The NFL offseason is in full swing with some teams tinkering with their rosters and other teams entirely overhauling their squads. Super Bowl odds for next season have been up at sportsbooks for months. The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs are the favorites at +650. The San Francisco 49ers +700, the Philadelphia Eagles +750, the Buffalo Bills +850 and the Cincinnati Bengals +850 are also at the top of futures boards.
The New York Jets odds jumped to +1400 as a result of finally getting Aaron Rodgers via trade with the Green Bay Packers.
Check out updated Super Bowl odds and next season betting information for every NFL team below.
Super Bowl odds
View next year Super Bowl odds for all 32 NFL teams below. The Kansas City Chiefs are unsurprisingly the favorites to repeat with +600 odds at most sports betting sites.
Odds to win Super Bowl
Super Bowl odds for this coming season have been available at top sportsbooks for months. View odds to win the Super Bowl 2024 and betting information for each team here.
Super Bowl Favorites
Kansas City Chiefs (+600): The defending champs have revamped their offensive line in front of Patrick Mahomes with OT Jawaan Taylor signed to a four-year deal and they drafted Oklahoma OT Wanya Morris along with exciting WR Rashee Rice.
Philadelphia Eagles (+800): After coming a few plays away from a championship, the Eagles extended Jalen Hurts and retained Travis Kelce, Brandon Graham, James Bradberry, and Fletcher Cox. While they lost Javon Hargrave, they drafted two elite defensive linemen out of Georgia, traded for D’Andre Swift, and signed Rashaad Penny to bolster their run game.
Buffalo Bills (+900): Buffalo’s front office appears to be focusing on offensive balance this offseason. The Bills added guard Connor McGovern, drafted O’Cyrus Torrence, and picked up experienced power backs in Damien Harris and Latavius Murray.
Cincinnati Bengals (+1000): The Bengals lost some secondary depth with safeties Jessie Bates and Von Bell departing in free agency, but they looked to replace those DBs through the draft and added a big piece to protect Joe Burrow with former Chiefs LT Orlando Brown inked to a four-year deal.
San Francisco 49ers (+1000): John Lynch has given Kyle Shanahan three options to consider in training camp with Sam Darnold joining Brock Purdy and Trey Lance in the Niners quarterback room. Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle form arguably the most dangerous trio of skill players in the game.
Dallas Cowboys (+1400): The Cowboys offense should look very different under new OC Brian Schottenheimer with Ezekiel Elliott gone and Brandin Cooks in the fold. Dallas traded some draft capital to get Stephon Gillmore but still added more defensive talent in DT Mazi Smith and LB DeMarvion Overshown.
New York Jets (+1600): The Jets have shifted from +2500 to +1400 to win it all with Aaron Rodgers the new starting QB. They should also get stud RB Breece Hall (ACL) back this year, it’s just a question of how much money they’ll have to commit to Rodgers.
Baltimore Ravens (+1800): Lamar Jackson won his lengthy negotiations by becoming the highest-paid player in the league, and now he has some weapons to target on the outside with Odell Beckham Jr. and rookie Zay Flowers coming aboard. The Ravens also added Clemson LB Trenton Simpson to help shore up their declining defense.
Super Bowl contenders
Detroit Lions (+2200): The Lions finished last season on a tear and they opened free agency by adding DBs Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, and CJ Gardner-Johnson. They also snagged David Montgomery and took Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall to replace Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift.
Jacksonville Jaguars (+2500): Calvin Ridley is set to debut this year after serving a one-year suspension and his presence could help Trevor Lawrence truly take off after a stellar second half under Doug Pederson. The Jags used their first-round pick on OT Anton Harrison to protect Lawrence with Cam Robinson (suspension) unavailable.
LA Chargers (+2500): New OC Kellen Moore should be lobbying the front office to pay Austin Ekeler so the workhorse RB would consider rescinding his trade request. As it stands, the Chargers are likely to move last year’s TD leader and put even more on Justin Herbert’s shoulders.
