One of the most increasingly popular betting options for both sharp bettors and amateur players are Super Bowl proposition bets. Over the last decade these bets have ballooned to well over 500 potential bets at many of the biggest sportsbooks, and over thousands if you want to dig far enough if 500 isn’t enough to find some wagers that you like. Many professional bettors line up hours before the bets are up to lock in their favorite plays in an effort to gain a slight advantage. For the rest of the world, these bets provide some added excitement for the already most watched event of the year. There is a common belief in the sports betting community that Super Bowl proposition bets are sucker plays that will steal your money, but there’s nothing wrong with doing a little research and playing responsibly for a little bit of fun. In some cases, they’re strictly games of chance, such as a heads or tails selection of the coin flip, but in other cases, you can absolutely do your homework to find some value with player and game totals. For what it’s worth, the bets we’ll be playing the most have to do with the players and the actual game. When in doubt, you’ll want to lean towards unders as a rule, however, pick and choose the fun props that you like, and as always play responsibly!
Super Bowl LVI Prop Bet Preview:
We spent quite a bit of time looking through the extensive lists of plays and there are some really fun ones out there. We’ve got things broken down into two basic categories in this article: The first list showcases some of the more popular bets and some that we feel have a good chance of hitting. Part of the reason we don’t play several of these are the heavy juice (poor odds) that come with some things that appear to be “sure wins”. At the bottom are ones that we’re definitively locking in, or in simple terms, the wagers we think are most likely to win.
Props listed via Bovada Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook
Popular and Interesting Prop Bets
National Anthem
How long will it take Reba McEntire to sing the National Anthem?
OVER 1:27 MINUTES (-110) / UNDER 1:27 MINUTES (-120)
The National Anthem prop has become one of the most wagered novelty prop bets of recent Super Bowls, and this one should see a lot of action as well. In previous years we’ve had people try to record rehearsals and share timed information in an effort to get a leg up on this wager. At the time of writing this, there’s not much information to go on other than historical data from Reba McEntire’s past. She has sung this at other events including the World Series in 2017. Her performances have gotten progressively shorter, with her most recent sitting at right around 1:31. Generally this prop sits closer to the 2:00 minute mark, which makes this number seem awfully low. We’re thinking Reba belts this one out and hits that minute and a half mark to go over.
Will any player or coach cry during the National Anthem?
Yes (-115) / No (-115)
There are several instances of players tearing up before the Super Bowl, but come on, for a bet that has even vig, how could you not bet no on this one? Sure, maybe Travis Kelce or Andy Reid are thinking of retiring and shed a tear. Maybe Brock Purdy realizes how far he comes and breaks down. But realistically, these guys are locked in and won’t be getting too sentimental before the kickoff. Many of these players and coaches have been here before, and these odds just seem crazy all things considered. We’ll take the no on this prop.
Taylor Swift
Will Taylor Swift mention Travis Kelce or the Chiefs at her Tokyo Concert?
Yes (+170) / No (250)
We won’t claim to be knowledgeable with anything regarding Taylor Swift, but based on where we’re at in this era of the relationship (get it?) this seems like good value at +170 for a yes mention. Swift has made references to Kelce at some previous concert stops, even if referring to him as tight end or KC. With the magnitude of the Super Bowl and Swift likely thinking about departing after her concert, it feels like there would be at least a 50-50 shot she might mention it? We won’t bet this, but if we had to, the plus money seems like the way to go here.
Who will be the first person shown next to Taylor Swift at Super Bowl LVIII?
Brittany Mahomes (+100) / Donna Kelce (+250) / Jason Kelce (+500) / Scott Swift (+700) / Andrea Finlay (+800)
There’s some smoke here based on what we’ve seen in the past, and what we’ve heard heading into the game. During the season Swift was often found sitting next to Momma Kelce, and our initial thought at +250 was that was the way to go here. Donna Kelce has stated this week however she does not believe she will be sitting with Swift as the suites for the Super Bowl fetch premium cash and she won’t be invited. This could be throwing off the scent, and Swift could rent out all the suites if she wanted to have Kelce and anyone else there. But we’ll take Donna’s word for it here and opt for the safer choice with Brittany Mahomes. The two have become friends and this seems like a spot where they’d be sharing the spotlight. Even money, not the worst thing in the world.
