Even if you’re not a regular sports bettor, there is a good chance you have placed a bet on the Super Bowl. And if you do love betting on sports, and specifically enjoy betting on the NFL, you are undoubtedly looking at Super Bowl betting odds in preparation for the big day.
And that is the great thing about betting on the Super Bowl – you can do it any time of the year, long before you even know which teams are playing.
But obviously, to be a successful Super Bowl bettor, you need more than just odds. You need to have a plan; otherwise, you’re not going to be successful, and you won’t fully enjoy what should be the most fun betting day of the year.
Making Super Bowl Futures Picks
As soon as one Super Bowl is over, you can begin to place bets on the next Super Bowl. There are some advantages to placing these types of Super Bowl bets and some potential pitfalls.
Parity is huge in the NFL, and teams that weren’t very good the previous year often find themselves competing for a Super Bowl the following year. So betting on that team 12 months in advance can come with very appealing payouts.
If you were to bet on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the end of Super Bowl LIV, they were paying +6000 to win Super Bowl LV. Of course, we know they did win that Super Bowl, giving the brave souls who placed that bet a very hefty payday.
Other positives about a Super Bowl futures bet is the opportunity to hedge your bet, and wagers can be placed at any time of the season.
As for the downside of futures bets, the sportsbook does get to hold your money for several weeks and potentially months. Any payout you get for making a winning bet is also months away. You could also lose your bet a long time before the actual Super Bowl is played.
Still, if you can pinpoint the team on the cusp of making a Super Bowl run before that run actually starts, a futures bet can be quite profitable.
Betting Super Bowl Point Spreads
The majority of the money coming in for Super Bowl bets is after the matchup is known. The two weeks between the end of the AFC and NFC Championships, and the kickoff of the Super Bowl, is the busiest time for NFL bets all season. And as you look to place your own game bet, either on the point spread or moneyline, there are some tips to follow.
Always line shop. Gone are the days when point spreads would be wildly different from one sportsbook to another. They all use the same automatic services now and all update the line at about the same time. You can, however, still find differences of a half-point, and that can be key.
Let the value of a bet guide you. Perhaps you have no intention of placing a moneyline bet, but then you see a high-value line. Bet it. The only time your predetermined plans should be a factor in your wager is with your bankroll. If you can’t afford the bet, don’t make it. Ever.
Understand the line movement. If the over jumps from 51 to 53, sharps are hammering the over. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should jump on board since you’ve already lost two points. But knowing which direction the sharps are betting on a game is valuable information.
Betting Super Bowl Special Props
You’ve done serious research for your futures bets, point spread bets, and player prop bets. So go ahead and have a little fun with the special props that are unique to the Super Bowl.
The length of the National Anthem is just a guess, but it’s a fun guess, and you can win money before the game even starts. Same with the coin toss prop bet.
The halftime show is also fun to wager. Who will open the show? What color will their shoes be? Is there going to be a guest star, and who might it be?
Be serious about your football bets. Have fun with all the rest.
