Betting on the Super Bowl
Betting on the Super Bowl is certainly an American tradition with millions of people placing wagers with each other, their local bookmaker or going online to make a bet. The Super Bowl is easily the biggest sporting event of the year with hundreds of millions of people around the world watching.
For most people who gamble on the Super Bowl, this is a friendly bet with a few dollars and perhaps some pride on the line. But for those who want to make the most out of their wager, there are a few tips to follow that can help shape their bet.
Don’t be Overly Influenced by Recent Games
One of the biggest mistakes that most people make when betting on the Super Bowl is only researching the past few games instead of the entire season. Quite often, the team that appears to be on the biggest run does not match that promise during the Super Bowl.
This is because that football in general and the Super Bowl in particular does not carry momentum from one game to the next as well as many other sports like hockey or basketball where the games are only a few days apart. The Super Bowl is two weeks removed from the last game. It pays to research the entire season to see how well teams held up against similar competition or how they played against each other if it happened.
The Underdog is Usually the Better Choice
This is especially true if the point spread is greatly in favor on one team. In most cases, the underdog either wins or stays within the point spread. Studies have shown a tendency of bookmakers to give the favorites more points than they really deserve because most people bet the favorites. There are exceptions of course, but the statistics favor betting on the underdog based on all the previous Super Bowls, especially if the point spread is seven or more.
Go with “The Under”
When betting the Over/Under on the total points scored in the Super Bowl, the odds based on all previous Super Bowls say stick with the under. There may be many reasons for this, but the two week layout can hurt the timing of offenses, meaning that it takes more time in the game before they get their rhythm. For sports betters, the under is generally the better pick.
Prop Bets
We’ll be here the week before the big game to give you the full list of 2014 Super Bowl Prop Bets. There are 100s of props that you can bet on this game, and we’ll have the full list here on the site, with the Super Bowl line and all other odds offered on this game. We’re essentially your one stop betting shop come February 2, 2014.
Bet Smart
In essence, do not put up your rent money when betting. You should bet with the amount you feel comfortable losing. A good test is how much money are you willing to throw in the street and it won’t affect your finances at all. That is how much you should bet on the Super Bowl.
For all the predicting powers of odds makers, football is actually a very chaotic sport in which a single turnover, injury or screwy play can completely change the momentum of the game, resulting in an outcome that no one could foresee. Consider that in nearly fifty years the Super Bowl has been played, only once, Super Bowl XXXI between the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots did a team win by the exact amount of points the bookmakers predicted.
So, remember to bet smart by doing the research and keeping within your means so that you can make the best Super Bowl bet possible.
Odds to win the 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII
Seattle Seahawks 13/5
Denver Broncos 3/1
San Francisco 49ers 13/2
Carolina Panthers 10/1
New England Patriots 10/1
Cincinnati Bengals 16/1
Green Bay Packers 16/1
Philadelphia Eagles 18/1
New Orleans Saints 20/1
Kansas City Chiefs 25/1
Indianapolis Colts 33/1
Chicago Bears 66/1
Miami Dolphins 66/1
Arizona Cardinals 75/1
Baltimore Ravens 75/1
Dallas Cowboys 100/1
San Diego Chargers 100/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 150/1
The Seattle Seahawks are currently the favorites at 13/5. This means that you would have to bet $5 on the Seahawks to win $13. The Denver Broncos (who were the favorites two week ago) have drop to second and are at 3/1 odds. They’re followed closely by the 49ers at 13/2, the Carolina Panthers at 10/1 and the New England Patriots also at 10/1.
If you like any of these teams, now is the time to place your bets as their odds should continue to drop as more teams are eliminated from the playoffs this week. You know that these 5 teams will make the playoffs and have home field advantage for at least 1 game no matter who their opponent is, so you should bet them while their odds are still relatively high.
Odds to win the 2014 AFC Conference
AFC team to make Super Bowl is the winner
Denver Broncos 5/6 
New England Patriots 10/3
Cincinnati Bengals 15/2
Kansas City Chiefs 12/1
Indianapolis Colts 14/1
Miami Dolphins 28/1
Baltimore Ravens 33/1
San Diego Chargers 33/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 66/1
Odds to win the 2014 NFC Conference
NFC team to make Super Bowl is the winner
Seattle Seahawks 1/1
San Francisco 49ers 4/1
Carolina Panthers 11/2
Green Bay Packers 9/1
New Orleans Saints 11/1
Philadelphia Eagles 11/1
Chicago Bears 33/1
Arizona Cardinals 50/1
Dallas Cowboys 50/1
