The New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons meet for Super Bowl LI on Sunday, February 5, and Americans are expected to wager about $4.7 billion on the game. But, from the singing of the national anthem to the number of touchdown passes to who’s mentioned first during the trophy presentation, side bets, or proposition wagers, have reached historic heights.
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Announcing the all-time method for getting your “props.” Super Bowl LI side bets, or proposition wagers, have reached a historic 400 at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.
Everything goes—from wardrobe to singing proficiency, from who says what to whether a quarterback outscores a soccer team halfway around the world. No wonder the American Gaming Association estimates that about $4.7 billion will be wagered on Sunday’s game between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons in the United States alone.
Welcome to the Wackiness
Will Luke Bryan wear a hat when he sings the national anthem? Yes is a 7-5 favorite. Will any words be omitted from the national anthem? Try 4-1. Imagine screaming at your television for a lyrical fumble and then collecting.
Who will the Super Bowl MVP mention first during the trophy presentation: the team, a 2-1 payout; the coach, 9-1; or someone else? What liquid will be poured on the winning coach afterward? Most are about 3-1. Orange-colored has dominated in recent years. Those wagers make the coin toss (a pick ’em) and resemble a serious handicapping effort.
Then there’s a toss-up on the number of the Falcons’ Matt Ryan touchdown passes versus the goal total in Sunday’s Leicester City-Manchester United soccer game in England (it’s football to them). Most patrons play $5 to $10 on the fun bets and may even wager on 100 of them.
The Stronger Bet
In the midst of craziness, sanity exists. By connecting your view of the game to the prop wagers, you can play percentages and retain a strong sense of cashing in.
Where’s the money? New England was a three-point overall favorite and 1.5-point pick for the first half. This is a reasonable betting interest for either the Patriots or Falcons.
Some history. All of the Patriots’ six Super Bowl appearances in this millennium have been decided by four points or less. There has never been a Super Bowl overtime, about a 7-1 return. Team rushing and passing-yardage props also pay for one’s seasoned analysis.
Some practicality. Ryan’s interceptions. One pick means a victory at -130. Not a bad play.
There are many reasonably predictive wagers based on logic and intuition. First touchdown, individually. For the excellent rate of return, try selecting more than one. Some payouts are more than 15-1. And the “field,” someone other than a superstar, is nearly 6-1.
This is just a sample of the unprecedented gambling smorgasbord surrounding Sunday’s Super Bowl. Pile on the pleasure, sprinkling fun with logic. I’ll say 10-1 you love it.
