Author: Brian Walker

February is drawing to a close, which means it’s almost time for the NCAA Tournament. While the NBA is king in terms of popularity in the US, millions of Americans will suddenly transform into college basketball experts at some point over the next few weeks. Filling out a bracket is essentially a rite of passage for Americans nowadays.


The NCAA Tournament is also one of the more popular events for betting on the American sports calendar. Americans reportedly wagered more than $8 billion on the 2019 NCAA Tournament, which was a new record. One would imagine March Madness will continue to set records in that regard moving forward, especially with the way sports betting is expanding in popularity and legality throughout the United States. About 47 million Americans bet on March Madness last year, which comes out to one of every five adults in the country.

If you’re going to find yourself in Las Vegas for the event, we’ve listed the best sportsbooks in Las Vegas that offer March Madness betting. Now, this leads us to the next thing that all bettors should take into account:

Everyone has their own strategy when it comes to filling out their brackets. Some take a deep dive into the numbers in an attempt to become as educated as possible about every team in the tournament. Others take a more simplified approach, like choosing which mascot they prefer or picking a team based on how cool the uniforms look.

That said, there are steps you can take in order to give yourself an edge. If you’re new to betting on the NCAA Tournament, be sure to take heed of the following 5 tips that can help you become a profitable college basketball bettor in March.

1 – Seeding Matters in March Madness Betting

68 teams qualify for the tournament on a yearly basis, but all teams are not created equal. In an attempt to keep things interesting, the NCAA convenes a committee of experts in order to seed all 68 teams based on perceived quality. The best teams in the country get higher seeds, while lesser teams get lower seeds.

A well-known program like Duke, North Carolina or UCLA is generally going to be better than the Austin Peay States, UTEPs and Florida Atlantics of the world. This obviously isn’t the case every year, but high seeds generally make for smart bets when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. In fact, no team seeded No. 1 in a region lost their first-round game until Virginia fell at the hands of UMBC in 2018. Before that upset, No. 16 seeds were 0-132 all-time against top seeds in first-round matchups. As of now, the record for 16s is 1-139 against teams seeded No. 1.

In the history of the Final Four, the higher seed has covered the spread a whopping 75 percent of the time. Upsets happen every year, but the smart money is still behind the favorites.

2 – Take Note of Defense

The college game is generally less fluid than the one we see at the professional level. College games are only 40 minutes long as opposed to 48-minute NBA games, and scoring is at a premium. Teams that coast through the regular season thanks to a high-scoring offense usually come to find that breaking down a top-tier defense is more complicated once you get to the tournament.

So, betting on teams that excel on defense is a wise move. Teams that rely too heavily on offense while ignoring the other end of the floor are prone to falling flat in the tournament. One poor shooting performance can lead to an early exit. The defense is all about the hustle. A team that plays with a defense-first approach is more able to grind out a result despite a rough shooting performance than a team that doesn’t give as much effort on that side of the court.

If you’re betting on a quality defensive team, it’s also smart to bet the under in those same games.

3 – Take Personal Bias Out of the Equation

This tip applies to betting on all sports, not just college basketball. In most cases, people like to back their favorite teams to win. If you went to college in Oregon, for example, you’re going to have a hard time not betting on the Ducks to win every game they play. That’s just the nature of being a fan.

However, betting with your heart is an easy way to lose money in a hurry. Fans generally think their own favorite team is better than it really is, which can lead to some disastrous betting decisions. The smartest thing you can do as a bettor is to either avoid betting on games involving your favorite team or take an honest approach to it.

Frankly, the games involving your favorite team will be more fun to watch if you aren’t also having to sweat a point spread along the way. Personal biases also apply to fill out your bracket. Don’t bet on a team to win a game just because you previously picked them to advance to the next round in your office pool.

4 – Don’t Bet on Every March Madness Game

With 68 teams in the field, there are plenty of betting options when it comes to March Madness. The fact that it’s a single-elimination tournament makes the stakes incredibly high. There are also enough games to where you can take a more disciplined approach to the action you want to get.

It can be easy to get caught up in the spectacle of the NCAA Tournament. If you do a basic level of research, you’ll probably start to feel as though you’re an expert. However, part of the charm when it comes to March Madness is the uncertainty. Needless to say, nobody saw UMBC beating Virginia in 2018 before it actually happened. Upsets are the hallmark of the NCAA’s signature event.

While betting on every game might seem fun at first, it won’t take long for you to realize that it was a mistake. Not every game is going to have great value from a betting perspective, which is why you have to be diligent about picking the right bets. Avoiding doubling down and chasing your losses is also a smart way to manage your bankroll.

5 – Location Matters

The NCAA Tournament takes place at a variety of sites all over the United States, and often times the locations are chosen strategically to help higher seeds.

