The Chiefs beat the 49ers in overtime to win Super Bowl LVIII.
While there are plenty of traditional wagers, the Super Bowl is unique for its more obscure prop bets. Some have become mainstream — the length of the national anthem, the color of Gatorade poured on the winning coach — but there are even more peculiar bets found in the fringes of certain sports books if you look hard enough.
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Sports betting sites all have Super Bowl props, with most listing similar parameters and odds. Many of the unorthodox prop bets you see come from offshore sportsbooks, which are not held to the same regulatory standards as licensed North American and U.K. sportsbooks. A word of warning: most do not operate legally in the U.S., so take these offerings with an official “for entertainment purposes only” recommendation.
Still… they’re fun. Here are some of the highlights.
Some odds from BetMGM.
Drake Curse: What team apparel will Drake wear on Super Bowl Sunday?
Chiefs -170; 49ers +130
Taylor Swift isn’t the only singer featured in the football fodder. Drake, the world’s most famous fair-weather fan, is now popping up in sportsbooks. The “Drake Curse” has become a mythical legend amongst sports fans, with some believing that a successful team’s fate is doomed when Drake jumps on its bandwagon. Given Drake’s front-running nature and the Chiefs’ star-studded cast (Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and, of course, Swift), Kansas City has the better odds at -170. There are photos from years past with Drake wearing a 49ers jacket, so +130 could be good value.
How many times will Roger Goodell be shown?
Over/under 1.5
One face many football fans want to see less of on the Super Bowl broadcast is that of the NFL’s infamous commissioner Roger Goodell. While Swift has an army of young fans waiting with bated breath for her close-up, Goodell is far less popular on both sides of this aisle. With Swift expected to take most of the broadcast cutaways, the under here is at +120, but don’t underestimate the league’s need to remind us who is in charge, constantly. Look out for that over at -160.
Will there be a Scoragami?
Yes +2500; no -10000
For those unfamiliar with the term Scoragami, it was coined by Jon Bois of SB Nation to describe an NFL game that ends with an original final score that hasn’t happened in the league’s history. In 15,790 total NFL games, a Scoragami with a distinct score has occurred 1,084 times — that ‘s just 6.5 percent of the time. The last Super Bowl to end with a Scoragami was 10 years ago when the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. There is a reason the No is -10,000, but this season did see an uptick in Scoragamis with nine happening, three featuring the Miami Dolphins.
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Will any player be ejected for throwing a punch or fighting?
Yes +700; no -1600
You may think, “There’s no way somebody would risk an ejection on the world’s biggest stage,” but it has happened before. Super Bowl XLIX has one of the most famous endings in sports history with Malcolm Butler’s interception on the goal line sealing the victory for the Patriots with 20 seconds left. That was enough time for some extracurricular activities during the kneel-out, so Bruce Irvin took advantage with a closed-fist punch to Rob Gronkowski. With 18 seconds left and his team on its way to a loss, Irvin became the first and only player (so far) ejected from the Super Bowl. It’s not likely to happen again, but the Chiefs and the 49ers met in the Super Bowl four years ago. Maybe there’s still some bad blood.
Will any player propose to his girlfriend on the field after the game?
Yes +210; no -190
It’s not hard to come up with nominees for this category. Rumors have swirled around Kelce and Swift’s engagement since the two took their relationship public in September. While some football fans bemoan and roll their eyes, it can’t be denied that both are savvy marketers and they are both about to be at the biggest public event on the planet.
Will either kicker hit the upright or crossbar on a missed field goal or extra point attempt?
Yes +400; no -700
We’ll call this the doink bet. This can be found on a couple of sites with different odds because there is precedent here. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker smacked a 42-yard attempt off the top of the left upright in the first quarter of the Super Bowl last season. Butker is back in the big game with the Chiefs. Could he be cooking up a sequel? Doinks are rare in the NFL, but nerves will be at an all-time high.
Will the power go out at the Super Bowl?
Yes +1600; no -15000
One would have to imagine the Las Vegas power grid, the same one that lights up the Strip 365 days a year, will be strong enough to sustain the Super Bowl. But, once again, it has happened before, and you could make a nice wad of cash if you call it. The power went out in Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, causing a 34-minute delay. That was in New Orleans, though. It’s pretty safe to assume that Las Vegas is more than prepared to put on the world’s biggest show.
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(Photo of Drake: Cole Burston/Getty Images)
