Among the many things that seem difficult to find online are a good, solid list of Super Bowl prop bets. This is probably due to the proliferation of legal gambling; where once there might have been a handful of different major sports books, now there are far more choices. More choices aren't always better, if they can't easily be pinned down.
So anyway, I found a whole lot of different sites offering their own prop bets, and I pulled my favorite ones from several different ones. I find it easy to bet on FanDuel Sportsbook, but I've also used BetMGM, DraftKings, and there are plenty others. Shouldn't be too hard to find if you're looking to win (or lose) some money via games of chance. Anyway, here are some of my favorites.
First scoring play a touchdown rather than a field goal or safety. There's an element of chance to this, as with any bets, but the odds heavily favor touchdowns. Kansas City's offense this season had 50 extra points compared to 24 field goals. Philadelphia's had 53 and 22. And those teams are facing defenses that allowed a combined 74 extra points and 45 field goals, two of the NFL's five stingiest defenses in terms of allowing field goals. Both coaches are the type who would be inclined to go for it on fourth down in a scoreless game rather than settle for 3 points.
Super Bowl MVP a QB or non-QB.Thirty-one of 56 previous Super Bowl MVPs have been quarterbacks. To be honest I thought the number was even higher than that. Probably because 9 of the last 13 and 11 of the last 16 have been quarterbacks. It's the safe, easy vote, people are lazy, etc. And this year we've got two quarterbacks who make their teams go more than any other teams in the league. Maybe a wide receiver or tight end will have a big game (probably not a running back), but more realistically some WR or TE will catch a touchdown, but their quarterback will throw multiple scores (or run for one while throwing for 1-2), and that player will win MVP. (If forced to choose one player, I'd go with Hurts.
Jalen Hurts OVER 49.5 rushing yards. While we all love running quarterbacks in fantasy, the reality is that most Super Bowl quarterbacks have been pocket passers. This century, the only quarterbacks who have made the Super Bowl that are better known for their running than passing prowess are Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick. (A case can be made for Donovan McNabb, but when they got to the Super Bowl he was averaging nearly 260 passing yards and just 15 rushing yards that season, different from his earliest seasons. Anyway, Newton ran for 45 yards in Carolina's blowout loss, while Kaepernick ran for 62 and a touchdown in his loss, both over their rushing averages in those seasons. Basically, if you get a running quarterback to the Super Bowl, you're going to take advantage of that ability in a winner-take-all, no-tomorrow type of game. There's nothing to save Hurts for except the second half. I think him running for 50 yards, considering his season average was just over that, looks pretty likely. (As an aside, I also like Hurts for the "Anytime touchdown" wager; I feel pretty good he'll run one in at some point.)
A.J. Brown OVER 72 receiving yards. Brown has been exceptionally quiet the first two playoff games. Which I am just taking to mean he's due. Kansas City didn't defend the pass particularly well and had a hard time keeping receivers out of the end zone. I'm not a big fan of Anytime touchdown bets for receivers (with the exception of guys like Kelce, and there aren't many guys like Kelce), since Brown, DeVonta Smith or Dallas Goedert all are possibilities to catch one. But I like the number from Brown this week, and would consider the number for Smith (64, I think) as well. But I'm giving Brown the edge in this game.
Total points OVER 49.5.I wouldn't bet this one too heavily; I've gone back and forth on it. I think things might start out slow, with both teams feeling each other out. But I think by the fourth quarter it should have descended into a fast-paced, back-and-forth affair, with a 14-10 halftime score looking more like 30-27 by the end. I'll take the over.
Isiah Pacheco OVER 46.5 rushing yards. Hmm, lots of overs here. I don't particularly love the Kansas City ground game, but I don't think any of it is coming from Mahomes and almost none of it will come from Jerick McKinnon. Pacheco comes in close to 60 rushing yards in my projections for this game, so I have no problem betting the over with this number.
Kansas City receiving numbers. I tend to be pessimistic when it comes to injured players, downgrading them and placing little stock in their own optimism about their status. So looking at the Kansas City receiving numbers, there are some interesting possibilities. At FanDuel Sportsbook, Marquez Valdes-Scantling is at just 37.5 receiving yards. With both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney banged-up — not 100 percent, anyway— I think MVS should clear that total. I'm not as eager to bet the unders on those players, since I'm not sure how hurt they actually are, but a larger role for Valdes-Scantling, as he had in the AFC Championship game, seems like a solid bet.
I'm not a professional gambler, so please take these recommendations with a grain of salt. If you bet, bet responsibly -- easy to ruin a game-watching experience if you're agonizing over needing a late catch or run to come out ahead. Good luck to all.