Home court advantage matters during the regular season, and it’s even more meaningful at “neutral site” tournament games. Fans are more likely to travel in support of their favorite team if the tournament games happen to be located conveniently close to campus. Oddsmakers are on top of things, but any little edge can help you as a bettor.

Conclusion

There are no tried-and-true methods to ensuring that you’ll be profitable in your March Madness betting endeavors. However, following these easy tips will at least give you a head start if you’re dipping your toes into the NCAA Tournament betting pond for the first time.

The spring is a busy time of year for basketball bettors. College basketball season is winding down, which means the NCAA Tournament is right around the corner. March Madness is one of the most popular sports betting events of the year on an annual basis. In 2019, Americans wagered over $8.5 billion on the men’s NCAA Tournament alone.

The NBA season is also entering its stretch run, with the playoffs on the horizon. The NBA playoffs are a two-month marathon that typically come to a close with the Finals in June. Nowadays, basketball is essentially a year-round sport. You can almost always find some sort of basketball competition going on, even in the middle of the summer, when international tournaments, the WNBA and the NBA’s Summer League are in action.

Betting on basketball can be a profitable endeavor if you’re careful. Avoiding common mistakes is one of the most important things you can do if you want to embark on a successful basketball betting endeavor. Steering clear of the following landmines won’t guarantee success, but it will put you on the right track, at the very least.

The following are 5 easy mistakes to avoid when betting on basketball.

Betting With Your Heart

This rule applies to all sports. Fandom is a very real thing, and people get emotionally tied to their favorite sports teams. As a result, people can be blinded by their fandom, which can lead to some questionable decisions when it comes to betting. One thing you absolutely must do if you want to be a successful bettor is eliminate all personal biases, both positive and negative.

This means you have to disassociate from your fandom when it comes to betting. A lot of people put money on a game in order to make the stakes more interesting.

Betting with your brain instead of your heart is a winning strategy, though. Far too many bettors let their fandom decide where to put their money when it comes to betting on basketball. Frankly, the best path you can take is to bet on games that don’t happen to involve your favorite (or least-favorite) team.

Ignoring Injury Situations

Injuries play a huge role in all sports betting, and basketball is no exception. Oddsmakers are constantly keeping an eye on the news, as injury situations can change the entire complexion of a game’s odds.

Basketball injury situations tend to be somewhat fluid. In the NBA, we often don’t know whether a certain player is going to play until just moments before the game tips off. The league has tried to crack down on star players missing games for rest purposes, but teams are still engaging in questionable practices when it comes to actually revealing injury information.

Waiting to place your bets until all injury news is reported is likely the best option, if you can make it happen. If you want to take a more risky approach, you can try to take advantage of an early betting line before news officially breaks. If a star player is listed as “questionable” to play in a game with an injury, it’s a 50/50 proposition that he’ll play. That will be reflected in the odds. Placing a bet before the injury news becomes official is one way to potentially get an edge over the books.

Be cognizant of any and all injury information before placing your bets, though. Bettors that ignore such info are subjecting themselves to getting burned.

Ignoring Schedules

Basketball season is a long one. Every team in the NBA plays 82 regular season games every year, and that doesn’t include preseason or playoff action. The league has tried to ease the scheduling concerns by stretching the season out over a longer period of time, but things like travel will always complicate the schedule.

As a bettor, checking the schedule before betting is a must. Let’s say you want to bet on a game between the Pistons and Bulls. The Bulls haven’t played in 2 days, while the Pistons are set to play the second night of a back-to-back after playing the night before. Obviously, the Bulls would have an advantage from a rest perspective here. The Pistons, after playing a game the previous night, won’t be as well-rested.

This may sound minor considering professional athletes are capable of handling a rigorous schedule, but you need to take advantage of every potential edge as a bettor. Knowing whether a team is at the end of a grueling road trip or whether a team has had a number of days off really does impact the outcomes of the games.

Chasing Losses

This is another rule of thumb that applies to betting on all sports. Even the best bettors are going to endure their fair share of losses. One of the main tenets of being a successful bettor is bankroll management. One way to make your bankroll decline in a hurry, though, is to double-down and chase your losses.

No bettor has a 100 percent success rate. Part of what makes sports betting fun is the uncertainty. Picking your spots and identifying value in the odds is hugely important. Some bettors may have a tendency to try and make up for their lost bets by placing an ill-conceived bet on another game that they normally may not have bet on at all. These decisions can often be made in haste without taking everything into account, which is an easy way to lose money in a hurry.

Manage your bankroll smartly. Every bettor endures ebbs and flows when it comes to winnings, but having enough discipline to avoid chasing losses is key to long-term sustainability.

Overlooking Game Location

Home-court advantage is real. Just about every basketball team is going to have a better success rate on their home floor than they will on the road.

