Every year, Super Bowl prop bets are some of the most popular and fun wagers you can make on the Big Game. Take a look at some of the most exciting Super Bowl props, including odds and historical trends on each one.
The Most Profitable Super Bowl LVII Bet
Let’s kick things off with which prop has consistently been the most profitable to bet on in Super Bowl history. It may come as a surprise that it’s simply whether or not the opening kickoff will be returned or go for a touchback.
Pat McAfee gave a great breakdown of why this phenomenon happens. Per his insight, the ball used to kick off the Super Bowl is a brand new, completely untouched ball. Unlike in other games, it’s not a regular designated kicking ball that the kickers are able to get a feel for and warm up with.
NFL officials don’t let kickers so much as touch the ball prior to the kickoff of the Super Bowl. Meaning the balls they’re using are incredibly hard, not broken in, and don’t go very far. This historically has led to plenty of short kickoffs in the Super Bowl. You could also make the point that due to nerves, the kickers are feeling the stress of the moment which leads to some below-average results. Whatever other attributes are at play, we have first-hand accounts that the ball used in the opening kickoff is tough to hit, which has created plenty of returns.
The historical evidence backs that up too. In 4 of the last 5 Super Bowls, the kickoff has been returned, as well as a whopping 26 of the last 29 overall. The NFL moved the kickoff up to the 35-yard line starting in the 2011 season, so the relevant data is:
9 returns and 3 touchbacks in 12 kickoffs from the 35-yard line. That’s a pretty good return on investment if you’ve been betting it every year.
Here’s a historical look at the results of the Super Bowl kickoff:
| Year | Teams | Touchback? |
| 2022 | Bengals vs. Rams | Yes |
| 2021 | Buccaneers vs. Chiefs | No |
| 2020 | Chiefs vs. 49ers | No |
| 2019 | Patriots vs. Rams | No |
| 2018 | Eagles vs. Patriots | No |
| 2017 | Patriots vs. Falcons | Yes |
| 2016 | Broncos vs. Panthers | No |
| 2015 | Patriots vs. Seahawks | No |
| 2014 | Seahawks vs. Broncos | No |
| 2013 | Ravens vs. 49ers | Yes |
| 2012 | Giants vs. Patriots | No |
| 2011 | Packers vs. Steelers | No |
| 2010 | Saints vs. Colts | No |
| 2009 | Steelers vs. Cardinals | No |
| 2008 | Giants vs. Patriots | No |
| 2007 | Colts vs. Bears | No |
| 2006 | Steelers vs. Seahawks | No |
| 2005 | Patriots vs. Eagles | No |
| 2004 | Patriots vs. Panthers | No |
| 2003 | Buccaneers vs. Raiders | No |
| 2002 | Patriots vs. Rams | No |
| 2001 | Ravens vs. Giants | No |
| 2000 | Rams vs. Titans | No |
| 1999 | Broncos vs. Falcons | No |
| 1998 | Broncos vs. Packers | No |
| 1997 | Packers vs. Patriots | No |
| 1996 | Cowboys vs. Steelers | No |
| 1995 | 49ers vs. Chargers | No |
| 1994 | Cowboys vs. Bills | No |
Caesars and FanDuel are two major sportsbooks that are offering the line. Most sportsbooks should have it available closer to Super Sunday if they don’t already. Here are the current odds:
Opening kickoff to be a touchback?
| Result | Caesars | FanDuel |
| Yes | -165 | -176 |
| No | +135 | +138 |
Despite it happening so frequently, why do oddsmakers favor there being a touchback? Well simply put, a touchback happens on roughly 60% of NFL kickoffs. They base game props on the Super Bowl roughly off of the average result of a regular NFL game. It’s a line that oddsmakers get wrong every year.
There’s a ton of value to be had on this line. While there’s obviously a chance of either result happening, bettors will have a significant edge by betting No Touchback (+135) on the Super Bowl LVII kickoff.
The Coin Toss
Before the big game even starts, there’s a thrilling moment that sets the stage for the showdown – the coin toss! Many sportsbooks offer reduced juice on the event to up the appeal of betting on a literal coin toss. Getting almost even odds on a 50/50 event is generally more profitable than betting on typical spreads or money lines, thanks to there being no house take.
If you’re feeling lucky, the coin toss could be an easy way to go up early before the action even gets started.
Odds for the Coin Toss in Super Bowl LVII
| Result | Odds |
| Heads | -101 |
| Tails | -101 |
Super Bowl Coin Toss Prop Bets
Super Bowl coin toss prop bets are surprisingly plentiful for an event that seems so simple. Similar to national anthem props, coin toss props are fast, fun, and make them a great opener to your big game betting.
