Super Bowl Betting to be Super

Super Bowl Betting to be Super

Given a narrow pointspread in a game that most sports betting fans grudgingly acknowledge could be won by either of two storied franchises, the Green Bay Packers or Pittsburgh Steelers, betting on Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, Feb. 6, could, indeed, be super this year.

Although it doesn't approach the amount of money wagered on the World Cup of Soccer, the Super Bowl is North America's No. 1 betting attraction, a game that can translate into vast profits or horrific losses for sportsbooks.

Both the Packers and Steelers have been friendly to football betting devotees throughout the gridiron campaign, but even more so in the post-season. Green Bay, the last NFC team to qualify for the post-season, is 13-6 straight up (SU) overall and 12-7 against the spread (ATS) for the entire season, plus 3-0 SU and ATS in the playoffs, beating both Philadelphia and Atlanta as a small underdog before covering as a road favorite versus Chicago.

Pittsburgh, which gained a bye in the opening round of the AFC Playoffs, is 14-4 SU and 12-6 ATS overall, including covers as a favorite against both Baltimore and the New York Jets in its two post-season games.

Also, by way of comparison, the Packers were 8-6 ATS in the role of favorite this season while the Steelers are 3-1 ATS when listed as an underdog.

The line for the game opened with Green Bay favored by 1 1/2 but quickly was bet up to 2 1/2, a number that seemed to be holding early in the week. At least one book already has moved the Packers to -3 offering +110 (bet $100 to win $110) if you're brave enough to give away a field goal. That means you take +3 on Pittsburgh but you have to lay -130 (bet $130 to win $100), a departure from the traditional 10/11 odds (bet $110 to win $100) that is the mainstay of football betting. Three is a key number in pointspread protocol so, barring a major development, don't expect the line to go any higher than that. If sportsbooks get to three, they won't move off it, fearful of being middled or sided on the game.

Those who prefer betting on the money line (no points) can lay -140 that Green Bay wins the game or take +120 that Pittsburgh wins its seventh Super Bowl in eight tries.

The total for Super Bowl XLV opened at 44 1/2 but like the pointspread, has moved higher, to as much as 46 1/2 at some books.

Although upwards of 80 percent of the more than $2 billion wagered on Super Bowl XLV will be on the side and total, historically, sportsbooks have extended the betting menu to include hundreds of other ways to become involved in the Super Bowl betting cavalcade.

Already, prices are up for whether more points are scored in the first half of the game (+ 1/2 point, -130) or the second half (- 1/2 point, even money).

Sports betting aficionados also can bet on which quarter will have the most points scored:

First quarter: +280

Second quarter: +165

Third quarter: +300

Fourth quarter: +220

If this year is anything like seasons past—and there's no reason to believe it won't be--the onslaught of propositions that follow will be impressive both in their volume and creativity.

You can expect props on oddities such as a safety, a missed extra point, a successful two-point conversion, a blocked punt and whether at least one of the Super Bowl's four quarters will be scoreless. Gamblers also will be able to pick their own pointspread, with accompanying odds, of course, and bet whether either team will score three unanswered times in the game.

There'll be odds on a defensive or special teams score, which coach is the first to challenge a call and whether or not he'll be successful, and if the initial first down of the game is via run, pass or penalty.

And surely, some enterprising bet taker will look at the calendar, realize that the Pittsburgh Penguins will be playing the Washington Capitals on Super Sunday, and devise some prop involving the points scored by the Pens' Sidney Crosby against how many turnovers the Steelers have.

With a quality matchup, a close line and sportsbooks more than willing to display their innovation, Super Bowl betting should be super this year.

source: cappersmall.com