It's Super Bowl Sunday coming up and the fun part of this day for those of us who don't have a team playing is wagering on it. It is rare that the Big Game is this close. I've gone back and forth on both the spread and total making a case for all four things happening. I'm jaded by the fact that the Eagles should have beaten Green Bay, but I'm also angry that Pittsburgh (the lesser part of PA) could win another Super Bowl. I've envisioned a shootout as well as a defensive struggle. Because of the fact that I can't seem to make a selection there, I've decided to turn to the props. There are hundreds of wagers to make in this group. In this space, I'm going to give you five to take a chance on and three that I'd like to see made:
Christina Aguilera National Anthem Length... The O/U has been set at 1 minute and 54 seconds. The money is coming in on the over which is a good bet because a lot of these artists like the spotlight. Aguilera did the National Anthem at Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals and it was approximately at 1:54. One would think that she would want to soak up the attention and hold those last few notes just a bit longer.
(OVER 1:53)Both Teams Make 33+ yard FG's... Using the sportsbook BetPhoenix, the yes is at +155. In a few scenarios, one can see the defenses stiffening up a bit more in certain parts of the field. 33 yard FG's are essentially chip shots and these kickers are pretty solid. Mason Crosby is 22-28 this season with a long of 56 yards. Shaun Suisham has been a great acquisition missing only one kick in 15 tries. His long is only 48 yards, but he doesn't need it to be that long.
(YES +155)Team scores 2 unanswered times... Once again using the great sportsbook BetPhoenix, we get this gem of a wager. Most books offer this wager, but it's three straight instead of two. As discussed, this is a very evenly matched Super Bowl. Both teams have potent offenses with defenses that are built to slow each down. With a game like this, wagering the no is actually worth it. There's no reason that you couldn't see a back and forth affair.
(NO +3300)Mentions of Brett Favre during the game... Another favorite sportsbook of mine, Bodog, features this gem. They set the number at 2.5 which seems to be ridiculously low. You do realize that FOX will be all over this angle. We heard this week that Aaron Rodgers specifically mentioned that he did NOT talk to Brett in preparation for Sunday's game. That's at least one mention while past Super Bowl successes for Green Bay will be another topic. It seems almost too easy to not take the over.
(OVER 2.5 -160)Color of Gatorade dumped on winning coach... This one is always intriguing. Clear/Water used to be the selection but it has lost the last two super bowls. Yellow has been the dominant color as of late especially in the Super Bowl and BCS Championship games. Mike Tomlin was not happy after his dousing in the AFC title game so there's a small chance there may not be one at all. This is the type of prop that you can shop around for the best number though. Each book has it's own theories and it's own opinions so if you like a color, then go ahead and find a place to get it at a number you'd like.
(YELLOW +150)Now for props I'd like to see: Number of people watching Puppy Bowl VII during halftime vs. Number of people watching the New Jersey Nets vs. Indiana Pacers -- I can honestly say there have been Super Bowls where I've turned the game off to watch Animal Planet's "Puppy Bowl." It's especially tough for someone like me who likes dogs yet can't have one in my apartment complex. The channel has promised that they are going to have chickens play cheerleaders which is very intriguing in it's own right. The Nets are averaging 12,856 people for their basketball games. The Pacers aren't exactly a big ticket team either. I think this one's pretty easy. The Nets lose again.
(PUPPY BOWL!)Number of touchdowns from Big Ben vs. Number of douchey comments from LeBron about the Super Bowl on his twitter account -- The Steelers might need Big Ben to throw often as they could struggle to run the ball on the stout Packers defense. BJ Raji, Clay Matthews and AJ Hawk are a part of a unit that has been able to slow down the rushing attack of their opposition. LeBron always seems to have something to say on his twitter account. Karma's a bitch I believe is one of his favorite things to say. He even commented on the Jay Cutler situation which he had ZERO reason to do. LeBron's commentary on everything from basketball to the Yankees to the NFL isn't always on point. I'll take Big Ben's passing TD's as this one may be 2-1. The bigger wager might be if LeBron makes any comments at all on the Super Bowl.
(BIG BEN TD'S)The Highest Scoring NCAAB game or total rushing yards by both teams -- This one is going to be tough as the majority of the games on Sunday feature defensive minded teams. The highest scoring affair figures to be Ohio State/Minnesota, but that total won't exactly be that big. The rest of the games figure to struggle to get 135 to 140 on the point total. The Steelers give up 62.8 yards per game while the Packers allow almost 115 yards per contest. The Steelers offensive line might struggle a bit without Pouncey up front so bring that number down a little. If you think these teams combine for 145 or 150 yards then go the rushing route. If you think that North Carolina/FSU or OSU/Minnesota is going to be a shootout, then play that side.
Hopefully you'll enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday. Spend Saturday trying to figure out how to get out of work on Monday.
