The great thing about the Super Bowl is that it’s one of the few sports events that can be enjoyed year-round. While the rest of the country is in the midst of cold and dark winters, we get to enjoy the glorious sunshine and balmy temperatures of the Mediterranean climate in the southern parts of the United States. Whatever your reasons for heading to Las Vegas in the first place, be it for the festivities surrounding the big game or just to spend some time in the city, nothing quite compares to the excitement of the Super Bowl. Even if you’re not usually one for betting (and let’s face facts here: most of us aren’t), you can still score some serious cash if you know where to place your bets. Here’s a guide to the best odds available at the moment and where you might want to place your wagers.
NFL Headlines
NFL headliners usually get great betting odds, as their teams are usually well-prepared for the big game and often boast great names and/or incredible history. However, if an underdog shines a bit too much, we might see some unexpected results. For example, if the Buffalo Bills, who are usually considered one of the worst teams in the league, upset the New England Patriots in the biggest game of the year, that would be quite the upset. Usually the opposite is true, as the favorites seem to come out on top in most cases.
PAC-12 Predictions
We’ve got our own little conference within the NCAA, the Pacific-12. While the other conferences each have one team that will play in the big game, the PAC-12 boasts two extremely promising teams that could very well end up facing off in the championship. The University of California, Berkeley, who are known for their rigorous academic studies as well as their gridiron excellence, play in the North division, while the University of Oregon, known for their fantastic outdoors, play in the South division. Betting on games involving the PAC-12 has proven to be relatively high-risk, as the over/under betting lines are very often prohibitively long, meaning that the oddsmakers have a lot of faith in these teams’ abilities to perform on the big stage. This is a risky proposition, as a couple of upsets could potentially make the line move dramatically in the opposite direction. However, there’s also the chance that the favorites could stumble once the whistle blows to start the game, leaving quite a bit of money on the line.
Other Conference Games
Sometimes the biggest game isn’t even between the two competing teams in the NFL. Other conferences like the Big Ten (Ohio State vs. Michigan), the ACC (Clemson vs. Florida State), and the SEC (Bryant vs. Georgia) also boast terrific games that could end up being title contenders. Unfortunately, the betting public doesn’t really warm up to the games involving their favorite teams, so these matches are usually more for fun than money. Still, if you’re looking for a game that might have some upsets, these are the types of games you could target. However, don’t expect to make a whole lot of money on these games, as the public doesn’t seem to think highly enough of the opponents to put down any serious money.
Over/Under Odds
Most bets that are placed on the Super Bowl are either for the game to end in a tie or for one team to triumph over the other. What this means is that even if your team wins, the total number of points scored will be used to determine the winner. This creates somewhat of a dilemma for sports bettors, because if you predict a shootout, you might end up leaving money on the table. What’s often the case is that the line moves in the direction of the betting public, so if you want to ensure that you make money, you’ll need to either pick an underdog or stay away from the over/under lines altogether.
Point Betting
If you think that one or both teams are going to score a ton of points, you can wager on each individual score throughout the course of the game. This is typically the case in conference championship games and close-fought rivalries, as the teams are usually evenly matched and believe that they’re both going to win. What this means is that if your team scores a touchdown, you win, but if they score another one before the end of the game, you lose. This method usually works well for gamblers, as long as the public continues to back the underdogs, you’ll make a pretty penny.
Keep in mind: the more money that goes in, the more that comes out. Never bet more than you can afford to lose, and always put your money on the line in a way that you can get it back (e.g., credit cards, cash, etc.). If you’re driving, take a cab home. Never drink and gamble. If you can’t afford a cab, walk home. And when you get there, lock the door and don’t answer the door (or the phone) until you’ve had time to calm down and think about what happened.
Ultimately, the best odds available for the Super Bowl can be found at the Bookmakers, where you’ll find the best lines, as well as the most competitive offers. Of course, if you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for Super Bowl betting, you can’t go wrong with the obvious choice, the Grand Hotel Casino, where you’ll find all the necessary information and where all the fans congregate before, during, and after the game. Good luck out there.