This goes hand-in-hand with the mistake bettors make when it comes to ignoring the schedule. Let’s say the 32-10 Lakers are set to face the 22-20 Rockets in Houston. The Lakers may have the better overall record, but Houston boasts a solid home record of 18-4. The Lakers, meanwhile, are just 13-8 away from home. You may think the Lakers are the clear better betting option due to their overall record, but Houston’s track record of success on their home court should not be overlooked.

Conclusion

There are plenty of factors in play that you have to consider if you want to make money betting on basketball. There is no single golden rule to follow that will automatically turn you into a winning bettor, but keeping all of these aspects in mind before placing your bets will prove fruitful in the long run.

Taking these factors seriously and treating your basketball betting like a job rather than a hobby will help you inflate your bankroll over the course of the long season.

The 2019-20 NBA season is wide-open. Now that football season is over, we can expect the NBA to move to the front and center of the American sports betting landscape. The Golden State Warriors, who have ruled the league for the last half-decade, saw their 2020 championship hopes dashed when the roster was essentially dismantled over the summer.

The dissolution of the Warriors has led to some fresh NBA betting opportunities. Let’s not forget that Golden State spent the entirety of last season as a minus-money favorite to win the title. The championship ultimately didn’t come to fruition for the Warriors, but their odds of getting back to the top of the mountain were dashed when Kevin Durant decided to leave for Brooklyn in July. That combined with injuries to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have resulted in Golden State plunging to the bottom of the Western Conference.

So, we’re going to have a new Western representative in the NBA Finals. The prevailing assumption for months has been that one of the two Los Angeles teams will take Golden State’s spot atop the conference.

A title isn’t a foregone conclusion for either team, though. The Western Conference has been deep for years, and there are a few other teams out there capable of making some noise in the playoffs. The team that gave Golden State the most trouble over the past few seasons is among them. That would be the Houston Rockets, who are sitting at 32-18 and in the No. 5 spot as of now.

Houston is basically all-in on this season. The Rockets would have been good enough to win a title back in 2018 were it not for the Warriors, and this season likely represents Houston’s best shot of winning a title with James Harden still in his prime.

Late Tuesday night, Houston reportedly swung a deal that sent center Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks in a 4-team trade that landed Robert Covington with the Rockets. After the trade, the Rockets saw their odds of winning the 2020 NBA at most basketball betting sites title improve to +1400. Does Houston make for a viable betting option to win it all?

NBA Title Betting Odds

Houston’s roster shakeup improved their odds, but the Rockets are still quite a ways behind the top-3. The teams with the best odds of winning the championship this season at BetOnline are listed as follows:

As you can see, the Rockets share their +1400 odds with the Philadelphia 76ers. Denver and Utah aren’t far behind at +1600 apiece, while Boston and Toronto are both at +1800.

Still, there is a very clear gap between the field and the top-3. The Lakers (LeBron James), Bucks (Giannis Antetokounmpo) and Clippers (Kawhi Leonard) arguably feature the 3 best players in the league. Basketball is a team game, but star power tends to reign supreme in the NBA.

Can Houston Get Past Denver and Utah?

A trip to the NBA Finals has eluded the Rockets since the mid-1990s when they won back-to-back titles. Houston has come close during the James Harden era, but the Warriors have thwarted the Rockets’ title dreams on multiple occasions.

The Rockets have been in wobbly form of late, but Houston is still a lock to make the playoffs. Their chances of making it to the Conference Finals likely depend on which seed they wind up with.

As mentioned, Houston is currently fifth. However, the Rockets are just 3 games behind the Clippers for the No. 2 seed, 2.5 games behind Denver for No. 3 and a half-game adrift of Utah for the No. 4 spot.

It’s worth mentioning that Denver and Utah have had almost zero success against the Rockets during Harden’s tenure. The Jazz were easily beaten in 5 games by the Rockets in the first round of last year’s playoffs. 2 years ago, they lost to Houston in 5 games in the conference semis.

Since drafting Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have gone just 5-11 against the Rockets. Denver does have a 2-2 head-to-head record against Houston this season, but Harden sat out of the Nuggets’ second victory due to injury.

How the Rockets fare without a true center in Capela remains to be seen. Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokic have struggled to defend Capela in the Rockets’ screen-and-roll offense over the years. That component missing from Houston’s offense could play into the hands of both Denver and Utah.

NBA Western Conference Title Odds

By trading Capela, the Rockets are fully embracing center-less basketball. The team has been playing the 6’5″ PJ Tucker at the 5 during Capela’s recent injury absence. While Houston is still widely expected to add another center before the trade deadline, one would imagine the Capela trade is a sign that Tucker will be the team’s starting center moving forward.

How that works against teams with legitimate bigs (Jazz, Nuggets, Lakers) remains to be seen. The Rockets have won each of their last 3 games despite having no player over 6’6″ (other than 3 minutes of Isaiah Hartenstein) play a single minute.

