Among the Super Bowl game props and odds offered at sportsbooks:
- What will happen first for the Chiefs: punt -122, score points +100 (FanDuel)
- Will the opening kickoff be a touchback? Yes -165, No +130 (Caesars)
- Will the game go into overtime? Yes +1200, No -5000 (BetRivers)
While recreational bettors love taking shots at long odds on the ‘yes’ side of props such as a safety and overtime, sharp bettors typically find more value in the ‘no.’ For most bettors, though, it’s not a lot of fun to risk $3,000 to win $100 and cheer for something not to happen. More on this below…
Super Bowl Novelty Props
Not only do these offerings vary from state to state, but some are not open for wagering in any legal US jurisdiction. For example, you won’t find props on Rihanna’s opening song on your legal US sportsbook app.
Here is a sampling of what we did find on the DraftKings wagering menu:
- PHI Eagles to Win Coin Toss and Win the Game: Yes +250, No -330
- Will There Be a Scorigami? Yes +2000 No -10000
- Combined Jersey Numbers of All Touchdown Scorers: Over 160.5 (-105), Under 160.5 (-115)
Play Cross-Sport Props for More Weekend Fun
If you’re missing the heavy slate of football action that weekends in the fall have to offer and will get a little anxious waiting for Sunday’s 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff, you’re not alone.
These cross-sports props — bets that combine the Super Bowl with other events — can extend your wagering enjoyment over the course of the weekend.
Let’s head to the SuperBook to see a few items on its menu:
Who will have more:
- Joel Embiid points vs. Nets or Eagles rushing attempts (-1.5)
- Nikola Jokic points + rebounds vs. Hornets or Isiah Pacheco rushing yards (-13.5)
- Purdue points vs. Northwestern or A.J. Brown receiving yards (-6.5)
- Rory McIlroy 4th round birdies (-0.5) or Dallas Goedert receptions
Super Bowl Props Betting Tips
Here are three quick tips to help your Super Bowl prop betting for Sunday:
Resist the temptation of betting on low-probability props at long odds. We discussed the ‘Will there be a safety’ prop above, and while books are offering 10-to-1 odds on this, the true odds are far longer than that. The oddsmakers know they’ll see a lot of public money on the ‘yes,’ so they’ll adjust their numbers accordingly. While it comes with more risk, the ‘no’ side of these bets usually offers better value. The upshot? For recreational gamblers, it’s probably better to steer clear of these and direct your bankroll to more of the two-sided props.
Look for correlated plays. If you like the Chiefs +1.5 on Sunday, try to find props plays that jibe with that spread bet. For example, if the Chiefs win the game, the chances that Jalen Hurts will go Over 1.5 passing TDs is less likely. On the other hand, Isiah Pacheco would be more likely to go Over his rushing yards prop if KC is victorious.
Bet Overs early, Unders late. Public action has more influence on Super Bowl odds than it does on your everyday sort of sporting event, as bookmakers are forced to react to such high volume. Recreational gamblers love betting Overs, which drives the numbers up. That means, if you like Over on a prop, bet it early because the number is likely to be pushed higher. If you like the Under, be patient and wait closer to game time, as you’ll probably get a better number for your play.
Where Can I Bet Super Bowl Props?
If you live in a state where sports betting is legal — or a short drive over the border to one — you have plenty of Super Bowl props betting options.
In fact, many sportsbooks are offering fantastic betting promotions for the Big Game. Check them out here, pick an offer that’s right for you, and have some fun cheering on your prop bets on Sunday!
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