What makes looking at Super Bowl odds so special is the range of them available. Because of the amount of money that is wagered, both legally and illegally, in the United State and around the world on the game, there is a lot of extra attention on the NFL’s biggest stage. It’s hard to believe what started as the AFL-NFL World Championship game has morphed into one of the biggest sports events in the world.
While there was little interest in the first Super Bowl, it was broadcast on two different television networks and didn’t sell out the L.A. Coliseum, the growth of football’s popularity has made it the biggest single-day sporting event on the American sports calendar. It is expected that nearly $7.6 billion were wagered on the big game last season. Here are some benefits of betting on the Super Bowl.
There’s Plenty of Time to Prepare
When it comes to the NFL, how the league sets up its schedule gives people plenty of time to prepare for the big game. Following the AFC and NFC championship games, there is a bye week built in that helps promote the. This gives bettors an opportunity to do research and figure out what bets are worth placing.
Weird Stuff Happens
What makes the NFL’s championship game different from other major American professional sports leagues is that their championship is settled in a one-game, winner-take-all format. What that can mean is unexpected results on the field and players coming out of nowhere to be major contributors. One of the biggest upsets happened in Super Bowl III.
The Jets, who were 18-point underdogs to the Baltimore Colts, scored a shocking 16-7 win. The victory, plus New York quarterback Joe Namath guaranteed a win before the game, helped establish anything couple happens in the contest. Larry Brown and Dexter Jackson are two of the more obscure players who have won Super Bowl MVPs.
Plenty to Wager on
The NFL generates a lot of betting revenue on every game, not just the Super Bowl. However, due to the increased viewership, many sportsbooks empty the tanks with bonuses, promotions, and special bets. Using offshore books can provide some of the weirder bets, including over/under on time of the national anthem and what color the Gatorade will be poured on the coach after the game.
What is nice about this is that there are still angles for casual fans and die-hards alike. With sportsbooks hoping to draw more money to their respective books, more informed betters can seize on bad numbers and make money.
Prop bets on the Super Bowl first appeared during Super Bowl XX during a game between the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots. A sportsbook was convinced to take odds on Bears defensive lineman William “The Refrigerator Perry” to score a touchdown. While Perry had scored three times during the regular season, people didn’t think they would go to him during the big game.
Perry was given a carry and scored from a yard out to put Chicago up 37-3. The odds were initially listed as a payout of 20 to 1 before being bet down to 2 to 1 by the time kickoff approached.
Wait For The Lines to Move
Live sports betting isn’t something unique to the Super Bowl. Most live events can be wagered on as the games are in progress. What this opens up is opportunities for people on the fence to wait a little bit before putting their money down. If one team falls behind early, there are chances for people to get a better number.
While there hasn’t been a large amount of come-from-behind wins in distant Super Bowl history, there have been more in the past 10 years. New England famously rallied from behind to knock off Seattle and Atlanta, while the Kansas City Chiefs overcame a 10-point, fourth-quarter comeback to beat the San Francisco 49ers a few years ago.
It Keeps You Engaged With The Game
Not every fan has a rooting interest in the Super Bowl. Imagine how football fans in Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, and Jacksonville feel having to watch the big game without having their teams ever having participated in the game. It’s probably an empty feeling.