You are not alone. According to AGA and The Athletic, this year $7.61 billion dollars will be wagered on the Super Bowl.
Over $18.2 million will be spent with sports betting online, at retail sportsbooks, or with a bookie. An increase of 23% is expected to be placed on ‘friendly wagers’, your friends’ pools, and square contests.
Let’s explore the ways you will be spending your money with a look at the best bets for Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals.
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Lay the Favorite
There really is no such thing as a favorite when you are dealing with football and the Super Bowl.
These are bets that you will think about making before the game starts.
- The National Anthem
Country star Mickey Guyton will be singing the National Anthem. The odds are over 98 seconds -115; under 98 seconds -115.
Keep this in mind: When Guyton performed the anthem this year at the National Memorial Day Concert, she finished in 76 seconds. There is also a video of her singing the anthem at the Country Radio Seminar in 2015 and it lasts 81 seconds.
Since 1991, the longest version of the anthem was performed by Alicia Keys at Super Bowl 47. It lasted 2:35. The shortest was performed by Jewel at Super Bowl 32, lasting 1:27.
You can also wager on what player’s face will be the first shown when the Anthem begins to play; as well as whether any scoring drive takes less time than it takes to sing the national anthem. Yes -225, No +160.
- The Coin Toss
This goes beyond just calling heads or tails and per Pete Truszkowski this may be the safest bet of the day.
Bet on whether the team that wins that coin toss elects to receive or defer. The odds that the winning team elects to receive are +375. The odds that the winning team elects to defer are -500.
As Truszkowski states, since 2018, 12 of 13 Super Bowl coin flip winners have decided to defer. The lone standout was the 2010 New Orleans Saints.
As head coach, Sean McVay has won 48 pregame coin tosses and has elected to defer 48 times. Head coach, Zac Taylor has won the coin toss 27 times and has elected to defer 26 times.
There are also halftime prop bets that are interesting. Perhaps the most interesting is whether Snoop Dogg will light up during his halftime performance. At +200 Yes would be the bet. We know he loves his blunts. He has smoked during his concerts; this should be no different.
The Usual Suspects
This is the foundation for most of your in-game bets.
Caesars Sportsbook has the Rams 4.5 favorite with an over/under 48.5. The money line has Rams -200 and the Bengals +170.
This postseason the Rams defense are allowing opponents to score on 35.9% of their possession. The Rams are giving up touchdowns on 51.8% or their opponents red zone trips.
- The Rams defense finished third in the NFL in sacks (50). Joe Burrow has been sacked 51 times, the most in the NFL.
- Per PFF, Burrow has the highest grade of any against zone coverage (92.2).
- The Rams ran 11 personnel 85% of the time. The Bengals ran 11 personnel 78% of the time.
- Both teams averaged 27.1 points per game. In postseason play the Rams have given up only 55 points in their three games while scoring 84 points. The Bengals have scored 62 points in the postseason run while giving up 59.
The Cincinnati Kid
Wynn Bet has -105 on Bengals’ kicker Evan McPherson to have more kicking points than Rams’ kicker Matt Gay.
McPherson has had at least four field goals in each of the Bengals playoff wins. Gay is no slouch; he has had at least two field goals in each of the Rams playoff wins. But do you dare go against Money Mac?
Joe Burrow passing touchdowns: Over 1.5 (-160); Under 1.5 (+120)
During the season Burrow averaged 2.1 touchdowns per game.
In this playoff run, he has had two touchdowns versus the Kansas City Chiefs, zero touchdowns versus the Tennessee Titans, and two touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Rams have allowed the second-fewest passing touchdowns this year. They have yielded three total touchdowns in their playoff run. Tom Brady had one and Jimmy Garoppolo had two touchdowns against them.
California Split
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.: Over 5.5 receptions (+110)
In their last two playoff games, Beckham Jr. has eight targets, six receptions, and 69 yards versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 11 targets, nine receptions, and 113 yards versus the San Francisco 49ers.
Per PFF, Beckham has a 30.2% threat rate versus man coverage compared to a 16.3% versus zone coverage. The Bengals’ defense has played more man coverage than either the Buccaneer or Niners during their playoff run.
The Color of Money
Caesars Sportsbook has released their entire Prop Bets option. What is even better is that if you use the promo code ROTOBALLERCZR they are giving away $1500 first deposit match and free bets. Here are a few of the odds they are offering on prop bets:
- Tyler Boyd first Bengals touchdown scorer & Van Jefferson first Rams touchdown scorer +8500
- LA Outcome of first Drive: Punt-101; Offensive Touchdown+235; Field Goal Attempt +400; Turnover +575
- Joe Mixon over 99.5 rushing yards & Ja’Marr Chase over 78.5 receiving yards +1000
Whether you are a novice or a seasoned gambler, it is all about this weekend. As you can see almost any bet is on the table. If Caesars just opened up to where you are (like here in Colorado) jump on the sports betting promos sites are offering.
Hopefully, you'll be seeing green after the game, as it's the color of money. Have fun!
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