Sports Betting Online & Sports Books Reviews

It’s the most popular single sporting event in the United States. Each February, the country is wrapped up in the frenzy of Super Bowl Sunday. The game is celebrated each year in Las Vegas at a large variety of casinos. The state of Nevada accepts nearly $100 million wagers on the game annually. However, there is even a greater amount of money wagered on the game through other avenues, such as online sports books. The novice bettor can get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the event but the day can provide a sound opportunity for a nice profit with the proper strategy.

Start with the basics

While there will be two weeks of hype leading up to the Super Bowl, the game will still feature the same basic aspects of any other regular season or playoff game. The stakes are incredibly high but the fundamentals of the game do not change. The bettor should begin by looking at the line an over/under numbers of the game. Because there is so much public money that is bet on the game, the favorite and over are shaded by the bookmaker.

Over the first 43 Super Bowls, favorites won 32 games while going 24-17-2 against the point spread. The novice bettor is usually programmed to wager on the team that is projected to be the superior club in the Super Bowl. The savvy bettor can take advantage of a line that has been shaded too much. While the overall numbers point to the favored teams, there have been changes in the NFL that have balanced things out in the league since the early days of the Super Bowl. This has led to more underdogs covering since the late nineties but the novice bettor still is inclined to back the favorite.

Limit prop betting

While it is tempting to have some action on everything from the coin toss to the first score of the game, the bettor should carefully evaluate the hundreds of prop bets that are available before diving in. It isn’t too hard to ascertain that the props that are based on chance and luck as opposed to the props that can be handicapped like a game or an over/under. The novice bettor should focus in on just a handful of the props on Super Bowl Sunday. There are enough opportunities available to enhance the action of the game while still turning a profit.

For the novice bettor, wagering on Super Bowl props can be an overwhelming task. There are hundreds of wagers to choose from. While these bets can add to the enjoyment of any Super Bowl Sunday, the real fun can come from actually winning the majority of the prop bets on the biggest game of the year.

Bets to avoid

It is important to understand that there are different kinds of prop bets to choose from. Some can be handicapped in the same manner as an actual game or total. However, there are several that are based almost entirely on chance or luck.

Most online sports books will accept wagers on the coin toss before the start of the game. Obviously, there is no real way to handicap a flip of the coin. Once the game begins, there are other props that are also tied to luck more than skill. These kind of props would include which team will commit the first penalty or whether the first play from scrimmage will be a pass or run. While some overall numbers from the season can be noted that may indicate an advantage for a particular team for these kind of props, the outcome is still tied almost entirely to chance because it involves only a single instance of a common event from a game.

It is also not a good idea to go after wagers that yield a big return. For example, the bettor can expect to get a return of about 7/1 by betting that there will be an overtime in the Super Bowl. To bet the other way, the bettor would have to bet about $12 just to win $1. Many novice bettors will get trapped by the big return but none of the first 43 Super Bowls went into an overtime.

Look for props that mirror game wagers

The best way to approach the vast amount of Super Bowl props is to narrow down the list to a select few props that can be handicapped in a manner that is close to a game line or total. There are many player props that can give the player a chance to find a slight edge over the bookmaker. Each quarterback in the Super Bowl will have over/under odds on the amount of yards, completions and touchdown throws in the game. Running backs and receivers also have over/under props related to yardage in the game. By focusing on these kind of wagers, the novice bettor has a much better opportunity to win on Super Bowl Sunday.