More: Super Bowl 2012 coverage.
Hey, we have no horse in this race...actually, yes, yes I do. I heart Drew Brees almost (not really actually, but still) as much as the Steelers, so I'm unquestionably rooting for the New Orleans Saints to beat the Indianapolis Colts on Super Bowl Sunday. Plus, I may respect the hell out of Peyton Manning and without doubt think of him as the greatest quarterback to ever play the game - that still doesn't mean I want him equaling Ben Roethlisberger's two Lombardi Trophies.
Still, I'm hoping for a great, clean game that comes down to the wire.
And, after taking a look at some of the absurdly ridiculous yet equal parts awesome proposition bets being offered out there for this year's Big Game, I think I may just have to have a little fun and throw down a few dollars for shits and giggles.
Here's a few that caught my eye, all courtesy of Bodog.
First though, some general SB betting stats that may interest you:
Career Super Bowl Stat Notes
Favorites are 24-17-2 against the spread in the Super Bowl
The game has gone under 21 times, over 21 times, and there was no total set for Super Bowl I
The Dog has won outright 11 times
In the last decade, the favorite was 6-3-1 ATS, and the game went over/under 4-6.
In the 9 Super Bowls in Miami, favorite is 6-3 ATS and the game has gone over/under 5-4
Now, to the fun Prop Bets, which bring in thousands of casual bettors for an evening of fun each year.
How long will it take Carrie Underwood to sing the National Anthem?
Over/Under 1 minute 42 seconds
My take: Okay, I'm leading with one of my favorites here. Get this, no national anthem before a Super Bowl has lasted under 1 minute 44 or 1 minute 45 seconds as far as I can tell. Checked You Tube and even downloaded a number of Super Bowls and watched the telecast in their entirety. I might be missing something but if so, it was way back when before the pomp and circumstance of today's Super Bowl Sunday festivities. LOVE the over here as Underwood holds some line of Francis Scott Key's masterpiece (which one, who knows?) way too long and in some (most likely) tacky fashion. She'll do just fine though and get us all excited for the final game of the football season, but I highly doubt Ms. Underwood is going to buck this historical trend and roar through the National Anthem more quickly than her predecessors. By the way, if you love the site and make money off this bet, you know where to find me :) Just sayin..
Which Super Bowl commercial will have a higher rating on USA Today's annual Ad Meter?
Anheuser-Busch / Budweiser 2/3
Doritos
Coca-Cola
Go Daddy.com
Career Builder
Family First
Other
My take: No opinion, but remember, it's not which will garner the most views and controversy (that'd be the Tebow ad), it's which will rate highest on the USA Today Ad Meter. Beer or coke seem like good choices, though Coke might be a better play considering the female demographic that may be voting the next day.
How many current NFL Players will be arrested during Super Bowl Week?
Over/Under 0.5
My take: Never say never, but something tells me both teams will be on a mission all week in Miami and will avoid some of the pitfalls that have plagued players in year's past. I like the Under.
What Color will the Gatorade be that is dumped on the Head Coach of the Winning Super Bowl Team?
Yellow
Clear/Water
Orange
Lime Green
Red
Blue
My take: Go look back and see what color gatorade these two teams prefer? Or is their a color that's ended up on the winning coach most years? Who knows. Apparently yellow's the safe play here! Stay away, I'd say :)
What side of the ball will the Players that perform the Gatorade Shower be from?
Offensive
Defensive -170
My take: Those pesky, rowdy defensive dudes. Definitely love that play. They're always the ones doing that kind of thing, but don't count out someone like Jeremy Shockey ruining your bet. Heh.
How Many Times will CBS show Archie Manning on TV during the Game?
Over/Under 2.5
(Wager is on the number of times Archie Manning will appear on TV during the Game (from kick off until final whistle). Live pictures only, Any Taped Pictures or Past Video does not count towards wager.)
My take: It's gotta be over, no? I mean, Archie Manning, his allegiances torn between the team he played with, the city he's raised his family in and the team his son is quarterbacking? Sounds like a Jim Nantz special! Over. Over. Over.
How Many Times will CBS show Kim Kardashian on TV during the Game?
Over/Under 2.5
(Wager is on the number of times Kim Kardashian will appear on TV during the Game (from kick off until final whistle). Live pictures only, Any Taped Pictures or Past Video does not count towards wager. Person must be in attendance for wager to have action.)