Houston has the third-best odds to win the West despite being behind Denver and Utah in the current standings:

The Rockets are going to try and barrage teams with 3-pointers. For all intents and purposes, Russell Westbrook may wind up being the team’s biggest rim-running threat now that Capela is gone. Guys like Tucker, Covington, Danuel House and Ben McLemore are going to have all sorts of open looks with defenses keying in on stopping Harden and Russ.

The tiny Rockets may be better-equipped to deal with the Clippers in a playoff series than anybody else. Covington gives the Rockets another wing defender with the size and athleticism to bother the likes of Leonard or Paul George in a playoff series. Covington, Tucker, House, McLemore and Austin Rivers have shown capable defensive chops, while Harden has proven to be an underrated post defender.

Betting Value is There in Houston

Houston may have the fourth-best title odds of any team, but getting through the deep Western Conference before even having to potentially face a dangerous Bucks team in the Finals is an awful lot to ask.

Time will tell if the Rockets have enough firepower beyond Harden offensively. Some teams have opted to throw an extra defender Harden’s way, essentially daring the rest of the Rockets to try and beat them.

At the very least, I would be willing to take a low-dollar flier on the Rockets’ current +1400 odds. We have never seen a team try to play center-less basketball quite this boldly, and I do think the small-ball could prove to be a difficult matchup for a more slow-paced team like the Lakers over the course of a long series.

The Lakers, Bucks and Clippers are understandable favorites, and all 3 make for solid value bets themselves. If you want more profit potential in your NBA title bet, though, I don’t think it’s crazy to look to the new-look Rockets at +1400.

The Super Bowl is the most popular sporting event in the United States on a yearly basis. Super Bowl 54 between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in just over 24 hours will draw hundreds of millions of eyeballs from all over the world. In the United States alone, the American Gaming Association says nearly $7 billion will be wagered on the game.

Let’s say you’re new to the world of sports betting, and you want to get your feet wet with Super Bowl 54. Well, you’ve picked the right event. Betting on the Super Bowl is a unique experience that offers all sorts of options and profit potential.

Placing a bet on the game at a sportsbook is pretty self-explanatory. Doing so online, though, is a different matter. That said, placing a bet on the Super Bowl has never been easier. Read on for the steps you need to take in order to bet on Super Bowl 54.

Find a Safe Super Bowl Betting Site

You might take this for granted if you’re just embarking on a sports betting career, but finding a safe, reputable betting site is arguably the most important step you can take. There are all sorts of sketchy betting sites populating the web. Unfortunately, not every site out there has your best interests in mind.

Bovada, BetOnline and MyBookie are 3 of the best sports betting sites in the industry, and you can’t go wrong with any of them from a safety perspective. Check out our list of the best Super Bowl betting sites in order to find the site that best suits your interests as a bettor.

Sign Up and Create an Account

You’ll need to create an account if you want to bet on Super Bowl 54 online. Unless you’re new to the internet as a whole, you’ll be quite familiar with the sign-up process. Signing up for a betting site is hardly any different from signing up for a Facebook account or an online banking account.

Just about every reputable betting site will have a “Join” or “Sign Up” prompt right at the top of the home page. Click that, and you’ll be taken to a screen at which you can enter some personal information, such as your name, password, etc. Verify that you’ve entered the information correctly, and then click your account. It’s really that easy.

Deposit Money and Claim Your Bonus

Betting requires risking money. If you’re going to bet online, you have to have money in your account to start with. Every reputable Super Bowl betting site will offer some sort of sign-up bonus these days. For example, you can earn a bonus of a percentage of your initial deposit up to a certain amount.

So, if you deposit $100 into your account at a site that offers a 50 percent welcome bonus, the site will fund your account with an extra $50 with which to bet. You can’t simply withdraw the extra cash they give you, though. The money is essentially a credit to be used on the site.

You can deposit money into your account via a debit card, credit card, or an eWallet service like PayPal. Lots of betting sites these days even accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a deposit method.

Once you have your account set up and funded, you are ready to get started with the fun part.

Browse Betting Options

As mentioned, betting on the Super Bowl is different from doing so with most other sporting events. Betting sites and sportsbooks tend to go all-out with their offerings in anticipation of America’s biggest sporting event every year. Sites are constantly updating their odds to reflect the latest trends when it comes to the Super Bowl.

Under a site’s “Football” tab, you’ll suddenly see a bevy of betting options. Regular game lines, alternate betting lines, team prop bets, player prop bets, halftime prop bets, you name it. If it exists, you can bet on it.

If you’re just getting started, you’ll probably want to kick off your betting career with more standard options like the point spread, moneyline or over/under. As you get more comfortable and figure out how you want to bet, you can move on to other options like props.

Bet!

The Chiefs have been listed as 1-point favorites to beat the 49ers in Super Bowl 54. This is one of the tightest spreads we’ve seen in any Super Bowl, and both teams have seen their fair share of betting action as a result. Most of the bets have been placed on the Chiefs to cover, but the 49ers have emerged as a very popular option among sharp bettors in the build-up to kickoff.

