Sports betting and betting on the Super Bowl comes with its own type of language and lingo. Not sure what it all means? We've got you covered. In this section, we will look at all the different types of bets offered by our Super Sportsbooks for betting on the Super Bowl online.
Super Bowl Betting Odds
Team | DraftKings | BetMGM | FanDuel | Caesars |
San Francisco 49ers | -120 | -130 | -132 | -120 |
Kansas City Chiefs | +100 | +110 | +112 | +100 |
Understanding the Odds
Our legal online Super Bowl sportsbooks use the American odds format to display the betting odds. The favorite is the team that is expected to win by the oddsmakers. They are marked by the (-) minus sign and the number next to that symbol tells players how much money they will need to put on the line to earn a $100 profit. For example, -250 odds tell a bettor that they must wager $250 to win $100.
The underdog is the team that is expected to lose. They’re marked by the (+) plus sign. The number here indicates the amount you’ll profit when placing a $100 bet. For example, +500 odds mean a $100 wager will earn you $500.
Super Bowl Betting: Moneyline
This is the most basic of the three standard bets listed at Super Bowl betting sites in that you aren’t really worried about the odds or the spread. The team that was the favorite to win Super Bowl LVIII will be the “moneyline favorite.” The other team is considered the underdog. In a moneyline bet, you’re just betting on who you think will win the Super Bowl. The moneyline odds show you the potential profit you will get from betting on that team.
Super Bowl Betting: Spreads
Spreads, or point spreads, were created to promote betting on both sides. This is by far the most popular Super Bowl online betting choice. A sportsbook will assign a points handicap to the team they believe is better. This allows them to offer similar odds (usually -110) on either team to cover the spread. For example, let’s say the Super Bowl is between the Chiefs and Cowboys, and the Chiefs open up as 4.5-point favorites. If you bet on the Chiefs, they need to win the game by at least five points or more for that bet to hit. If you bet on the Cowboys +4.5 at -110, they can win or lose by up to 4 points for that bet to pay off. Yes, your team can win the game, but cover the spread, and you’ll still lose your bet.
Super Bowl Betting: Over/Under
The third main bet on the Super Bowl involves the final point total of the game and is not related to the outcome. Online Super Bowl sportsbooks will set what is called a ‘total’ or an ‘over/under total’, which is the number of points they expect to be scored in the game by both teams combined. Bettors have the option of betting ‘over’ that total and rooting for a lot of points or betting the ‘under’ and hoping that the defense does its job. For example, if the over/under total is set at 46.5 and the final score of the game is 27-20, then you win if you bet the over. Using that same example, if the final score of the Super Bowl is 24-17 and you bet the under, then you win. Usually, oddsmakers set the total with a half-point to prevent a push.
Super Bowl Betting: Prop Bets
Prop is short for proposition, and for Super Bowl LVIII, these are some of the most talked about bets leading up to the big game. In short, a prop bet focuses on a specific part of the Super Bowl that is not directly tied to the result. It can be something related to a certain player, how many yards he runs for, how many yards he throws for or whether a team makes or misses a field goal, or if the game will go into overtime. You can also find a ton of exotic prop bets connected to the Super Bowl, like what color will Rihanna’s outfit be, exactly how long will the national anthem be, and how many times the TV cameras will show NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell during the game.
Super Bowl MVP
At the end of every Super Bowl, there is winning-team-colored confetti shot into the sky, a large stage rolled onto the field, and the announcement of the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award. Betting on the Super Bowl MVP is one of the more common prop bets associated with the Super Bowl. And here’s a tip, bet on a quarterback. More than half of the time, the Super Bowl MVP is the winning team’s quarterback.
Coin Flip
By now, you might be realizing that betting on the Super Bowl is meant to be a fun endeavor. Every NFL football game starts with a coin flip to determine which team will get the ball first and which team will defend which goal. It’s heads or tails, right? The Super Bowl coin flip follows the same script, except that many online Super Bowl sportsbooks give you the choice to bet on something so simple – will the coin land heads or tails? – and sets appropriate odds. In the 57 previous Super Bowls, tails has come up 30 times, and heads 27. Last year it was tails, so now you know.
Other Prop Bets
The Super Bowl gives online sportsbooks the opportunity to be creative when it comes to making special prop bets. We’ve already talked about the coin flip and the chance to bet on the Super Bowl MVP, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Some of the other more unique prop bets for the Super Bowl include:
Which way will the first field goal go? To the left of the uprights, to the right, or straight down the middle? Taking it even further, will a field goal hit an upright?
Will a scoring drive take less time than the national anthem? This is a play on the concept of a head-to-head bet. If the national anthem takes, for example, 1:41, the team would need to score in less than one minute and 41 seconds.
How many times will the chains be used for a measurement? Football fans know this scene. It’s close for a first down, so the officials drag out the 10-yard chains to make sure, but how many times will it happen? This is usually an over/under bet.
Who will the Super Bowl MVP talk about first? Will he mention his teammates, family, coach, or the heavens above? This bet is based the Super Bowl MVP's first interview after the game. Betting the Super Bowl online comes with an incredible array of options.
Commercials
Let’s be blunt, the majority of football fans in America are tuning into the game to see who wins, but there is a segment of the audience, maybe just casual fans, who are just in it for the commercials. These 30-second spots cost advertisers millions of dollars to get their message in front of a worldwide audience, and naturally, sportsbooks have come up with a way to wager on what company will have the first commercial after the coin toss (that’s usually when the Super Bowl audience peaks). Will it be a specific beer company, a car company, or maybe even an online U.S. sportsbook?
Half-time Show
Of course, sportsbooks have been able to turn the halftime show into something you can bet on, like listing what will be the first song the performer will sing at halftime of Super Bowl LVIII. The headliner for Super Bowl LVIII has yet to be named, but you know the NFL always goes big, especially with the game in Las Vegas. Showgirls, anyone?
Super Bowl Live Betting
The world of betting on the Super Bowl online has changed with the introduction of live betting because sportsbooks now offer the opportunity to bet live on a game’s outcome. This means that even after Super Bowl 58 kicks off, bettors still have the opportunity to bet on the game. Usually, the three standard bets are offered live: moneyline, spread, and over/under totals. The sportsbooks use a computer algorithm that automatically adjusts these numbers as the game is going on. So if you get a hunch after the first quarter about one team or another, you can still put some money on the game using the live betting feature.
Why Do Super Bowl Lines Change?
Minutes after the completion of the AFC and NFC Championship games, we will hear the opening line on Super Bowl 58 set by oddsmakers.
Then it will probably change slightly.
There are two main reasons why the point spread for Super Bowl 58 will move. The first is the report of a key player’s injury or availability for the game. No player wants to miss the Super Bowl because of an injury, but it can happen in practice or pop up just before kickoff.
The second big reason is the bets that come in. Remember, the concept of a point spread is to balance the betting on both sides. If smart bettors all start betting on one side of the point spread, bookmakers will shift the spread by a half-point or a full point or more to encourage betting on the other side. Still, for a point spread to move by more than one point is unusual.