DENVER -- The Nevada Gaming Commission expects wagers on this year’s Super Bowl to exceed last year’s $87.5 million. But that’s just at Las Vegas casinos where betting on sports is legal.
It is estimated that Vegas is only responsible for 1% of the worldwide betting on the game.
Currently the Patriots are a 3 point favorite over the Giants.
The last time they faced each other at the Super Bowl in 2007, the Pats were 14 point favorites and lost 17 -14.
But small spreads are not necessarily an indication of what should be a close game. The past four times the spread has been 3 or less has resulted in blowouts of 20 points or more. Favorites’ record against the spread is 24-18-2.
The most memorable upset was Super Bowl III when, as predicted by “Broadway” Joe Namath, the 18 point underdog NY Jets defeated the (then) Baltimore 16 -7. Although the largest spread was when the 49ers covered 18½ points in 1995 when they defeated the Chargers 49-26.
The Broncos 31 - 24 defeat of the Packers who were favored by 12 points in January of 1998 tied for the third biggest upset in the history of the game.
Super Bowl betting is also now noted for what are known as “proposition” bets, which are categories not necessarily related to the score.
Among this year’s “propositions” are:
- Whether the coin toss will be heads or tails
- Which team will win the coin toss
- Will the team who wins the toss win the game
- The time it will take Kelly Clarkson to sing the National Anthem (more or less than 1:34)
- The color of the drink dumped over the winning coach
- Who will be the MVP
- Who the MVP will thank first
- What color half-time entertainer Madonna’s hair will be.
- Will Madonna be wearing fishnet stockings
One thing for certain though is that record amounts of pizza, wings, chips and beer will be consumed. You can bet on it!