Let’s say you want to take a risk on the underdog 49ers to win the game outright on the moneyline. All you have to do is find the moneyline tab on the standard betting line for the game, and click the box next to 49ers +105. You selection will be automatically highlighted by the site.

Scroll to the right side of the page to find your “Bet Slip.” Choose “Straight Bet.” After that, you can enter the amount you wish to risk on this particular bet.

The site will confirm your bet before giving you the chance to finalize it. Then, you have to sit back, relax, and hope you’re on the right side of your wager.

Conclusion

Different Super Bowl betting sites have different layouts, but all of them are comparable in terms of what they offer. Navigating your way through the array of odds may be a bit dizzying at first, but you’ll eventually find that placing a bet online for Super Bowl 54 is an incredibly easy and pain-free process.

Good luck with your Super Bowl betting endeavors!

The Super Bowl is the most-watched television even in the United States each and every year. In fact, the Super Bowl accounts for 19 of the 20 most-watched TV programs in the history of the US. The only exception was the series finale of MASH, which aired in February of 1983. Super Bowl 49 between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, which took place in 2015, accrued a record 114,442,000 viewers.

While viewership was way down for Super Bowl 53 between the Patriots and Los Angeles Rams last February, it still ranks as the 12th most-watched program ever. So, even when Super Bowl ratings are down, they still crush the competition on a yearly basis.

The Super Bowl is also the most popular sporting event from a betting perspective in the US every year. This year’s game between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs is expected to set a new record on that front.

We can expect new Super Bowl betting records to be set in the years to come with the way sports betting is forcing its way into the American mainstream. 14 states currently accept sports bets, and more are set to follow suit in the months and years to come. Sports betting has exploded in the US since the Supreme Court made it legal for states to offer legal sports betting in May of 2018.

Massive bets on Super Bowl 2020 keep coming in. The following are the 10 biggest Super Bowl 54 bets on Chiefs-49ers as of Thursday afternoon.

10. $110,000 on Over 52.5 Points (Westgate Las Vegas)

It’s safe to say the over has been the most popular bet at this year’s Super Bowl. Oddsmakers initially set the over/under for the game at 51 points, but the betting public has been hammering the over ever since. That has caused land-based sportsbooks and Super Bowl betting sites to keep raising the number.

The over/under as of this writing is set at 54 points. A whopping 85 percent of all money wagered on the total has come in on the over, so the increased number hasn’t led to a whole lot of interest in the under. One well-timed bettor was able to get the over on 52.5 points at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas just a few hours after odds went live.

This bettor slapped $110,000 on the 49ers and Chiefs combining to score at least 53 points in Super Bowl 54 at -110 odds. If the over hits, that bettor will net another $99,990.

9. $115,000 on Chiefs Moneyline (Rampart Casino Las Vegas)

Most sportsbooks labeled Super Bowl 2020 as a pick’em immediately after the matchup was set back on January 19. However, massive amounts of money instantly came in on Kansas City to win the game, which caused oddsmakers to shift their strategy. Ever since, the Chiefs have been listed as slight favorites to win. Most betting sites currently have Kansas City as a 1-point favorite.

The game having such a tight spread means the moneylines are attractive options. You can get the 49ers as plus-money underdogs, but the Chiefs’ ML is still a very alluring bet. One bettor at the Rampart Casino in Las Vegas threw down $115,000 on the Chiefs to win the game outright at -115 odds. If Kansas City wins, the bettor will earn a profit of $10,005.

8. $120,000 on Chiefs -1 (CG Technology Sportsbook Las Vegas)

The Chiefs own the best against-the-spread record in the NFL this season. Kansas City has gone 12-5-1 ATS, playoffs included. That’s a cover percentage north of 70 percent, which is certainly hard to beat. For the sake of comparison, the 49ers are 11-6-1 ATS, which is the fourth-best mark and a cover percentage of 64.7 percent. So, something has to give in Super Bowl 54.

The Chiefs winning the game by exactly a point would obviously be a push. However, 3 of the 10 biggest Super Bowl 54 bets have come in on KC to win by at least 2 points. This CG Technology bettor would earn $109,080 in profit if the Chiefs cover the spread.

7. $120,000 on 49ers Moneyline (Rampart Casino Las Vegas)

I am guessing this bettor is not the same Rampart Casino patron that wagered $115,000 on the Chiefs’ -115 moneyline. Both Super Bowl bets came in last Friday, but this bettor is a bit more optimistic. San Francisco finished the season 13-3 overall, which is slightly better than the Chiefs’ 12-4 regular season mark.

While the other bettor took the Chiefs’ slightly safer -115 odds, this one is taking a shot on the underdog 49ers at +120 on the moneyline. This bet offers way more profit potential, of course. If the bet hits, the bettor will earn a hefty profit of $144,000 on top of his or her $120,000 initial wager.