Miami Dolphins (+2500): The arms race continues in the AFC East with the Dolphins adding Jalen Ramsey and backup QB Mike White to protect their offense in case Tua Tagovailoa gets injured this year. Miami is going to be strong on both sides of the ball in Mike McDaniel’s second year.
Cleveland Browns (+2800): The Browns are building up their defensive line by signing Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and drafting DT Siaka Ika out of Baylor. Deshaun Watson is going to be much better after using a full training camp to get familiar with his new surroundings.
Seattle Seahawks (+3500): Geno Smith is locked into an extension and the Seahawks defense is looking better with free agents Dre’Mont Jones, Julian Love, and Devin Bush coming aboard. Drafting CB Will Witherspoon and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round helped Seattle’s title odds keep shifting from +7000 to +4000 during a successful offseason.
Minnesota Vikings (+3500): Brian Flores takes over as DC and the Vikings secondary should be much better this year after moving on from veteran Patrick Peterson, signing Byron Murphy, and drafting two DBs out of LSU. The Vikes also took USC WR Jordan Addison in the first round to hedge their bets against Adam Thielen’s continued decline.
New Orleans Saints (+4000): Derek Carr should provide some stability for the Saints at QB and their offense could take a major step forward in Dennis Allen’s second year at the helm if Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara stay healthy.
Green Bay Packers (+4000): The Packers have officially moved on from Aaron Rodgers and are surrounding Jordan Love with young receivers, including new draft picks Jayden Reed and Luke Musgrave.
Denver Broncos (+4500): With Sean Payton coming aboard, the Broncos’ title odds have been cut in half from +5000 to +2500 despite the franchise losing another draft pick to get their man on the sidelines. Denver was busy in free agency, signing RT Mike McGlinchey, DL Zach Allen, QB Jarrett Stidham, and RB Samaje Perine.
Pittsburgh Steelers (+4500): The Steelers stayed true to their history by picking up veteran defenders Elandon Roberts and Patrick Peterson this offseason. They’ve also been addressing a below-average run game by signing guards Nate Herbig and Isaac Seumalo and drafting OT Broderick Jones out of Georgia.
New York Giants (+4500): Daniel Jones got rewarded with a four-year deal worth $160 million and Saquon Barkley got the franchise tag after Brian Daboll steered this squad to a playoff win. The Giants traded for Darren Waller and drafted WR Jalin Hyatt out of Tennessee.
Super Bowl longshots
New England Patriots (+5500): Bill O’Brien is back as Patriots OC and the front office brought in JuJu Smith-Schuster to replace Jakobi Meyers as the top target for Mac Jones. Once again, New England focused on defense and special teams in the draft by taking CB Christian Gonzalez in the first round.
Atlanta Falcons (+5500): The Falcons added excellent safety Jessie Bates and continued to bolster their run-blocking by signing TE Jonnu Smith, retaining OG Chris Lindstrom, and drafting OT Matt Bergeron. Rookie Bijan Robinson should fit right into this run-heavy scheme.
Las Vegas Raiders (+6000): Josh McDaniels should enter this season on the hot seat after his Raiders blew a historic number of leads and used Derek Carr as the scapegoat. The Raiders addressed their needs on the defensive line by taking Texas Tech Edge Tyree Wilson seventh overall.
Chicago Bears (+6000): Bears GM Ryan Poles and his staff have been making moves since the middle of last season and they nabbed a huge haul for the No. 1 pick. Now Chicago can build around Justin Fields with WR D.J. Moore and 10th overall pick Darnell Wright providing the foundation.
LA Rams (+6000): Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, and Matthew Stafford are primed to bounce back after injury-plagued years, and Cam Akers seemed to hit his stride in the final weeks of the regular season. The Rams accrued 14 draft picks with some late-round trades as they look to rebuild their depth on defense and across the offensive line.