Sportsbooks will offer odds on not only the winning side of the coin toss (Heads or Tails) but also:
- Which team will win the coin toss (NFC or AFC)?
- What will the winner choose to do (kick or receive)?
- Will the coin toss winner go on to win the Lombardi Trophy?
An intriguing trend shows that the winner of the coin toss has lost 8 consecutive Super Bowls. Will that streak continue this year, or will it be snapped?
The Gatorade Shower
This Super Bowl tradition is one of the most popular props to bet on. What color will the Gatorade poured on the winning coach of the Super Bowl be?
| Gatorade Color | Odds |
| Blue | +140 |
| Yellow/Green/Lime | +200 |
| Orange | +350 |
| Clear/Water | +900 |
| Red/Pink | +1200 |
| Purple | +1600 |
Interestingly, the color blue has shot up the rankings and is now the favorite. After opening at +1000 odds at BetOnline, blue now sits at +140.
#SuperBowlLVII ODDS MOVEMENT ALERT
Per @BetOnlineBurns:
For color of liquid poured on wining coach, BLUE is a very popular bet.
Opened +1000
Currently the +140 favorite. pic.twitter.com/OzcA5nlkxW
— Dave Mason (@DaveMasonBOL) January 31, 2023
Blue has been the color in 3 of the last 4 Gatorade pours. The one time it was not blue was when the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV and used orange Gatorade. Current odds have orange at +350.
You can view results over the past 10 Super Bowls in the table below.
| Super Bowl | Gatorade Color | Winning Team |
| 56 | Blue | Los Angeles Rams |
| 55 | Blue | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 54 | Orange | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 53 | Blue | New England Patriots |
| 52 | Yellow | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 51 | None | New England Patriots |
| 50 | Orange | Denver Broncos |
| 49 | Blue | New England Patriots |
| 48 | Orange | Seattle Seahawks |
| 47 | None | Baltimore Ravens |
An interesting tidbit is that the Eagles most recently used yellow Gatorade in the NFC Championship after the win over the San Francisco 49ers, and used yellow in their last Super Bowl win. Will they keep using yellow on Super Sunday?
Philly Special 2.0?
The Philly Special made famous in the Eagles Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots has inspired oddsmakers to create a number of fun props for Super Bowl LVII.
DraftKings has added the line: Any non-QB to have 1+ pass TD at +2200 odds.
Last year, Bengals running back Joe Mixon threw a touchdown to wide receiver Tee Higgins midway through the 2nd quarter to cash in this prop. Including the Philly special, a non-quarterback has thrown a touchdown in two of the previous five Super Bowls.
While it’s a long shot at +2200 odds, it could be a fun play for Super Sunday given how teams often save their gadget plays for the Big Game.
Super Bowl LVII MVP
Oddsmakers as usual put a ton of juice on quarterbacks to win the MVP, but they’re usually the safest bet. If you’re sold on Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes to secure the award, you can use arbitrage betting to secure an easy profit. Obviously, there’s an element of risk since it’s not a true arbitrage situation, so do it at your own risk.
Here’s a list of the current Super Bowl LVII MVP hopefuls:
| Super Bowl MVP | Odds |
| Jalen Hurts | +120 |
| Patrick Mahomes | +125 |
| Travis Kelce | +1200 |
| AJ Brown | +1600 |
| Miles Sanders | +2200 |
| Haason Reddick | +2500 |
| Chris Jones | +5000 |
Given their outstanding performances in recent weeks, Chris Jones and Haason Reddick could be worth a punt given their ridiculously long odds. Travis Kelce of course could be worth a mention, but his success is so heavily predicated on Patrick Mahomes’ performance that it may not be as appealing. Depending on your sportsbook, you can simply bet anyone but a QB to win MVP. The field will typically be around +300 to +400. For a line that hits roughly a third of the time, it could be a solid value.
Where MVP betting gets interesting are the various props. If Mahomes’ AFC Championship post-game interview is anything to go by, he’s going to be thanking God first. Here’s a full list of the odds.
Who Will MVP Mention 1st in Post Game Speech?
| First Mentioned in MVP Speech | Odds |
| Team/Teammates | -150 |
| God/Religion | +150 |
| City/Fans | +1000 |
| Personal Family | +1600 |
| Coaches | +2800 |
| Team Owner | +4000 |
You can see Mahomes’ post-game interview against the Bengals below.
Travis Kelce: “Burrowhead my a**!!!This Mahomes’ House!
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 30, 2023
Super Bowl props have all but eclipsed the commercials as the most fun and engaging part of the event. These entertaining alternatives to standard markets are a great way to make the Big Game more fun, and add an exciting new layer to your Super Bowl experience.
You can find more Super Bowl LVII betting analysis from myself over at the Intermission Network.
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