6. $150,000 on Chiefs Moneyline (MGM Sportsbook Las Vegas)

While the other bettor that took a shot on the Kansas City moneyline got decent -115 odds, this bettor that threw down $150,000 on the Chiefs at the MGM Grand and got -125.

Of course, a wager this large is still going to offer a solid payout, even at minus odds. If Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and co. are able to lead the Chiefs to the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl title, this better will still earn another $120,000 on top of their initial risk.

5. $187,000 on the 49ers Moneyline (Hollywood Casino West Virginia)

Here we have our first high-risk bet to come down outside of Las Vegas. One bettor at the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia put a hefty sum of $187,000 on the underdog 49ers to win the game as plus-money ‘dogs.

The odds aren’t as favorable (+107) as the moneyline odds our aforementioned Rampart Casino bettor got (+120), but plus-money is plus-money. If San Francisco wins its sixth Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, this West Virginia resident will pocket a cool $200,090.

4. $200,000 on Chiefs -1 (MGM Sportsbook Las Vegas)

A 1-point spread isn’t a pick’em, but it might as well be. One of the good things about prognosticators expecting Super Bowl 2020 to be a tight game is that you can really feel decent about whichever Super Bowl 54 betting wagers you make.

This MGM bettor in Vegas is the first on our list to crack the $200,000 threshold. If the Chiefs win by at least 2, this guy or gal will take home a profit of $181,800 on top of the $200,000 risk at KC’s -110 odds.

3. $550,000 on Chiefs -1 (Bellagio Las Vegas)

Now we’re talking. I would imagine you have to be pretty confident to be willing to risk nearly half a million dollars on anything, let alone something as unpredictable as Super Bowl 54. The betting public is basically split on what is going to happen on Super Bowl Sunday. 53 percent of the money has come in on the Chiefs to cover the 1-point spread, while 47 percent is on the 49ers.

A lot of that money is coming from this Bellagio patron, who slapped $550,000 on Kansas City to take care of business. If the Chiefs get the job done, this person will bank $499,950.

2. $684,000 on 49ers +2 (DraftKings Sportsbook New Jersey)

The Chiefs have been 1-point favorites for the majority of the last couple of weeks, but some sportsbooks took so many Super Bowl 54 betting wagers on KC that they had no choice but to push the spread even further. The DraftKings Sportsbook in New Jersey had the 49ers as 2-point underdogs at times earlier this week.

One bettor is trying to capitalize on the opportunity. They got -114 odds on San Francisco to cover the 2-point spread, which obviously offers a bit more leeway than the +1 number we’re seeing just about everywhere else. If the Niners do cover, this risk-tolerant bettor will profit $599,868.

1. $1 Million on 49ers Moneyline (MGM Mirage Las Vegas)

As of now, we have just one bettor on record that has been willing to risk at least $1 million on a single Super Bowl 54 bet. As it turns out, you’ve probably heard of him if you have been keeping up with betting news over the past few months. Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, the Houston-based furniture salesman that made headlines for betting around $11 million on his hometown Astros to win the World Series last fall, is the person putting $1 million on San Francisco to win the Super Bowl outright.

Mattress Mack also placed two separate Super Bowl bets worth $500,000 apiece on the Titans to beat the Chiefs as underdogs in the AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs beat the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round, so perhaps that’s what has caused Mattress Mack to take such an anti-Chiefs stance over the past few weeks. His other recent bets obviously haven’t gone well, but if he hits on the 49ers’ moneyline at +120, McIngvale will win an extra $1,200,000.

Are you ready for some football? Super Bowl 54 is just over 72 hours away. Millions of Americans will gather around to watch television’s biggest spectacle on Sunday evening when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Miami.

While plenty of people will host Super Bowl parties at their homes, many will decide to watch the game at a bar or restaurant. The Super Bowl also happens to be the biggest betting event in the US on a yearly basis. As a result, thousands will make their way to visit Las Vegas in order to get some action on the game.

If you’re not a die-hard fan of the Chiefs or the 49ers, putting some money on the game is a way to make things more exciting. Sportsbooks all over Sin City will be showing the game’s live broadcast on CBS. You’ll have to make a reservation at most casino viewing parties considering these events fill up quickly, so don’t hesitate to get your name on the list.

The following are the best sportsbooks in Las Vegas for betting on Super Bowl 54.

Westgate SuperBook

The Westgate may not be located on the famed Las Vegas Strip, but the SuperBook is perhaps one of the best places to watch the 2020 Super Bowl in town. The SuperBook calls itself “The World’s Largest Las Vegas Sportsbook” for a reason.

The SuperBook’s oddsmakers are constantly updating their 2020 Super Bowl odds and they’ll be taking bets on the game all day long. The massive venue occupies more than 30,000 square feet of space that includes over 350 seats and a massive 220-foot video screen.