Washington Commanders (+6000): Washington should be able to play old-school offensive football with big-bodied QB Sam Howell leading a strong running game that now includes former Chiefs OG Andrew Wylie. There should still be some creative wrinkles in this scheme with Eric Bieniemy coming aboard as OC.
Carolina Panthers (+6000): The Panthers gave up D.J. Moore and a slew of picks to land Bryce Young with the top overall pick. Now the rest of their roster is thinner as they continue to rebuild in Frank Reich’s first year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7500): With Baker Mayfield taking over for Tom Brady, the Bucs have shifted from +3000 to +6500 to win another title. The rest of Tampa’s roster is still loaded with talent and their pass rush could be very formidable if rookies YaYa Diaby and Calijah Kancey can make an immediate impact.
Tennessee Titans (+7500): Derrick Henry was briefly mentioned in trade rumors but appears to be staying put during what looks like a bridge year for the Titans. Rookie QB Will Levis could sit for a year or two before taking over for Ryan Tannehill.
Indianapolis Colts (+10000): Former Eagles OC Shane Steichen with familiar QB Gardner Minshew set to start under center. Anthony Richardson is capable of becoming an elite dual-threat if he can learn the NFL game.
Houston Texans (+18000): The Texans were very aggressive on draft night, taking C.J. Stroud second overall and then mortgaging several picks to snag DE Will Anderson with the third overall pick. DeMeco Ryans has the building blocks in place to start his rebuild.
Arizona Cardinals (+18000): Kliff Kingsbury and DeAndre Hopkins are gone as the Cardinals enter the season with the lowest expectations of any team in the NFC.
How Super Bowl odds are changing
Here is how Super Bowl odds are changing throughout the off-season. First are the Super Bowl futures from February 13.
| Team | Super Bowl Odds 2024: Feb 13 | Super Bowl Odds 2024: March 8 | Super Bowl Odds 2024: March 14 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | +600 | +550 | +600 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +800 | +750 | +700 |
| Buffalo Bills | +700 | +700 | +850 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +900 | +850 | +850 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Dallas Cowboys | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| New York Jets | +2800 | +1800 | +1600 |
| LA Chargers | +2200 | +2200 | +2500 |
| Miami Dolphins | +3000 | +3000 | +2500 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +2200 | +2200 | +2500 |
| Detroit Lions | +3000 | +2800 | +2500 |
| Denver Broncos | +3000 | +3000 | +2500 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +2800 | +2800 | +2800 |
| Green Bay Packers | +3000 | +3500 | +3500 |
| Cleveland Browns | +4000 | +3500 | +3500 |
| New Orleans Saints | +5000 | +4000 | +3500 |
| New York Giants | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Minnesota Vikings | +4500 | +5000 | +4000 |
| Chicago Bears | +8000 | +8000 | +5000 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +5500 | +5500 | +5500 |
| Carolina Panthers | +5500 | +5500 | +5500 |
| New England Patriots | +6000 | +5000 | +6000 |
| LA Rams | +3500 | +3500 | +6000 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +6000 | +6500 | +6500 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +7000 | +7000 | +7000 |
| Washington Commanders | +7000 | +7000 | +7000 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +7500 | +7500 | +7500 |
| Tennessee Titans | +7500 | +7500 | +8000 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +15000 | +15000 | +15000 |
| Houston Texans | +20000 | +20000 | +20000 |
| Arizona Cardinals | +20000 | +20000 | +20000 |
Super Bowl spread
Here we will look at how the Super Bowl spread between the Eagles and Chiefs changed in the two weeks leading up to this past season’s Big Game. The Eagles opened as -2 favorites and the line briefly got to Eagles -2.5. The Super Bowl spread settled at Eagles -1.5 on February 2 and has sat there right up until kickoff. Here is a look at what the Super Bowl spread looked like in the days leading up to Super Bowl 57.