How long after kickoff will Taylor Swift be shown on Camera?
Under 7.5 Minutes (-200) / Over 7.5 Minutes (+150)
This is an interesting prop as you can see the odds favor Swift being shown early, which certainly wouldn’t be surprising. If you think about it though, she’ll probably be shown right before kickoff in some capacity, and CBS may opt to not show her off to early and often after that. Really, this could be a Travis Kelce type prop when you break it down. If he gets involved early in the game, there’s obviously a better chance Swift would get that early air time. Again, no bet for the BetCrushers here, but we’d take the longer shot with the over halfway through the first quarter for the better odds. Maybe the Niners get the ball and have a long drive, maybe KC runs and passes to someone else on the their opening possession. Swift will undoubtedly get her airtime, but at -200 that’s not worth wagering.
How many times with Taylor Swift be shown on the CBS Broadcast?
Over 4.5 (-165) / Under 4.5 (+125)
Here’s one where you’ve got to lay the juice if you want to make a wager. During regular season NFL games the research we found showed Swift averaged 4 appearances per broadcast. This is the Super Bowl, which is really all about celebrities and being seen. Unless Travis Kelce goes catch less in this football game and the 49ers absolutely roll to a victory, CBS is going to give the NFL plenty of screenplay of the superstar. Honestly, -165 is heavy juice, but it’s worth a play in our estimation.
Coin Toss
What will the result of the coin toss be?
HEADS (-105) / TAILS (-105)
There is obviously no true skill here as this is a true 50-50 proposition. The juice is low so a small fun play here isn’t the worst thing in the world, it’s kinda like playing roulette at the casino. In the history of the Super Bowl it’s pretty close with tails hitting 29 times and heads 26 times. Heads has hit 3 of the past 4 Super Bowls. We’re going to go with our 8 year old BetCrusher handicapper Bradley who is voting for tails.
Will the team that wins the coin toss also win the Super Bowl?
YES (-105) / NO (-105)
Again, good odds and very little strategy here, just some good old fashioned gambling fun that anyone can understand. However, you can study recent trends to make an educated guess here. The team that has won the coin toss has lost the last 7 of the last 8 Super Bowls. Likely just coincidence, but if we’re playing this we’re going to stay with that trend.
Officiating
What will the longest accepted penalty be in the game?
OVER 15.5 Yards (-240) / UNDER 15.5 Yards (+160)
Amazingly, two years ago in year’s Super Bowl the juice was even for this penalty and of course went over with a pass interference call. In simple terms, this bet is basically whether or not there will be a pass interference call greater than 15 yards in the game. The way these two teams throw the ball, and their aggressive, yet suspect defensive backs play, this one sure seems like it’ll go over. With the juice at -240, there’s not nearly enough value to wager on this bet.
What will the outcome of the first coach’s challenge be?
CALL STANDS (-110) / OVERTURNED (-120)
With the new expedited reviews this season in the NFL, there have been less coaches challenges overall. The league did a nice job of correcting missed calls before they ever reach the review stage, so it’s not impossible that we may not even see a challenge in the game. (This would void the bet if you wager this). With such close odds, we’d have to go with a “call stands” as our play here as it seems this might end up being a desperation challenge for a coach, possibly late in the game to overturn a spot or close play.
How many penalties will be accepted in the game?
OVER 10.5 (-110) / UNDER 10.5 (-110)
Referee Bill Vinovich is arguably the most consistent official in the league these days. With the weekly disaster that is officiating in the NFL, he offers some stability at the position. He and his crews have been right around the middle of the pack in penalties throughout the year. Even though Nick Bosa already tried to grease the wheel by mentioning the refs won’t throw a holding flag on the Chiefs, they realistically may not. Vinovich will let them play, especially in a big game. In a regular season game this would probably be an over bet, especially with the pattern of penalties for a player like Chiefs tackle Jawaan Taylor. However, in the Super Bowl, some of those “close” holds and contacts will probably be looked the other way one. Additionally, these teams figure to hit short passes rather than heavy deep balls, so that aspect should help as well. Give us the under on this one.
Will there be a roughing the passer penalty in the game?
