Super Bowl Sunday is like Christmas Day for football fans.
Besides the pregame rampup and nonstop action on the field, the big game is an event filed with seven-layer dips, block polls, comical commercials and halftime entertainment.
Then there’s the gambling.
Sure, there’s plenty of ways to bet on how many yards, catches, rushes or tackles will be produced by your favorite player, how many points will be scored and who will win MVP. Do you pick the favored Seahawks at -4.5 or go with the over/under at 45.5?
But how about some things a little more random? Something for the average fan — or non-fan.
Draft Kings, for example, offers numerous novelty betting options.
»Will a field goal or extra-point attempt doink the upright? A $10 yes bet pays $70 at 600 odds.
»Seattle has won the coin toss in each of its three Super Bowl trips. A $10 bet pays $19 (at -105) to pick the Seahawks to win something before the game begins.
»Speaking of the coin toss, will it be heads or tails? Tails has come up 31 times through 59 Super Bowls.
»A fan of jersey numbers? Pick the number of the player who will score the first touchdown — Over 10.5 (-160) or under 10.5 ( 120).
»Will there be a scorigami, a final score that has never been recorded? A yes bet is locked in at 2500.
While U.S. sportsbooks usually stick to somewhat conventional prop bets, offshore websites have no such reservations. Here’s a look at some of the more outlandish props offered by BetUS.com, for example.
» Betting on the length of the national anthem has become somewhat common. This year, the over/under on the duration of Charlie Puth’s rendition is 123 seconds. Bettors can also wager on the length of “America the Beautiful” by Brandi Carlile (99.5 seconds) and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by Coco Jones (132 seconds).
» How will the first player to score a touchdown celebrate his achievement? A good old fashioned spike is favored (plus-300), but exotic options such as the Icky Shuffle (plus-1600) and the Macarena (plus-2800) are on the board as well.
» There’s a scene in the classic movie “Slap Shot” where members of the Charlestown Chiefs bet on who a contestant on a TV bowling show will shout out during his on-air interview. “Ten bucks he says wife and kids,” is a memorable line. Now bettors can do something similar in real life. There is a prop asking who the Super Bowl MVP will refer to first in his on-field speech. God is the heavy favorite at minus-300, but family is a live underdog at plus-800 and the team’s owner is a tasty longshot at plus-3500.
» Cross-sports props are an option. There are basic ones, like which will be greater, Drake Maye’s rushing yards in the Super Bowl or Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards’ point total against the Pacers on Sunday? There are also weird ones, like which will be greater, total points in the Super Bowl or the age of the winning jockey in the Kentucky Derby?
» The blue medical tent has become ubiquitous on NFL sidelines. When will the first player visit the tent Sunday? First half is the favorite at minus-220. Second half is at plus-155.
» Are you the type who watches the Super Bowl for the commercials? If so, you can bet on the order the ads will run. What comes first, an Uber Eats ad or a Dove ad? Uber eats is a minus-165 favorite.
» Bad Bunny’s halftime show has been a hot topic of conversation,and there are dozens of bets related to the Puerto Rican pop star. How many outfits will Bunny wear during the halftime show? Over/under is 2. Will Bunny shout out his homeland during his performance? Practically a lock at minus-5000. Finally, what kind of hat will Bunny wear first? Straw is the favorite at plus-115, but don’t fade bucket at plus-1200.