- Eagles vs. Chiefs Opening Line: Eagles -2 vs. Chiefs +2
- Super Bowl Line: Eagles -2.5 vs. Chiefs +2.5 (10:45 p.m. ET January 29)
- Eagles vs. Chiefs Line: Eagles -2 vs. Chiefs +2 (3:30 p.m. ET January 30)
- Super Bowl LVII Line: Eagles -1.5 vs. Chiefs +1.5 (February 2)
- Eagles vs. Chiefs Spread: Eagles -1.5 vs. Chiefs +1.5 (February 3)
- Super Bowl 57 Line: Eagles -1.5 vs. Chiefs +1.5 (February 5)
- Eagles vs. Chiefs Point Spread: Eagles -1.5 vs. Chiefs +1.5 (February 6)
- Philadelphia vs. Kansas City Super Bowl Line: Eagles -1.5 vs. Chiefs +1.5 (February 8)
- Super Bowl Odds: Eagles -1.5 vs. Chiefs +1.5 (February 10)
- Eagles vs. Chiefs Super Bowl Betting Odds: Eagles -1.5 vs. Chiefs +1.5 (February 12)
This was the tightest Super Bowl spread since the Chiefs appearance three years prior. Mahomes and crew had -1.5 odds to win against the 49ers and covered with a 31-20 win. Kansas City was a -3 favorite against the Buccaneers two years ago but lost by a 31-9 score.
Here is a snapshot of how much each team’s Super Bowl odds changed month-to-month and during the NFL Playoffs.
| Team | Super Bowl Odds: September 8 | Super Bowl Odds: October 11 | Super Bowl Odds: November 14 | Super Bowl Odds: December 19 | Super Bowl Odds: January 17 | Super Bowl Odds: January 23 | Super Bowl Odds: January 30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | +1000 | +650 | +500 | +500 | +300 | +260 | +110 |
| Eagles | +2200 | +650 | +500 | +400 | +500 | +250 | -130 |
Can I bet on the Super Bowl in my state?
Check out the table below to see if you are legally able to bet on the Super Bowl in your state.
| State | Online Sports Betting? | Retail Sports Betting? |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Yes | Yes |
| Arkansas | Yes | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes | Yes |
| Delaware | No | Yes |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes |
| Indiana | Yes | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes | Yes |
| Kansas | Yes | Yes |
| Louisiana | Yes | Yes |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes |
| Mississippi | No | Yes |
| Montana | No | Yes |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico | No | Yes |
| New York | Yes | Yes |
| Ohio | Yes | Yes |
| Oregon | Yes | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes |
| South Dakota | No | Yes |
| Tennessee | Yes | No |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes |
| Washington, D.C. | Yes | Yes |
| West Virginia | Yes | Yes |
| Wisconsin | No | Yes |
| Wyoming | Yes | No |
How to bet on the Super Bowl
The most popular way to bet on the Super Bowl is by the spread, moneyline or total. Most sportsbooks will have these as main options when you click on “NFL” or “Super Bowl” in the days leading up to the Big Game. Here is what DraftKings Sportsbook’s site looked like ahead of the Chiefs versus Eagles game.
When it’s not late January and early February the best way to make Super Bowl bets is through futures betting. Sportsbooks have odds for who will win the Super Bowl throughout the year. In fact, in late January and early February most books have odds to win the current season’s Super Bowl as well as the following year’s Big Game.
Super Bowl odds appear in different ways at different sportsbooks. At most US sports betting outlets they will appear as such:
Super Bowl odds
- Bills (+550)
- Buccaneers (+700)
- Chiefs (+1000)
- Packers (+1000)
- Rams (+1200)
- Chargers (+1400)
You may also see Super Bowl odds appear like this:
Super Bowl 57 odds
- Bills (11-2)
- Buccaneers (7-1)
- Chiefs (10-1)
- Packers (10-1)
- Rams (12-1)
- Chargers (14-1)
Futures bets
Futures bets are a great way for diehard sports fans to get themselves a little more involved in the upcoming success of their favorite teams and/or players. They can also be a good way for the maligned hometown fan to shift focus a little bit and worry more about the success (or failure) of rival teams.