You can also make a reservation to catch the game in the SuperBook’s VIP Section. The venue includes VIP Booths and VIP Pods with ample seating for you and your entire viewing party. A fully-stocked bar and a special food menu will keep you satisfied as you sweat your bets on Super Bowl 54 Sunday.

Caesars Palace

The sportsbook at Caesars Palace isn’t the biggest one you’ll find in town, but it does feature a recently-reimagined viewing screen comparable to the aforementioned facade at the Westgate.

Caesars renovated its sportsbook a couple of years ago, and the new product is one of the best viewing and Super Bowl betting experiences in Las Vegas. Every seat for the Super Bowl 2020 at Caesars is reserved, and they’ll cost you a minimum of $100 just to get in. While the price is a bit high, it’s worth it. One of the Super Bowl 2020 packages available to guests features all-included food and drinks. If you don’t want that package, Caesars’ sportsbook is conveniently located right next to one of the best food courts in Vegas.

While the sportsbook doesn’t offer as many lines for betting on Super Bowl 2020 as the Westgate, the VIP seating arrangements makes for an intimate Super Bowl 54 viewing experience unlike any other on the Strip.

Wynn Las Vegas

You’ll find the Wynn at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip. While the sportsbook here may still lag behind the Westgate in terms of sheer number of options, the Wynn Las Vegas is likely the most comparable sportsbook you’ll find on the Strip itself.

The Wynn features no shortage of big screens and ample, comfortable seating.

Drink vouchers are expensive, but likely worth your while if you’re planning on sticking around for the entire game. They can run as much as $250. The overall vibe at the Wynn is a bit more relaxed than the one at the Westgate SuperBook, so if you’re in the market for a more laid-back Super Bowl 54 betting and viewing experience, the Wynn could be right up your alley.

Lagasse’s Stadium at The Venetian

The Venetian may not be as synonymous with 2020 Super Bowl betting as some of the other options on this list, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more impressive overall experience. The Venetian is conveniently located right in the heart of the Strip, so you’re essentially within walking distance regardless of where you’re actually staying.

The sportsbook at The Venetian is larger than the one at Caesars or the Wynn, and Lagasse’s Stadium features stadium-style seating that makes it easy to see the game regardless of where you’re sitting. You have to wager at least $300 in order to get a drink voucher, which is a hefty price, but putting more money on the game is a good way to make Super Bowl 2020 a lot more exciting.

Lagasse’s Stadium is often rated among the best sports bars in Vegas. You’ll need to make a reservation ahead of time if you want to get in, but if you’re bringing a big party it’s well worth your while. You can bet from your table while enjoying some of the best food in town. What’s not to like?

Mandalay Bay

Mandalay Bay is situated on the complete opposite side of the Strip from the likes of the Wynn and Venetian. So, if you happen to be on the south side, you’ll probably prefer to check out the Mandalay Bay. It’s not as easy to get here, but you’ll be pleased with what you find when you do.

The Mandalay Bay features one of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas with tons and tons of 2020 Super Bowl betting options. There is also no shortage of seating and TV screens just about everywhere you look.

Best of all, catching the game at the Mandalay Bay is a good way to avoid massive crowds. Because crossing Tropicana Avenue can be a difficult endeavor, most people choose to watch the Super Bowl at some of the Strip’s more central locations. The sportsbook, food and bar offerings aren’t lacking, to say the least.

Online Betting

The American Gaming Association expects Americans to wager nearly $7 billion on Super Bowl 54. The vast majority of that money will be bet at various Las Vegas sportsbooks and casinos. If you can’t make it to Vegas for the Big Game, you can still get in on the action via some of the premier Super Bowl online betting sites.

One of the best things about Vegas is that you don’t need to actually go to a casino or a sportsbook in order to bet on the 2020 Super Bowl. BetOnline, for example, has hundreds of prop bets and alternate lines in anticipation of the big game in addition to the standard point spread, moneyline and over/under options. These mobile apps and sites are accessible from anywhere in Las Vegas and are available in all 50 states.

So, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home or your hotel room if you want to bet on Super Bowl 54 in Vegas. If you’re not interested in dealing with noisy crowds, just fire up your favorite mobile betting app to do some Super Bowl betting instead.

Conclusion

There is nothing quite like watching the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. You have plenty of options at your disposal, so choose wisely! Whether you prefer the experience of catching Chiefs-49ers at a real sportsbook or betting online, Vegas is the place you need to be for Super Bowl 54.

Prop betting has become synonymous with the Super Bowl betting experience. Super Bowl prop bets have exploded in popularity in the years since William “The Refrigerator” Perry plunged into the end zone for the Chicago Bears against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 20. Perry, a 320-pound defensive lineman, scored an offensive touchdown in the game despite oddsmakers slapping 8-to-1 odds on it actually happening.