YES (+115) / NO (-150)
Although we’re expecting a quiet game from the officials, there is definitely some marginal value with the +105 yes for a roughing the passer penalty. First, let’s look at our quarterbacks: It’s a joke around the league that these guys get a call when someone breathes on them wrong. Let’s just say it’s a joke for a reason. Patrick Mahomes is always well protected by the officials, and the 49ers have some guys that play to whistle in their front seven. Add in the fact that both defenses are pretty aggressive in nature and the recipe is right for a late hit on one of the quarterbacks. We’ll take a shot with the plus money on this one.
Television Commercials
Which commercial will air first during the broadcast?
Nerds (+105) / Oreo (-135)
Commercials used to be the easiest Super Bowl prop in the business because the sportsbooks were essentially throwing out random commercials without a ton of background knowledge other than history of brands. With enough diligent research, you’d be able to find company A slotted to have a commercial in the first quarter, and company B not until the second half. Unfortunately, those days are long gone, however you can still poke around and get ideas. In this case, Oreo is mentioned as being slotted early in the 2nd quarter, while Nerds are mentioned as late in the 2nd quarter. This is not a guarantee as we’ve learned the last season or two, but at just -135 it’s enough for us to put a bet in on it.
Which commercial will air first during the broadcast?
Booking.com (-145) / Hellmans (+110)
See above for the reasoning here. It’s literally a copy/paste paragraph. Add in the research of when these two had commercials one year ago in the Super Bowl and it stands to reason this would be the case again. The juice picks up a bit, but it should hit.
How many commercials will run during the Super Bowl?
OVER 90.5 (-110) / UNDER 90.5 (-110)
Another way to position this bet is how much scoring and how many injuries do you think are going to happen in the game? There tends to be more stoppages in big games and in a game that has an over/under sitting around 47.5 total points they’re expecting a lot of scoring. There are 75 scheduled commercial spots for the game meaning you’d need 16 more for the over here. Will there be a combination of 16 scores, injuries, challenges, and other stoppages to push this over? Due to the heavy money invested, they have these spots pretty well locked in. We’d lean toward the under on this one.
Halftime Show / End of Game
How many songs will be played during the halftime show ?
OVER 9.5 (-145) / UNDER 9.5 (+115)
As halftime shows have grown in spectrum over the past decade, the theatrics, performers and length have all increased. To be honest when you look at his song list there’s only about six or seven really well known tracks. Of course that’s not to say he won’t dig deeper into the playbook, especially with guest appearances. Those in the know are taking the over, but we’re leaning towards the under in something we don’t have a lot of interest in wagering.
Who will make an appearance on the halftime show?
Alicia Keys (-325) / Ludacris (-210) / Lil’ John (+105) / Sean P. Diddy Combs (+250) / Nicki Minaj (+300) / Pitbull (+425)
Unlike last year when Rihanna kicked it solo for the halftime show, there’s going to be some other names hitting the stage with Usher. Alicia Keys is the heavy favorite there, and it’s likely she will be there based on her potential role, as well as the fact they like to have males and females represented. Our favorite bet, although pricey, is grabbing Ludacris at -210. The song “Yeah!” is almost certain to be played, and Ludacris has a pretty famous verse there. Additionally, he’s popped back up of late in different commercials and appearances, including State Farm, a regular on NFL broadcasts. The question is, does Lil’ John still have enough influence to merit joining the two for that song or will Luda and Usher take it themselves? Anything beyond that, we’re passing on as none of the names make a ton of sense.
What color will will the liquid poured on the winning coach be?
LIME GREEN/YELLOW (+300) / ORANGE (+300) / RED (+165) / BLUE (+350) / CLEAR OR WATER (+1000) / PURPLE (+225)
Are the Chiefs superstitious and consistent with their Gatorade baths? What flavor do the 49ers tend to have on the sidelines? Red is the leader in the clubhouse, likely because each team has red jerseys, so it’s understandable that would be the odds on favorite. The Chiefs opted for purple a year ago when winning, and they may want to stay with that tradition? We’re going with orange though, for a couple of reasons. First, the Chiefs dumped Andy Reid with orange Gatorade when they won their first Super Bowl, so we’ve seen that happen once before. Second, orange has been the most utilized Gatorade shower dating back to the year 2000. Anything’s possible, but if you want to bet some beer money on this one, we’d give orange a shot.