Fans can put their prediction skills to the test by looking at betting odds and placing wagers on things such as the Super Bowl LVII champion, division and conference winners, win totals for each team, and individual player awards such as MVP and NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year.
Additionally, many books offer over/under lines on certain yardage or touchdown numbers for specific players or head-to-head options between two stars of a shared position. These are often referred to as “specials.”
Odds on certain futures will often be updated throughout the offseason as players change teams or suffer injuries. Once the season starts, odds can change wildly based on injuries, and fast or slow starts with bettors having to know the difference between pretenders and contenders.
There’s nothing like placing a wager on a longshot early in the offseason and watching the year play out in their, and your, favor. It can be ill-advised to bet on a favorite in the offseason with so much time for things to go against them.
All online sportsbooks come in slightly different layouts, but futures sections are typically in the same general area.
Simply click the “NFL” or “Pro Football” tab on your book of choice. The default screen is generally the Week 1 schedule with all 16 games listed, but in a dropdown menu or separate menu bar, there should be several other options, including futures and specials.
Peruse these sections at your whim, looking for the teams, players, or odds which matter most to you. A wager such as Super Bowl Champions or MVP will have money options listed, whether it be all 32 teams or 30-50 of the league’s biggest stars. Each option will have odds listed next to it.
Betting Super Bowl odds on the Buffalo Bills at +550 means a $100 wager returns $550. A safer bet such as the Bills to win the AFC East comes with diminished -240 odds.
Win totals and player specials typically come in the form of over/unders on a number set by the sportsbook. Each side of the bet will have odds for any result coming in above or below the line.
Best Super Bowl bets
Super Bowl point spread
Betting the Super Bowl spread will be one of the most popular methods of placing a wager on Super Bowl 57. The point spread is the projected margin of victory set by oddsmakers for the favored team. If a bettor wagers on the favorite to “cover” the point spread, the favorite must not only emerge victorious, but must do so by more than the point spread for the bet to be a winner. If the favorite wins the game but does so by less than the spread – or if it loses the game altogether – the bettor will have lost his/her money wagered.
Super Bowl moneyline
A moneyline wager is a bet on which team will win the game outright, regardless of margin. A moneyline wager is essentially the same type of bet that has been placed among family and friends for decades. When placed with a sportsbook, a moneyline wager pays winning bets based on the odds attached to the wager.
For example, a moneyline wager on the favorite may carry odds of “-110”, meaning a bettor wins $100 for every $110 wagered. Conversely, a moneyline wager on the underdog may carry odds of “+112”, meaning a bettor wins $112 for every $100 bet.
Super Bowl total (over/under)
An over under wager is one that hinges on whether the bettor correctly bet the game’s combined final score would finish over or under the number projected by the sportsbook at the time of the wager. For example, say Super Bowl odds carry a projected total of 49 points. If one wagers the “under” on that figure and the game finishes with a 30-21 final score, the bet is a losing one, since the combined total of that score is 51 points. However, if the game instead finishes 24-21 – a combined score of 45 – then that bet would be a winner.
Super Bowl player prop bets
Player Prop bets are wagers that are based on whether the individual player that’s the subject of the bet falls short of or exceeds certain statistical benchmarks. Sportsbooks typically offer an extensive array of such bets for an event of the magnitude of the Super Bowl. Player prop bets are based on the statistics usually accrued by players at different positions.
A prop bet for a quarterback would be whether the player throws for less or more than 250 yards in the game, for example. For a running back, an example would be whether the player receivers less or more than 20 carries. As for a receiver, an available prop wager could be based on whether the player falls below or exceeds a certain number of receptions during the game.
Even non-skill position players such as kickers or even an entire defensive unit can be the subject of prop bets. A standard prop bet for a kicker could be based on whether the player will successfully hit more or less than a certain number of field goals, or whether they will miss an extra point. For a defense, prop bets could be based on whether that unit will give up a certain amount of points, or whether it will score a touchdown on an interception or fumble return.
