Legal Sports Betting States Shun Nevada’s Lead on Super Bowl Novelties

Posted on: January 27, 2021, 02:46h. 

Last updated on: January 27, 2021, 04:39h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Legal sports betting is today operational in 20 states, plus DC. And while many of those states crafted their regulatory sports betting laws based off Nevada, some have called an audible when it comes to novelty prop betting.

sports betting Super Bowl prop bets novelty
More Americans than ever before are expected to wager on this year’s Super Bowl. Oddsmakers in several states are offering novelty prop bets to capitalize on that. (Image: iStock/Getty)

Nevada has long shunned novelties — odds that are based on offbeat outcomes, such as what color of Gatorade will be dumped on a winning coach. Gaming regulators in the US casino capital have preferred to permit oddsmakers to only offer lines on outcomes that are solely based on the sporting contest.

But that’s not the case in numerous states that have joined Nevada in regulating sports betting. Gaming officials in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Tennessee, and West Virginia have signed off on allowing their regulated sportsbook licensees to offer prop bets on Super Bowl 55.

Super Bowl LV kicks off on February 7 at 6:30 pm ET from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs travel to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their home turf.

Super Bowl Prop Bets

Once confined to controversial offshore sports betting, millions of Americans now live in a state where they can legally place a prop bet on the Super Bowl.

One of the most popular prop bets in recent years has been the outcome of the coin toss before kickoff. Oddsmakers in several states have the odds at nearly even money, “heads” and “tails” both offered at -103 (implied chance of 50.74 percent).

FanDuel in Pennsylvania additionally has odds on whether the player who chooses heads or tails will be correct. Those odds are -105.

The coin flip is expected to be called by either Patrick Mahomes or Travis Kelce, the two captains of the visiting Chiefs team.

DraftKings is taking the coin flip even further. The sportsbook has odds on whether the team that wins the toss will go on to win the big game. With the Chiefs favored by three points over the Buccaneers, the odds of the Chiefs winning the coin flip and the Vince Lombardi Trophy are +205. The Bucs are longer for the scenario at +355.

Bettors in New Jersey, West Virginia, and Indiana can place bets on the Gatorade color dumped on the winning coach. Orange is the favorite at +125, and red/pink next at +300.

Offshore Still Sillier

While regulated sportsbooks will take some novelty prop action for the 2021 Super Bowl, the offshore sites once again feature many more offbeat lines.

Online books have odds on which song halftime performer The Weeknd will sing first, “Blinding Lights” the front-runner at +180.

The odds on Eric Church or Jazmine Sullivan messing up the singing of the national anthem by omitting a word are long at +1200.

There are odds on who the MVP of the Super Bowl will mention first in his speech. The choices include his teammates +100, god or religion +225, the USA +700, and the team’s home city +700.

Politics is not immune to the betting bonanza. The over/under regarding the number of times former President Donald Trump’s name is mentioned during the CBS telecast is 0.5 times. The over/under for President Joe Biden’s name is 1.0 times.