The Super Bowl, the annual championship game of the National Football League, is widely recognized as the biggest single-game sporting event for betting action globally. The spectacle draws the attention of football enthusiasts, non-football fans, and casual bettors. One of the significant draws for these bettors is the abundance of Super Bowl prop bets, which add an exciting layer of complexity to the viewing experience.
Proposition bets, also known as prop bets and sometimes as exotic bets, allow for a wide range of wagers beyond the traditional point spread or moneyline bets. The variety of prop bets available for the Super Bowl is unmatched by any other sporting event, catering to an extensive range of interests and outcomes. Whether it’s predicting the coin toss outcome or the national anthem’s length, Super Bowl props provide a seemingly endless range of opportunities for bettors to test their luck and knowledge.
Here’s our guide to the best Super Bowl prop bets that occur at the end of every NFL season.
What is a Super Bowl prop bet?
A prop bet is a side wager you make with the sportsbook regarding something that will occur during an event or a game, in this case, the Super Bowl. Most prop bets are focused on statistical achievements or scoring milestones, but there are other types of prop bets known as “exotic” prop bets.
These exotic bets are far more fun than serious. They might have to do with whether there will be a streaker during the game or whether a specific word will be uttered during the Super Bowl broadcast. Super Bowl exotics that have become notable in recent years include an over/under bet on the national anthem’s length or what color sports drink will be dumped on the winning coach.
Betting on the Super Bowl offers serious and exotic prop bets, no matter what sportsbook you’re using. But always ensure that the sportsbook is legal and regulated in the state. If it isn’t, you’re dealing with an illegal sportsbook with no oversight and no regulation. It could potentially commit fraud with very little punishment.
What are the most notable and popular Super Bowl props?
There have been some famous prop bets for the Super Bowl over the years. Let’s take a look at three that we enjoy.
First up is the first-ever NFL Super Bowl prop bet. It came about in the New England Patriots vs. Chicago Bears Super Bowl of 1986. The Bears were huge favorites, so betting wasn’t hot and heavy. To make things interesting, Caesars Sportsbook offered an unlikely bet asking whether Bears lineman William “The Refrigerator” Perry would score a touchdown.
The Bears were ahead 37-3 in Super Bowl XX when they lined Perry up in the backfield and gave the ball to the big old lineman. He scored. The rest, as they like to say, is history. Similar prop bets on touchdown scorers have taken off to the point of dominating the Super Bowl betting landscape.
Another notable prop bet came in 1990 when a prop bet asked the simple question: Who will score more points on Super Bowl Sunday — the San Francisco 49ers or Michael Jordan? Thus, the crossover Super Bowl prop bet was born and proved very popular. The 49ers outscored Jordan that day, if you were wondering.
Another favorite prop bet of ours arrived in Super Bowl XXX when the Pittsburgh Steelers were playing the Dallas Cowboys. Steelers jack-of-all-trades Kordell Stewart played quarterback, receiver, and running back as a triple-threat “slash” player, which led sportsbooks to ask, will Kordell Stewart end the game with one or more rushing attempts, passing attempts, and receptions?
By the time kickoff ensued, the line for ‘yes’ was at -300. Stewart notched a reception, rushed the ball early in the game, and later lined up at quarterback. He scrambled out of the pocket at one point, looked to throw, and then tucked the ball and ran. He didn’t have another passing opportunity through the rest of the game.
Super Bowl player props vs. team props
Prop bets focused on player performance, such as statistical milestones, are known as player props. In contrast, team props are based on the accomplishments of the entire team.
Team props can be about any number of things, like whether there will be a special teams touchdown in the game. Player props are often about specific players, like whether the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback will have over/under a certain number of yards in the game.
Prop bets can hold value, though many of them are very hard to research. They’re closer to guessing games, and that can be costly.
Let’s take a closer look at the Super Bowl MVP prop bet. Since history tells us quarterbacks most commonly hoist the MVP trophy, you can guess where a lot of the bets go right away. Back when the Chiefs took on the 49ers, Patrick Mahomes was the favorite from the get-go, and the odds stayed in his favor throughout. He won the MVP award, and the folks who put money on him ended up making a very small profit off the bet.
However, quarterbacks aren’t always the players getting the MVP nod, and there is value in the betting when it’s more of a longshot player. FanDuel NC Sportsbook carried +3000 odds on Julian Edelman the year he won Super Bowl MVP with the New England Patriots. And two defensive players have won the award in recent years as well.
Offensive vs. defensive Super Bowl prop bets
Football is a highly dynamic and multi-faceted sport comprising three main components: offense, defense, and special teams. Each unit is an essential aspect of the game, so there are prop bets related to all three.
