Super Bowl XLIX odds: The top 10 prop bets for Super Bowl Sunday
In the old days of Super Bowl betting, you picked your team, bet on them to cover the spread, and that was it. You watched the game, you chewed your knuckles, you waited for the game to be over so you could either cash your winning ticket or bemoan your bad luck with a lost wager.
Super Bowl XLIX predictions: Staff picks for Patriots vs. Seahawks
Sportsbooks make sure the biggest game on earth has the biggest assortment of possible wagers on earth, from bets on the coin toss to wagers on the halftime show and the final Nielsen ratings for the game.
The hardest part of Super Bowl betting is narrowing down what props you want to wager on besides whether you think the Patriots or Seahawks will prevail in a matchup that is essentially a pick’em.
For those interested in the finer details of the big game's betting landscape, OddsShark.com rounded up 10 Super Bowl props worth betting on before kickoff.
• SI.com's complete coverage of Super Bowl XLIX: News, features, video
1. What color will New England head coach Bill Belichick’s hoodie be on Sunday?
Bet: Blue at even money. Belichick has worn grey (-120) and red (+750) in the past two Super Bowl appearances for the Patriots -- both losses -- so we’re guessing he changes things up for superstitious reasons. Also, grey opened as the -200 favorite and has dropped enough since to make us wonder what’s up.
2. How many times will Gisele Bundchen be shown on TV during the game?
Bet: Under 1.5 times at -140 (wager $140 to win $100). New England quarterback Tom Brady said his wife and kids were sick this week, putting their visibility at the big game in question. If she’s not even in attendance, this will be an easy winner before the game even starts.
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3. How many total receptions will New England wide receiver Julian Edelman have?
Bet: Nine or more at 4/1. The short passing game will be important for the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and Edelman totaled nine receptions or more four times during the regular season in addition to his nine-catch, 98-yard day in the AFC Championship Game.
4. Will New England tight end Rob Gronkowski score a touchdown in the game?
Bet: Yes at -165 (wager $165 to win $100). Gronkowski was playing with a high ankle sprain in his only other Super Bowl appearance three years ago, finishing with two catches for 26 yards after being targeted just three times. Gronk scored a team-high 12 touchdowns during the regular season and added one in each of the Patriots' two playoff games, so look for him to extend his scoring streak to six games here.
• Peter King's Super Bowl pick: Gronk holds the key to victory for the Pats
5. How many total tackles and assists will Seattle safety Kam Chancellor have?
Bet: Over 6.5 at -140. Chancellor tied for the team lead with 10 tackles in last year’s Super Bowl win for the Seahawks and may be counted on even more in the Legion of Boom secondary with fellow safety Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman recovering from injuries they suffered in the NFC Championship Game.
6. Who will have more rushing yards in the game, New England's LeGarrette Blount or Seattle's Marshawn Lynch (-29.5)?
Bet: Lynch (-125). "Beast Mode" needs to rush for at least 30 more yards than Blount to win this wager. In the divisional round, the Patriots struggled to contain Ravens running back Justin Forsett, who rushed for 129 yards. Lynch is a completely different animal and has a legitimate shot to win MVP honors.
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7. Historical matchup: Russell Wilson’s rushing yards in Super Bowl XLIX (-14.5) vs. his rushing yards in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Bet: Wilson in Super Bowl XLIX at -115. The Seahawks quarterback rushed for 26 yards in last year’s Super Bowl and needs to total more than 40 this year to win this wager. He led all quarterbacks in rushing yards this season with 849, 37 percent more than he had the previous year (539).
8. Will the first score of the game be a touchdown or field goal/safety?
Bet: Field goal/safety at +115. There has been a safety in each of the last three Super Bowls, including two that opened the scoring of the game. But we like this prop from the field goal perspective, with two teams that tighten up defensively in the red zone. Remember, the Green Bay Packers kicked five field goals in their NFC title game loss to the Seahawks, including the first two scores of the game.
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9. How many field goals will be kicked in the game, over/under 3.5?
Bet: Over 3.5 at even money. Building off the last prop, we think both coaches have plenty of confidence in kickers Stephen Gostkowski and Steven Hauschka, who combined for 66 field goals during the regular season.
10. Will the last play of the game be a quarterback rush?
Bet: Yes at -160. It's almost too easy to go with Brady or Wilson taking a knee to run off the final seconds, and the only outcome you really need to worry about at the end of the game is the trailing team running out of time with its final drive.
