Super Bowl Odds 2014: Breaking Down Intriguing Player-Related Prop Bets
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Date and Time: Sunday, Feb. 2, at 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
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Spread: Broncos -2.5, per Vegas Insider (as of Jan. 31)
Over/Under: 48, per CBS Sports
The arrival of this year’s Super Bowl means a number of things—a clash between the best offense and best defense in the NFL, Peyton Manning’s quest to add a second ring to his illustrious resume and Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers giving America the musical combination it has desperately been waiting for.
It also presents football fans with an opportunity to bet on a lot more than just the final score and point spread.
Prop bets are one of the many quirks that make the Super Bowl such a national obsession, and this year’s version will be no different.
You can bet on how long the national anthem will be, what Mars will have on his head during the halftime concert and even what will happen to the Dow Jones on the day after the Super Bowl.
There are also plenty of player-specific prop bets that football fans can use their hard-earned cash on. Let’s dig into a discussion on some of the more intriguing ones.
All bets listed are courtesy of Bovada and CBS Sports.
Peyton Manning
Manning was the face of the NFL this season, and it would be wise for football fans to enjoy watching No. 18 with his playing days numbered, even if he does come back next season. Vegas knew there would be plenty of interest surrounding the Denver quarterback and tailored plenty of prop bets around him, including the following.
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - How many times will Peyton Manning say "Omaha" during the game?
Over/Under 27½
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - If the Broncos win will Peyton Manning retire before game 1 of the 2014 regular season?
Yes +700 (7/1)
No -1500 (1/15)
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Peyton Manning throw a pick 6?
Yes +400 (4/1)
No -700 (1/7)
Total passing yards - Peyton Manning (DEN)
Over/Under 290½
Total TD passes - Peyton Manning (DEN)
Over/Under 2½
In case you weren’t tired of the media’s newfound obsession over Manning’s tendency to call “Omaha” at the line of scrimmage (anyone who has watched him this season knows he didn’t all of a sudden start doing it in the playoffs), you can bet on it. Knowing Manning, he may go over 27 on the first series.
As for the statistical prop bets regarding Manning, your tendency on those likely depend on whether you think the “Legion of Boom” will at least slow Denver’s high-octane offense. For most quarterbacks, 290 yards and three touchdowns would be an excellent day, but it would be almost pedestrian for Manning this year.
Richard Sherman
How many times is a cornerback one of the star attractions heading into a Super Bowl?
His postgame interview after the NFC Championship Game may have put him on the country’s collective radar, but Sherman is a headlining act for the Seahawks because of his all-world talent. Vegas knew there would be plenty of interest surrounding the Seattle corner.
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Richard Sherman be interviewed on field after the game by Erin Andrews on the live Fox broadcast and shown on TV?
Yes -110
No -110
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Richard Sherman receive a taunting penalty in the game?
Yes +400 (4/1)
No -700 (1/7)
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Richard Sherman receive an unnecessary roughness penalty in the game?
Yes +550 (11/2)
No -900 (1/9)
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Richard Sherman receive a pass interference penalty in the game?
Yes +150 (3/2)
No -200 (1/2)
Will Richard Sherman (SEA) record an interception?
Yes +200 (2/1)
No -260 (5/13)
First of all, whether Sherman gets a postgame interview on the field from Erin Andrews or not completely depends on whether the Seahawks win. If they do, you can bet Fox wants Sherman on camera again to keep the viewers after the final whistle.
The penalty and interception prop bets are interesting because there will likely be extra attention on Sherman during the Super Bowl, but the cerebral Manning is also likely to avoid him in the passing game as much as possible.
Whether Sherman receives those penalties or records an interception will be directly related to how often he is tested, which may not be a lot considering the amount of weapons Denver has at its disposal.
Wide Receivers
There are the typical over/under yardage and touchdown prop bets for most of the key receivers in this game, but there are two other types of bets that stand out:
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Percy Harvin be injured in the game? (Must be injured and reported by broadcasters and not return to game)
Yes +200 (2/1)
No -300 (1/3)
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Wes Welker drop a pass in the game?
Yes -110
No -110
Honestly, these seem somewhat cruel. Betting on whether a player gets injured or not feels like an extremely toned down 21st century version of gladiator.
As for the Wes Welker bet, it is clearly homage to his dropped pass in the last New England Super Bowl which cost the Patriots dearly. It would be more interesting if we could bet on whether Gisele has anything to say about Welker if he drops a critical pass during this Super Bowl.
General
SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Knowshon Moreno cry during the singing of the national anthem?
Yes +400 (4/1)
No -700 (1/7)
If betting on the likelihood of Knowshon Moreno’s tears is your cup of tea, take a look at the following quote the Denver running back made (per Julian Linden of the Chicago Tribune):
"It will be through the roof. Listening to other guys who have been in this position before playing in the Super Bowl, it's a lot going on. They say you have to hold your emotions down, you're going to be fired up, but there is so much going on that sometimes you've got to calm down. I think that will be my toughest battle, just being able to stay composed until the fires start burning down.
"
As for the Super Bowl MVP, good luck if you are going with the field. It’s hard to imagine a player not on that list holding up the MVP award after the game.
| Peyton Manning | Broncos | QB | 6/5 |
| Russell Wilson | Seahawks | QB | 15/4 |
| Marshawn Lynch | Seahawks | RB | 9/2 |
| Demaryius Thomas | Broncos | WR | 18/1 |
| Percy Harvin | Seahawks | WR | 20/1 |
| Knowshon Moreno | Broncos | RB | 20/1 |
| Wes Welker | Broncos | WR | 20/1 |
| Eric Decker | Broncos | WR | 25/1 |
| Richard Sherman | Seahawks | CB | 25/1 |
| Golden Tate | Seahawks | WR | 25/1 |
| Julius Thomas | Broncos | TE | 25/1 |
| Doug Baldwin | Seahawks | WR | 33/1 |
| Earl Thomas | Seahawks | S | 40/1 |
| Champ Bailey | Broncos | CB | 66/1 |
| Montee Ball | Broncos | RB | 66/1 |
| Kam Chancellor | Seahawks | S | 75/1 |
| Steven Hauschka | Seahawks | K | 75/1 |
| Matt Prater | Broncos | K | 75/1 |
| Michael Bennett | Seahawks | DL | 100/1 |
| Duke Ihenacho | Broncos | S | 100/1 |
| Zach Miller | Seahawks | TE | 100/1 |
| Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | Broncos | CB | 100/1 |
| Danny Trevanthan | Broncos | LB | 100/1 |
| Field (any other player) | NA | NA | 22/1 |
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