What to Consider Before Betting on Super Bowl LIX

On Sunday, February 9th, the world will turn its attention to Caesars Superdome in New Orleans for the greatest show on earth. Super Bowl LIX is obviously one of the world’s biggest sports events, with perhaps only the FIFA World Cup Final eclipsing it in terms of attention. Nonetheless, it is also one of the biggest betting events in the world. For Super Bowl LVIII last year, an estimated $23.1 billion was wagered in the United States alone.

If you are thinking of having a wager on the big game, we have some clear advice for you. We are going to stay clear of making tips but instead highlight some general areas to consider, some of which might offer some better value for your bet. Think of it as a list of do’s and don’ts for Super Bowl betting.

The Matchup

The AFC champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, will take on the NFC winners, the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs are slight favorites in the Super Bowl odds, yet it is very tight. Most sportsbooks have the Chiefs around -130 for the victory. The Eagles are the (slight) underdog at +110.

The Spread

Most sportsbooks will nudge you toward betting on the spread, i.e., a hypothetical handicap imposed on or gifted to a team. The standard for Super Bowl LIX is having the Chiefs at a -1.5 pt disadvantage. Essentially this means a bet on the Chiefs to win by more than 2 points. The odds for the Chiefs will be closer to even money. For the Eagles, it’s the reverse, with a 1.5pt advantage. So, for example, if the Eagles lost 29-30, you would still win the bet due to that handicap.

Most sportsbooks will allow you to adjust the spread for greater odds. Yet, we would recommend you to be very careful about this one, as it really does feel like it will be a close matchup, one that is won by the finest of margins.

Over/Under

The most popular props bet for a Super Bowl is the over/under market for total points scored. With DraftKings and other sportsbooks, this has been set at 48.5 points. Four of the last six Super Bowls have seen the combined scores of both teams at 45 points or less, so this will naturally draw in some statistics-based bettors. However, you should also be aware that these two teams met at Super Bowl LVII, with the Chiefs running out 38-35 winners (a combined total of 73 points). Most of the same personnel will be on the field, so factor that into your calculations.

Mvp Betting

One of the most interesting markets for Super Bowl betting is the MVP award. The majority of MVP awards go to the quarterback of the winning team – this happened in four of the last five Super Bowls. The logic, therefore, dictates that you would back Patrick Mahomes if you believe the Chiefs will win or Jalen Hurts if you think the Eagles will fly high. 

However, be aware that the betting markets are also backing the Eagles’ superstar running back, Saquon Barkley. He’s had a tremendous season, and it might just be his year.

Special Bets

You’ll find some sportsbooks open up their markets to ‘novelty bets.’ These could range from the clothes Taylor Swift is wearing in the crowd (Swift is the girlfriend of the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce) to events happening at the halftime show. While these bets can be fun, we’d recommend that you approach them with caution, especially when they can’t be backed up with statistics.