The best sporting event of the year is upon us with Super Bowl LIII featuring the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams this weekend. The three-time defending AFC Champions are the favorites to win by a narrow margin but there are plenty of other bets to place on and off the field. So for the final football version of Beating The Spread, we take a look at some of the best bets to place.
Game Bets
Los Angeles Rams Vs. New England Patriots: NE -3, O/U 57
Not surprisingly, the duo of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are the favorites this weekend given their huge advantage in experience. However, this is one of their few advantages over the Rams.
The key to defeating Brady is to pressure him and the Rams have invested a ton of talent on their defensive line. Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh were already a terrifying tandem but adding Dante Fowler upped their pressure (literally) even more.
The Patriots have kept Brady upright this postseason but this defensive line isn’t like anything they’ve faced yet. The AFC Championship showed the Patriots’ defense is still vulnerable against high-octane offenses which the Rams have ready to go.
Call: Rams Beat The Spread, Over 57
Team With Highest Scoring Half: NE -130, LA +125
The Rams offense has been one of the best all season. It hit a rough patch toward the end of the season but after scoring 26 and 30 points in both their postseason games, it seems they are back on track. This line is understandable given the Patriots have scored more in both of their games but it’s important to note one of those games was against the Chiefs who ranked 31st in the league in total defense this year. This is a good chance to bet the Rams offense can take advantage of a weak Patriots defensive squad.
Call: Rams Have The Highest Scoring Half
Will There Be a Lead Change In The Second Half: Yes +135, No -165
The explanation for this bet is fairly straightforward. Such a close line at -3 for the Patriots makes sense as this will probably be a tight contest throughout. Close games mean constant lead changes especially in the second half as the situations become more intense. Additionally, in all but one of the Super Bowls, the Patriots have appeared in this decade, there has been a second-half lead change.
Call: Yes, There Will Be A Second-Half Lead Change
Prop Bets
How Long Will The National Anthem Last: Over 1:47 -160, Under +120
This is my all-time favorite prop bet. Since I was in middle school, my friends and I would take bets on how long the national anthem would be sung and it would be a source of pride for the next few months. Normally, I look for the underdog bet to place so bettors can make more money but this time, the smart play is to go for the favorite. Since 2006, only two artists have hit the under (other than P!nk who had it set at two minutes) so it’s a safe bet that Gladys Knight is no different.
Call: Over 1:47
How Many Times Will The Broadcast Mention Sean McVay’s Age: Over 1.5 -220, Under +155
Again, this is one of those bets where the favorite is just too good not to go for. Sean McVay’s age is on par with things broadcasters love to bring up along with the lines of Tony Gonzalez played basketball and Brady was a sixth-round pick. There is no way they only mention the potentially youngest coach to ever win a Super Bowl only once.
Call: Over 1.5
Who Will The Super Bowl MVP Mention First In His Speech
If there is one thing as a sports journalist I know well, it’s clichés from coaches and players. “We gave it 100 percent” or “This was a team win.” I’ve heard it hundreds of times from a variety of people. No matter your background or situation, they are cemented in their ways of saying nothing with a lot of words. The one thing that is also always constant is the comradery teams feel after big wins and there is no win bigger than the Super Bowl. That’s why the pick for who gets the first mention will almost definitely be his teammates.
Call: Teammates +160