Game Props
Will there be a safety in the game?
YES (+600) / NO (-1400)
This is a really trendy bet if you follow prop betting and if you like rolling the dice with some unlikely winners, taking the yes here makes a lot of sense. Four out of the past nine Super Bowls have had a safety take place. Read that again… At +600, with that track record, it might be worth a small ticket.
Will the opening kickoff result in a touchback?
YES (-145) / NO (+130)
These odds have shrunk tremendously over the past few years and have even gotten bet down already since this year’s prop bets were released. You can still get plus money by taking no and we’d advise you to go ahead and do that. Kickoff returners and players are so amped up to be on the stage that they can’t help themselves but to return a kick, even if it’s in the endzone. The statistics are mind-boggling as the kickoff has been returned in 21 of the last 27 Super Bowls. The game is indoors and both the 49ers Jake Moody and Chiefs Harrison Butker have strong legs, but this one still has us begging to take the no at +130 odds.
What will the first play of the game be?
RUSH PLAY (-140) / PASS PLAY (+105)
If you happened to catch our game breakdown, we expect a lot of each team feeling each other out early in this football game. That would include a likely handoff to get things started from either of these coaches. The 49ers run a lot on first down, and while the Chiefs don’t run quite as much, in this game, getting the ball in Isaiah Pacheco’s hands on the first play of offense seems likely. Probably not enough value to wager on overall.
Who will be shown first on the broadcast during the anthem?
TRAVIS KELCE (-220) / CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY (+165)
No matter which teams and stars the broadcast decides to highlight during the anthem, the juice should always be closer to even. Yes, it makes sense that Patrick Mahomes will be shown before Brock Purdy, but at more of a -150 to +115 mark, as they currently sit. Yes, it makes sense Travis Kelce will be shown first as the Swifties will all be anxiously watching, but at -220 to +165? That is crazy. Give us Christian McCaffrey as we’ll get plenty of Kelce and Swift throughout the game.
Will the 49ers score on their first possession of the game?
YES (-110) / NO (-120)
The 49ers have started slowly in the postseason on offense, and if you caught our Super Bowl breakdown, they haven’t looked great against dominant defenses. This is a bet worth making on the no, as we could see some runs and short passes against a fired up Kansas City defense to start the game. The Niners offense can be dynamic, but we’re not expecting points right away based on their recent stretch of play.
What will the highest scoring quarter of the game be?
FIRST (+600) / SECOND (-250) / THIRD (+425) / FOURTH (+210)
The second quarter is the most obvious pick in nearly any game, but were going off the board a bit here and like the +210 odds for the fourth quarter. Often times the Super Bowl starts out a little slow as nerves and a feeling out process dominate the first half. There could be some big second half fireworks in the second half and with the heavy odds we like it.
Will there be a two-point conversion attempt in the game?
YES (+145) / NO (-160)
If you’re looking for a good value prop that has a very good chance of happening look no further than taking the yes on the two-point conversion proposition. The stakes are high and points are needed so you can plan to see a two-point try and with the +145 odds there is a lot to like here.
Will there be a score in the final 3/12 minutes of the game?
YES (-180) / NO (+160)
This one is pretty close to a slam dunk that there will be some sort of score in the final 3 1/2 minutes. This has held true in 7 of the last 9 Super Bowls and unless the game is a blowout it’s very likely someone will put some points up at the end. With a spread of around 2 points, this game should be pretty close and there will be a late score.
Player Props
Who will be the Super Bowl LVI Most Valuable Player?