For this one, we turn to my gf, who has this to say about the prop. Btw, bless her, she said to me last Saturday night before we went to bed: 'we don't have to watch the Pro Bowl tomorrow, do we?' I laughed my ass off to that one.'No, no we do not. I've never watched in in my life, and I don't plan on starting this year,' I responded.
Anyway, her take: Thankfully for us, Kim Kardashian can't buy her way onto the Superbowl screen as she can the cover of US Weekly. Despite the lack of token women to show in the stands during this year's National Football League Championship (think Brenda Warner everyone), I'm gonna go with Under 2.5. Why? Well, the Saints are going to need to be winning the game handily thanks to Reggie Bush's play for her to get more than one or two cameos. Plus, the media gods wouldn't have it: Keeping Up With The Kardashians is owned by Comcast, who owns half of NBC ... and the Superbowl is on CBS. Follow the money!
How Many Times will CBS show Bourbon Street on TV during the Game?
Over/Under 2
(Wager is on the number of times Bourbon Street will appear on TV during the Game (from kick off until final whistle).
My take: Uh, can I please take a mortgage out on my house (if I owned one, that is) for this one? Don't get any ideas out there, but come on? How could this not be more than 2? And if not more than 2, there has to be at least 2 showings of Bourbon Street. First touchdown for sure, then either late in the game ahead or behind. Seems safe to me.
What color top will Kim Kardashian be wearing at the Super Bowl?
Black
White
Any Other Color 7/5
Back to the gf for her take on this one: Who dat? Ah, it's Kim Kardashian pretending to pretending to be skinny most recently, what with endorsing a multitude of diet schemes and fitness workouts here, there and seemingly just about everywhere (vapid people congregate). Saint's colors? Black and gold. Black? A 'trimming' color. Black is a no brainer. An even safer bet may be what large object Kim will be holding in front of her abdomen to hide her hard earned six pack gut -- pillow? purse? Your guess is as good as mine there.
How Many Times will CBS announcers fully mention Hurricane Katrina during the game?
Over/Under 3
(Wager is on the number of times announcers specifically say "Hurricane Katrina" during the Game (from kick off until final whistle). Live pictures only.
My take: Okay, never mind about my throwing wind to the caution on this one. How does this not go over? Hell, if we were talking Dan Dierdorf or John Madden or someone else who was too busy exalting the minutiae of the game, I might say under, but folks...FOLKS...we're talking 'A Tradition Like No Other...The Masters on CBS...' Or for you hoops fans out there...'Simon Says Championship.' We're talking Jim Nantz, the king of emotional cheese. Not that there's anything phony about Hurricane Katrina and what it's meant to the city of New Orleans, but sheesh, this story line is pure gold for the network producers at CBS and you better believe Nantz will have a full array of gushing metaphors and other poetic references handy regardless of the game's score.
Will either team score three unanswered times in the game?
Yes
No
My take: No data here, but I have a hard time believing either one of these offenses has allowed an opposing team to strike three times before putting up some points of their own. Tremendously great value here in my opinion.
And to conclude...
Player Odds
Odds to win 2010 Super Bowl XLIV MVP
Peyton Manning (IND) 2/3
Drew Brees (NO) 9/4
Pierre Thomas (NO) 10/1
Reggie Bush (NO) 10/1
Joseph Addai (IND) 10/1
Reggie Wayne (IND) 10/1
Dallas Clark (IND) 12/1
Marques Colston (NO) 12/1
Pierre Garcon (IND) 14/1
Mike Bell (NO) 20/1
Devery Henderson (NO) 20/1
Jeremy Shockey (NO) 20/1
Austin Collie (IND) 20/1
Donald Brown (IND) 25/1
Robert Meachem (NO) 25/1
Darren Sharper (NO) 28/1
Dwight Freeney (IND) 30/1
Robert Mathis (IND) 40/1
Jonathan Vilma (NO) 40/1
Will Smith (NO) 50/1
Lance Moore (NO) 50/1
David Thomas (NO) 50/1
Antoine Bethea (IND) 50/1
Gary Brackett (IND) 50/1
Clint Session (IND) 50/1
Garrett Hartley (NO) 75/1
Matt Stover (IND) 75/1