LAS VEGAS — If you don't know the first thing about football but still want to bet on the 2024 Super Bowl, there are hundreds of so-called proposition bets that require zero understanding of the game, let alone insights into who the best players are or which team might win.
Non-football fans who want in on the action can place wagers on everything from which team will win the coin toss to what brand of shoes half-time performer Usher will be wearing during his show. Other bets will focus on Taylor Swift, including how often she'll appear on camera, and whether or not the pop-star and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, will announce their first pregnancy — a proposition that oddsmakers believe is unlikely.
Other prop bets have to do with the content of the broadcast's commercials and which celebrities will most often appear in them.
What is a prop bet?
Prop bets go way back, but they first made a splash at the Super Bowl in 1985, according to Sports Illustrated. Some bets relate to the action on the filed, such as which player will score the first touchdown or what the final score will be. Other, quirkier prop bets are only tangentially related to the big game.
"Prop bets are wagers on things like the crowd's behavior, the number of people in attendance, and which player will perform the best. It can even give odds on how many celebrities will attend the Super Bowl," BetUS explains on its website. "Prop wagers are popular because they provide a different aspect to sports betting than conventional wagers."
"Novelty props that have nothing to do with game itself are incredibly popular," BetMGM spokesperson John Ewing told CBS MoneyWatch.
Taylor Swift prop bets
Amid her record-setting "Eras Tour" as well as a related blockbuster film, Swift is believed to have boosted the NFL's viewership this year after she started dating Kelce. And gambling industry pros expect her attendance at this year's Super Bowl to draw in bettors.
"We definitely expect to see a significant uptick in the prop bets because of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. We think some of these are going to get a fair amount of action," BetUS spokesperson Tim Williams said. "She's peppered throughout all of the different props."
Simply put, "Taylor Swift is helping sports books," Williams added
Swift-related prop bets available through BetUS include:
- How many times will she be shown on camera during the halftime show?
- Will Swift and Kelce appear together in a commerical?
- Will the couple announce their first pregnancy at the Super Bowl?
- Will they be shown kissing after the game?
Usher's halftime show
Usher, who also appeared as a musical guest during the Black Eyed Peas' Super Bowl appearance in 2011, is set to headline the 58th Super Bowl's halftime show. The NFL has not yet said if any other artists will join him on stage, leaving room for bettors to make wagers.
"The most engaged series of prop bets we see every year is on the halftime show," Williams said.
For instance, fans can bet on:
- What song Usher will perform first
- Who he'll perform with
- The number of songs in his set list
- The number of backup dancers featured
- The brand of shoes Usher will wear during his performance
- Will he wear sunglasses?
Gatorade bath bet
Indeed, prop bets are available for almost every aspect of the event one could think of, down to the color of Gatorade that will be poured over the winning team's coach, a perennially popular wager.
"Traditionally at the end of the game, the winning team's players dump Gatorade on top of the coach," Ewing of BetMGM told CBS MoneyWatch.
Purple is currently favored, according to BetMGM.
The ads
Many Super Bowl viewers tune in chiefly for the TV commercials. Given their popularity, a number of prop bets have to do with the ads, including the companies and brands that will be represented. This year, TV ad props from BetUS include:
- What company's TV ad will air first?
- Which celebrity will be featured in the greatest number of commercials?