We all know that quarterbacks are the most popular play with MVPs so depending on which team you like to win, Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy are pretty obvious plays. In reality, if you have a strong feeling on the winner of the game, you can get better odds betting Mahomes or Purdy and if their team wins you’re probably winning more. This is definitely one Super Bowl where there is a possibility for another position to win though. There are stars all over the field, and if one of them performs at an exceptional level, they may be willing to give that player the nod over a quarterback. In the case of the 49ers, Brock Purdy is arguably not even one of the top half a dozen players on his own team. Christian McCaffrey could easily carry the load for the the Niners, and if they won, he could get the nod. On the opposite side, what if Mahomes throws three scores, but they’re all to Travis Kelce? Simply put, this is probably not the particular Super Bowl to just assume a QB is the winner. From that point you really want to look at tiers of players. A player like Rashee Rice at +5000, or maybe a Nick Bosa at +7500. The other receivers would seem to be the next in line, if one happened to secure all of the touchdowns and targets throughout the game. Both of these QBs spread the ball around a lot though so it’s tough to really imagine that happening. If you want a longer shot lottery ticket, players to target would be a special teams potential hero like Ray Ray McLeod III or possibly a defensive player who could have multiple interceptions like L’Jarius Sneed or Trent McDuffie.
Who will be the first touchdown scorer in the game? Who will score one touchdown in the game?
This is always a fun one and there are some really good odds for a lot of the marquee players in the game. You can parlay a near sure scorer like Christian McCaffrey with someone like Travis Kelce if you’re feeling brave to get the juice down. As for some of the longer shots, Patrick Mahomes will be running a bit in this game and scored a rushing TD in his last Super Bowl. The Chiefs defense is also not a bad one to take a swing with at +550 anytime as they scored last Super Bowl as well.
Total rushing attempts for Christian McCaffrey?
OVER 17.5 (-120) / UNDER 17.5 (-105)
Our first instinct was to take Christian McCaffrey’s over total on yardage as he will be force-fed by Kyle Shanahan, and should be. He should get there as the Chiefs run defense is not great, however his attempts are the slightly more appealing prop. The Chiefs will play a lot of two deep shell coverage, which means the middle of the field will be open. That could be a lot of 4 and 5 yard McCaffrey runs, but he should get plenty of opportunities. We’ll be surprised if he doesn’t get to 20 carries in this game, unless the Niners are getting blown out.
Total rushing yards for Patrick Mahomes?
OVER 26.5 (-115) / UNDER 26.5 (-115)
If you have followed the BetCrushers at all over the last handful of years you know are all-time favorite player prop in the NFL is a mobile QB in an important game. No one embodies this more than Mahomes who can and will tuck and run when he needs to convert a big third down in a big spot. This number during the regular season would be too high, but in this game, he’ll avoid the Nick Bosa’s of the 49ers defense and use his legs when he has to. Whether or not it hits, only time will tell, but we’re always taking the over here.
Total rushing yards for Brock Purdy?
OVER 13.5 (-115) / UNDER 13.5 (-115)
If you need any further explanation for why we’re betting this, simply read above regarding Patrick Mahomes. Brock Purdy is one of those sneakily athletic quarterbacks that people don’t realize can scramble when he has to. In this game, he’s going to have to. The Chiefs corners will lock up his receivers, and he can knock this number out in one good scramble. Same as Mahomes, it’s not a certain winner, but no regrets at all playing this one.
Total receptions for Deebo Samuel?
OVER 4.5 (-125) / UNDER 4.5 (+105)
Deebo Samuel can be a little hit or miss as he often has monster games, yet can sometimes take a back seat to the other talented weapons on the on the 49ers. In this game however, Samuel should shine, as he tends to do in the spotlight when healthy. The Chiefs play some form of cover two on nearly 40% of their defensive snaps. Against cover two, Samuel was the leading target, seeing a higher percentage of tosses than Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. This is where Samuel will attack the middle of the field and should be the beneficiary of some quick passes from Brock Purdy. Add in a likely bubble screen or two, and he should find his way over his reception total. If you’re feeling dangerous, you can parlay it with his yardage total as well.
Total tackles and assists for Justin Reid
OVER 5.5 (-115) / Over 5.5 (-115)
We’re tailing this prop bet we grabbed from @Ronacesports who noted Justin Reid has not only bested this number in 12 of 16 contests this year, but should also be facing a 49ers offense that will be attacking the intermediate middle of the field a fair amount. Reid has played well in the playoffs, and in a game where the Chiefs defense may be on the field a bit, he should find his way around a ball carrier or receiver enough to get over this mark.
Enjoy the Game!
Whatever your flavor or betting is for Super Bowl Sunday, make sure you have some fun with it. The NFL offseason is long so savor these last 60 minutes (or more) and hopefully you’ll come out ahead when the dust settles.
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