How to Bet on the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl isn’t just a game of American Football, it’s an entertainment extravaganza watched all over the world. And, with big sporting events comes big betting opportunities.

With the rise in popularity of the NFL outside of America in recent years, the Super Bowl is now at an all time high with regards how popular it is and how many people tune in to watch it. Alongside that is the fact that more people now bet on the NFL season finale than ever before.

The Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is the culmination of the National Football League season, where the National Football Conference champions take on the winners of the American Football Conference to crown an overall champion.

First played in January 1967, where the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League defeated American Football League champions Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 to become the first AFL-NFL World Champions.

The trophy played for in the Super Bowl today, and indeed every Super Bowl since 1971, is named the Vince Lombardi Trophy, after the Green Bay Packers coach who led them to the first ever Super Bowl victory but who died in 1970.

Nowadays, thirty-two teams from the two conferences, split into four divisions in each conference, must come through a seventeen week regular season, and conference play-offs to make it through to the grand finale of the Super Bowl.

Betting on the Super Bowl

The betting markets available for the Super Bowl are the same as in any regular NFL match, with the three main markets being:

• Moneyline – Betting market where punters bet on the winner of the match, including after any overtime that is played.
• Totals – This is an over/under bet where punters bet on over or under a set total points limit, with the bookmaker offering odds for a higher or lower number of points than the limit they set.
• Points Spread – The points spread, or handicap betting market, offers punters the chance to back a team with either a + or – handicap or points spread. If the points spread is – 6.5, the team would have to win by 7 points or more to win the bet. If the points spread is + 6.5, the team could lose by up to 6 points and still give you a winning bet.

There are other betting markets available for the Super Bowl, and during the regular NFL season. The main markets are the alternative markets, where bookmakers offer alternative point spreads or alternative over/under totals. The odds will be changed accordingly, with shorter odds if the bet has been made easier to win or longer odds if it has been made more difficult.

In addition to the normal betting markets, there are several prop bets available for the Super Bowl. These are special bets that can range from what happens on the field during the actual match to what happens during the half time entertainment show. Some of these prop bets include:

• Outcome of the coin toss
• Team to win the coin toss
• Super Bowl MVP
• First Touchdown scorer
• Total Touchdowns
• Anytime Touchdown Scorer
• Exact number of Touchdowns during the game
• Will a Touchdown be overturned by replay
• Total successful field goals
• Team to make the longest field goal
• Over/Under the time it takes for the National Anthem to be sung
• Colour of the liquid poured on the winning coach at the end of the game
• Over/Under number of songs during the half time show
• Will a fan run onto the field during the match
• Over/Under number of commercials during the Super Bowl
• Match bets on which commercial will be shown first between a choice of two

This is just a selection of some of the special, or prop bets available during a Super Bowl match. Depending on who the main entertainment attraction is during the half time show, you may even get to bet on the colour of their clothing, whether they wear a hat or not, or what song they perform first.

Super Bowl Betting Tips

Betting on the Super Bowl is just the same as betting on any other sporting event. Bettors must not allow themselves to get caught up in the glitz and glamour of the occasion, unless they want to have a little fun by backing one or more of the most bizarre prop bets.

Instead, you must approach the Super Bowl the same as any other sports betting, with an analytical approach and a mindset that is only looking at the best way for you to make a profit.

Study Form and Statistics

The Super Bowl may be a one-off match up between the two best teams in the NFL from the previous regular season and play-offs, but form and statistics will still have a say in the outcome. So, study the form and try to find anything that will give you an edge over the bookmaker.

Look at both teams form throughout the season, winning margins, touchdowns scored, field goals scored, how many times they covered the points spread. All the information to help you make a better informed betting decision.

Injuries / Team News

The Super Bowl comes at the end of a long and gruelling season, so it’s possible that one or both of the teams involved could be missing key players for the all important Super Bowl match.

It’s your job to find this information out and make an informed decision on how any missing players will affect the team and the possible outcome of the match.

Compare Odds

When you’ve decided on your bet or bets for the Super Bowl, take a look at different betting sites to ensure you are getting the best odds for your money. This ensures you are getting the best value and the highest potential profit from your bet(s).

Shopping around different bookmakers may also give you the opportunity to take advantage of alternate lines or other special bets that aren’t available anywhere else.