Player prop bets are most often graded on full-game statistics, but there are also prop bets that are based on statistics accrued during a specific quarter or specific half of a game.
Exotic Super Bowl prop bets
Prop bets for major events such as a Super Bowl can also center on outcomes that aren’t based on traditional in-game statistics. For example, a prop bet can be placed on whether the game-opening coin toss comes up as heads or tails or which team will win the toss; the color of the Gatorade that is dumped on the winning team’s coach; and what the jersey number of one of the players who scores during the game might be.
There are even prop wagers based on the two flagship non-sports events associated with the game – the National Anthem and the halftime show. Bettors can place wagers on contingencies such as the length of time of the National Anthem, whether the performer will omit a word, whether a certain celebrity will make an unexpected appearance during the halftime festivities or how many songs will be performed by the halftime act.
Betting on Super Bowl MVP
The most prestigious individual Super Bowl-related award is that of Super Bowl MVP. While any player is technically eligible for the distinction, the best odds by and far lie with the quarterback position, which has taken home 31 of the 56 MVP awards in Super Bowl history. Five quarterbacks have won the MVP award on multiple occasions. The Patriots’ Tom Brady leads the way with five. The 49ers’ Joe Montana follows with three. Meanwhile, the Packers’ Bart Starr, the Steelers’ Terry Bradshaw and the Giants’ Eli Manning each garnered two apiece.
Even when a future Hall of Famer like Brady is on the winning side, it’s important to remember there is no such thing as a surefire bet. In the Patriots’ win over the Rams in February of 2019, receiver Julian Edelman earned MVP honors with a 10-reception, 141-yard tally. Rams QB Matthew Stafford was one of the big favorites to win
Alternate Lines for the Super Bowl
Alternate lines are those offered by sportsbooks as secondary options to the official point spread that has been set. These lines feature an extensive array of different point spreads for both the favorite and underdog side of the game. These lines typically begin at points well above the number associated with each team in the official game line and range well into the other side of the bet, i.e. allowing for a heavy favorite to be bet as a heavy underdog and vice versa.
To cite an example from a recent NFL title game, the Chiefs – Bucs matchup, Kansas City entered the game as 3-point favorites at many sportsbooks. Alternate lines offered could have included a wagering opportunity on the Chiefs as seven-point favorites instead. Moreover, that bet would have included a very favorable “price” – the preset ratio at which the bet would pay out – due to the much lower probability of the Chiefs not only winning, but winning by more than a touchdown.
Super Bowl live betting
Live betting offers bettors the opportunity to place wagers on the point spread, moneyline or projected total of a game as odds on each fluctuate depending on the flow of a game. With a live betting option, a bettor doesn’t have to be locked into just the wagers they placed prior to the start of the game or at halftime. Rather, if, for example, the favored team unexpectedly falls behind by a two-touchdown margin in the first half, the bettor can hedge his original wager by investing in a new line with odds that reflect how the game is unfolding.
NFL teams by division
We have a detailed review of NFL teams classified by division, making it easy to find Super Bowl odds and futures by team.
Betting tips and strategies
Line shopping and getting the best number
With any purchase, shopping for the best price is advisable. Sports betting is no different. The “prices” associated with sports betting are the odds attached to each wager that determine the payout if the bet is a winner. Other sportsbook-to-sportsbook variables that are important for a better to also be conscious of include possible differences in the point spread and projected total posted for a particular game.
The original lines set by oddsmakers when a game is first posted can often be the “sharpest”, i.e. most difficult to consistently beat over time. Therefore, the biggest edge can often come from waiting things out and seeing what way the betting public’s wagers move a point spread as a game draws closer. Factors such as faulty “groupthink” can sometimes alter a team’s projected advantage to the extent it creates a tangible edge for a sharp bettor.
