MyBookie Head Oddsmaker tells us whether it’s a good idea to get your Super Bowl bets in early or wait until kickoff.
We are now less than a week away from Super Bowl 55, with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers set to lock horns at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa this coming Sunday. This is arguably the most heavily betted game in professional sports, with a ton of money already riding on the outcome.
That begs the question as to whether it’s a good idea to get your Super Bowl bets in early or last minute. What’s the best strategy to maximize your chances of cashing in?
MyBookie Head Oddsmaker David Strauss shares his insights to get you can get ready to place your Super Bowl bets.
The Cons of Betting Right Before Game Time
Two weeks is a lot of time to be breaking downtrends in hopes of making sure that your wagers are all winners. It’s always a good idea to study the data and make informed wagers, but it is also possible to take it a little too far. Taking a deep dive into those trends can lead to some bettors becoming more confused and less sure of their wagers, which in turn could lead to bad choices. Make your decisions early but wait to see how the odds change before finally pulling the trigger.
We cannot talk about wagering late without mentioning external factors that could come into play. Imagine that you are all set to go but have no internet when the time comes to wager. Or how about going out to a bar to watch the game and realizing that you left your phone at home and cannot access your mobile betting account. Both are unlikely, but also not impossible. Sometimes, it is better to be safe than sorry.
What are the Best Early Bets?
According to Strauss, the answer here is the Point Totals Over/Under bet. It’s the most appealing for hardcore fans who have a rooting interest and the odds typically don’t fluctuate that greatly leading up to kickoff.
Kansas City Chiefs O/U: 46
Tampa Bay Buccaneers O/U: 27
Combined total O/U: 56.5
There are also several prop bets that you can get in on early, such as the coin toss and the length of the national anthem.
Consider the coin toss, after all, it’s a 50/50 bet and you can double your money before the game even begins. The odds for heads and tails are -105, which means that you would get $195 back on a $100 bet if you choose correctly. That’s a great way to start the game, plus it also gives you some money to use on other prop bets.
Also, before the game, you have a shot at wagering on the length of the national anthem, with this year’s O/U set at 2 minutes and 3 seconds. It is favored to stay under, but if you feel like taking a shot, you can get the OVER at +100. In case you’re wondering, Alicia Keys has the record for the longest anthem in Super Bowl history with a performance lasting two minutes and 35 seconds. The smart money is probably on the under, in the last 28 Super Bowls, the average performance length has been roughly one minute and 55 seconds.
Wait to Make Your Super Bowl Bet Right Before the Game. Is it a Good Idea?
The Pros of Betting Right Before Game Time
There are a few definite advantages in waiting right up until game time to get your bets on. The odds for the Super Bowl are released two weeks in advance of the big game. Sometimes they stay the same right through until kick-off, but very often they will change. A half-point here and there may not seem like a lot, but in a close game, it can be the difference between a winning and losing ticket. Bettors on the fence are probably best to wait to see how those odds shift right up until game time.
This season has been very different from what we are used to, as playing through a pandemic has caused more than a few wrinkles. Every player taking part in the Super Bowl is being tested regularly and being kept under wraps, but that doesn’t mean that COVID won’t become a factor over the next few days. It only takes one or two players to test positive for the odds and potential outcome to shift dramatically.
Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5)
Bottom line: Go with your gut.
Betters can end up second-guessing themselves if waiting until the last minute to wager on the Super Bowl, which could well mean that you end up losing bets that you would have won had you just gone with your initial feeling and placed the wager early.
And remember to have fun!
The beauty of the Super Bowl is all the prop bets that cover just about every aspect of the game. Have a hunch about what color will the Gatorade be? You can wager on that – but just know that orange has been the most popular color in recent years.
