Super Bowl Prop Bets: Breaking Down Strangest Gambling Odds for Ravens vs. 49ers

When one thinks of the Super Bowl, the game almost becomes an afterthought. All of the attention is focused on how much money can be won through all the various prop bets that have been set up. 

There is nothing else like Super Bowl Sunday for a gambling fan. Las Vegas provides you with more prop bets and odds to wager on than you could possibly imagine. 

Sure, all of these bets are meant to be taken with a grain of salt. But people wager a lot of money on these things, and if they lose, they aren't going to be happy. Imagine how you would feel losing $5,000 on a coin toss. 

Here is a closer look at some of the best prop bets you will find for Super Bowl XLVII. 

Odds courtesy of Bovada and BetOnline.com

Will both coaches be wearing hats?

Odds: Yes (-1000), No (+600)

This is the easiest bet in the world, which is why the odds for it are so terrible. Jim and John Harbaugh have a style that is so similar even if you didn't know they were brothers you would figure it out just based on their attire. 

Both coaches will usually wear turtlenecks and hats on the sidelines. Even if there was the threat they would be fined, I would be willing to bet that both Harbaughs would come out of the tunnel wearing a hat. 

However, since the odds are so against it, you are almost tempted to take "No" for at least a little money, right? I am not a gambler, but I know when the odds are that long you have to consider going for it. 

Coin Toss

Odds: Heads (-105), Tails (-105)

While this isn't a revelatory prop bet, since it is used every year, I am always amused when I see the odds for it. There are people out there who actually wager money, knowing they will actually lose money, just to say that they won a prop bet. 

I do wish there were more insightful ways for odds to be set. Perhaps if the oddsmakers had a look at the coin and could feel if there was more weight distributed to one side, or do the engravings make heads bounce differently when it hits the ground than tails?

There are so many questions that should be asked about the coin toss when these odds are set, yet no one bothers to do it because all they see is the chance to lose money.

Race to 10 Points

Odds: Ravens (+110), 49ers (-140), Neither (+3000)

This is yet another case where the odds are so good for one of the choices that you have to think about it. Even though the 49ers and Ravens were only held under 10 points a total of two times in the regular season. 

It also doesn't help the "neither" category that these two defenses have struggled at times in these playoffs. The 49ers got picked apart by Matt Ryan in the NFC Championship game. The reason they won, really, is because Atlanta ran out of time.

The Ravens did a great job of stifling New England's high-powered offense in the second half of the AFC Championship Game, yet they still gave up 13 points.

I do find it interesting that the Ravens actually have the odds against them in this scenario, even though they actually played better than the 49ers last week.

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