One caveat about the Super Bowl is that no one NFL game sees its line affected more by “sharp money.” Therefore, line movement for this particular game is often the byproduct of bets placed based on an effective process more than any other during the season.
Fading the public
The strategy of betting against the most popular side of a bet can pay off on occasion. It is not a strategy that’s necessarily advisable to be utilized with great frequency, however. There are certain instances when the general public’s infatuation with a certain team’s reputation (or in some cases, even certain superstar players such as Patrick Mahomes) can lead to a notable amount of money being wagered on that team. The line, in turn, could move to a point where a team is favored by an increasingly unrealistic amount of points.
By “fading the public” in such an instance, a bettor could exploit the situation and place a winning bet on the underdog to slide in under the spread. The same could hold true for a projected total that gets bet up to a certain level due to the offensive reputations of one or both of the teams.
Using advanced metrics
While many bettors likely put only a modest amount of what could accurately be termed “research” before placing a wager, there’s certainly no shortage of metrics available to be evaluated for those who wish to avail themselves. For team-based wagers such as moneylines, point spreads and projected totals, bettors can review the history of each team’s performance in each category.
However, where advanced metrics can be particularly helpful is when making individual- or team-based prop wagers. Statistical trends can certainly help a bettor make an informed decision on whether a certain receiver is likely to exceed a certain amount of catches versus a certain opponent’s defense, for example. The same could apply to countless other such prop wagers, such as a quarterback reaching the 300-yard threshold and a running back eclipsing the 100-yard mark, to cite just two other examples.
A good example from a recent Super Bowl was the matchup between the Chiefs and 49ers, involving San Francisco star tight end George Kittle. Say a sportsbook offered a prop wager on Kittle making over/under five catches. A bettor evaluating this wager might have gone with the Over when considering Kansas City faced the second-most tight end targets (141) in the league last season and tied for the third-most catches (96) allowed to the position. Kittle finished the game with four catches, just slightly under the number – a win for Under bettors.
Middling
“Middling” a game is defined as a bettor placing wagers on both sides of the contest. Football is considered the most popular sport to utilize this strategy. Because it involves placing more than one wager on a game, middling can be a strategy that’s rarely used by novice bettors. However, it ironically helps mitigate the risk involved by significantly upping the chances of one of the two bets being a winner.
Middling is typically made possible when there is notable line movement on a game within a week. Using an example from the Super Bowl LV Chiefs-Bucs matchup, hypothetically, say Kansas City opened up as a three-point favorite. A bettor initially places a wager on this line, but over the course of the two weeks, the line is bet up even further to a seven-point projected advantage for KC. That same bettor then places a bet on the Bucs +7, i.e. San Francisco to lose by six points or less or win outright.
In this example, the bettor is a winner on both bets if either:
- The Chiefs win by four points or more.
- The Bucs lose by six points or less or win outright.
Taking advantage of bonus bets and promotions
Legal, regulated sportsbooks typically offer a variety of enticing promotions, for both first-time and existing customers. Those offers are even more prominent for an event the magnitude of the Super Bowl. Bettors should therefore be on the lookout for such offers as soon as the participants for Super Bowl LIV are decided in this coming weekend’s conference championship games.
Examples of special offers and promotions include:
- Bonus bets up to a certain amount. This year, DraftKings Sportsbook offering first-time depositors up to $1,250 in bonus bets.
- Special odds boosts on certain wagers.
- A variety of potential special offers involving prop bets, parlays, teasers and other bet types.
How much money is bet on the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl is annually the most lucrative single-event sports betting opportunity. It is estimated that nearly $600 million was legally bet on last year’s Super Bowl between the Bengals and Rams.
At many sportsbooks, proposition bets constitute more than half of the wagers and amount placed for the Super Bowl. With the ongoing expansion of legalized, regulated sports wagering across the United States, the total “handle” – the cumulative amount wagered on the game – should continue to edge upward for several years based solely on the increase in legal betting opportunities for sports fans.