Defensive prop bets typically center on tackling, sacks, interceptions, defensive scoring, and more. Then, offensive prop bets include wagers on rushing and passing, who scores the first touchdown, the number of completions a quarterback will have, the type of play that will be run for the opening offensive play, and more. Special teams prop bets, on the other hand, are centered around field goals, blocked punts and kicks, onside kicks, and similar outcomes.
When it comes to betting on the Super Bowl, you can expect to find a wide range of team and player prop bets for all three units. The range of options for prop betting in the Super Bowl allows for a more dynamic and exciting betting experience, as you can place bets on various outcomes within the game beyond just the final score. With an understanding of the various units of the game and the types of prop bets available, you can increase your chances of making informed and successful bets.
Super Bowl crossover prop bets
The Super Bowl is such an extravaganza for prop bets that sometimes betting markets venture away from the game to rope in other sports and events. These crossover props sometimes draw in bettors who aren’t usually going to wager on a football game. Such props might even help bring in new customers if their interest is piqued.
Here are a couple of examples of crossover prop bets you’re going to find in legal North Carolina online sportsbooks.
Who will have more points on Super Bowl Sunday?
- North Carolina college basketball team -7.5 (-115)
- Both SB teams combined final scores +7.5 (-115)
Which number will be higher on Super Bowl Sunday?
- Giannis Antetokounmpo points scored -130
- Saquon Barkley rushing yards +115
Which will be the higher number on Super Bowl Sunday?
- Joe Burrow’s Passing Yards + Rory McIlroy’s final round score -115
- Jalen Hurts’ Passing Yards + Scottie Scheffler’s final round score -115
You will find a variety of these kinds of crossover bets at the various sportsbooks, and you can use accounts at each to shop around to find the best crossover bets and the best odds for your wagers.
How to bet on Super Bowl props in North Carolina
To get started with betting at authorized online sportsbooks or sports betting apps in NC, you need to set up an account. The initial step is to locate the sportsbooks of your choice. On our website, we have comprehensive evaluations of all the sportsbooks where you can legally open an account in North Carolina. Browse through them, choose the one that appeals to you, and then follow the link from our site to the sportsbook to take advantage of our exclusive welcome bonus offer.
Signing up for an account is simple and doesn’t take long. And it’s free.
- Follow our link: Click on the link to your chosen sportsbook via our site to get our exclusive offer for new customers.
- Sign up for an account: You’ll be taken to the sportsbook home page when you leave our site, and there you will find a button or a link that says “Sign up” or “Register.” Click that, and you’ll be taken to a form you need to fill out, which requires information like your name, address, phone number, email, Social Security number, and more.
- Terms and conditions: Once the form is filled out and you’re ready to submit, you’ll need to accept the sportsbook’s terms and conditions. These outline everything you need to know about betting with that sportsbook, and we recommend reading over them before accepting. If you need to read them later, you can find them with a web search.
- Claim bonuses: If you need to use a bonus code (all NC sportsbook promo codes available on our site), you will want to enter it now. Don’t miss out on using a new customer bonus because it is usually valuable.
- Use your bonus bets: First-time account holders often get bonus bets as part of their new account promotion. Each offer has its requirements, so make sure you read through them.
- Deposit your funds: You’ll need to deposit money if you want to place bets, and now is the time to do it. Legal sportsbooks have multiple, legitimate ways of transferring money—both for deposits and withdrawals.
- Find the Super Bowl prop bets: Make your way to the Super Bowl betting page, and you’ll find a section dedicated to prop bets. Click there, and you’ll find everything you need if you’re interested in betting Super Bowl prop bets. If your sportsbook doesn’t currently have a list of Super Bowl prop bets, check again after the two Super Bowl teams have been decided.
- Place your bets: When you click on a wager in the online sportsbook or the betting app, it will move to your bet slip, and you can adjust your bet amount. Once you’re ready and all of your bets have been made, confirm your bets and the slip will be submitted and active. Now you just have to sit back and wait.
When it comes to sports betting, either just learning how to bet on sports or an experienced bettor, it is imperative that you only use legal and regulated online sportsbooks and betting apps in North Carolina. Offshore sportsbooks, which can be easily found through internet advertisements and accept account registrations from all over the world, are not only illegal but also unregulated. This means that if they were to engage in fraudulent activities or steal from you, you would have no legal protection or recourse.
To ensure that your sports betting experience is safe and secure, it is crucial that you stick to only those online sportsbooks and betting apps that are legally licensed and regulated within North Carolina. This will ensure your bets and personal information are protected, and you will have access to various customer support services in case of any issues.