Super Bowl 54 between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers should be a fun one. The Chiefs have been installed as 1-point favorites at most Super Bowl betting sites, and public money is split nearly down the middle. 44 percent of the money wagered on Super Bowl 54 has come in on the 49ers to cover the spread, with 56 percent coming in on the Chiefs.

While most of that money will be bet on the game’s outcome, many Americans will try their hands at trying to hit on some of the more popular prop betting options.

Prop bets are a fun way to make the game more interesting, especially the things that happen during the game that don’t necessarily have a meaningful impact on the game’s final outcome. Prop bets can make you care about the minutiae, for better or for worse. Bovada, BetOnline and MyBookie all have a slew of props posted online.

Let’s snoop around some of the best Super Bowl 54 betting sites in order to find the best prop bets available as Super Bowl Sunday approaches.

Which Team Will Kickoff First?

Obviously, this prop comes down to the coin toss. The team that wins the coin toss obviously isn’t a lock to choose to receive the ball first, either. You’re not getting much upside with both teams owning identical -115 odds. Considering it’s the Super Bowl I would imagine both teams would choose to receive first if given the choice, but time will tell.

In case you’re curious, the 49ers have won the coin toss in 4 of their 5 Super Bowl wins. The Chiefs lost the coin toss in their only Super Bowl appearance to date.

Will the Opening Kickoff Be a Touchback?

The NFL has prioritized safety in recent years, which caused the league to alter its rules when it comes to kickoffs. Kickoff returns are inherently dangerous plays considering the running start both sides are able to get. So, the league pushed the kickoff up to a team’s own 35-yard-line. The move has resulted in the vast majority of kickoffs resulting in touchbacks, and returns are way down.

60 percent of the Chiefs’ kickoffs this season resulted in touchbacks. 50 percent of the 49ers’ kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. San Francisco ranked near the bottom of the league in that department (26th), while the Chiefs were 15th. There is pretty good value on the first kick not resulting in a touchback at +150, especially if the Niners happen to kick first. If the 49ers do kickoff, you’re getting +150 odds on what is literally a 50/50 proposition, based on the aforementioned touchback percentage.

Which Will Be the First Offensive Play?

This is another prop that depends on the result of the opening kickoff. The Chiefs ran passing plays 61.4 percent of the time during the regular season, which was the 10th-best mark in football. The 49ers, meanwhile, passed just 48.1 percent of the time, which ranked 31st. Jimmy Garoppolo infamously threw just 8 passes in the NFC Championship Game win over the Packers because Green Bay had absolutely no answer for San Francisco’s rushing attack.

So, if you think the Chiefs will get the ball first, bet pass play at +120. If you think San Fran will receive first, opt for run play at -160.

There’s value in the first play turning into a sack at +1000, but run or pass obviously make for far safer bets.

First Scoring Play of Super Bowl 54?

The option that seems to stand out the most here is the first score of Super Bowl 54 being a 49ers touchdown run at +500. As mentioned, the Niners are a run-heavy offense, and one would imagine they’ll stick with that strategy as long as it works for them in the Super Bowl. If Kansas City struggles to stop Raheem Mostert and co., there is little reason to believe San Francisco won’t just pound the ground game, as usual. So, the first score being a 49ers touchdown run at +500 makes for a pretty solid, high-upside option.

A Chiefs touchdown pass is understandably the favorite at +250. Patrick Mahomes threw 5 TD scores in the team’s Divisional Round triumph over the Texans, and he followed that up with 3 more in the AFC Championship Game against the Titans. The Chiefs are happy to take to the air, and we know Andy Reid will come in with an aggressive game plan. Seeing Mahomes connect on a big play to Tyreek Hill or Travis Kelce early in the game wouldn’t be a surprise, so the +250 odds on a Chiefs TD pass being the first scoring play of the game also makes for a strong bet.

Total Touchdowns

If you have the misfortune of remembering last year’s Super Bowl, you’ll remember that the Patriots and Rams combined to muster just one touchdown. Sony Michel plunged into the end zone for a 2-yard score to give New England a 10-3 lead, and that was the game’s lone touchdown. If you want to bet on a repeat performance, you can get the 49ers and Chiefs combining for 1 score at favorable +4000 odds.

This game will be more high-scoring, though. As you can see, BetOnline oddsmakers are more confident that the teams will combine for double-digit TDs than they are that we’ll get another one-touchdown Super Bowl. Thank goodness for that.

Super Bowl 52 between the Patriots and Eagles saw 9 total touchdowns, while Super Bowl 51 between the Pats and Falcons produced 8 scores. 9 touchdowns to be scored in Super Bowl 54 is awfully appealing at +2000, while 8 is perfectly fine at +800, as well. I would certainly bet on 5 or more TDs being scored before considering 4 or fewer touchdowns for this game.

Will Either Team Go Without a Punt?

Last year’s Super Bowl turned into a punting contest, which was absolutely awful. The Pats and Rams combined to punt the ball 14 times. I’m confident in assuming we won’t get a repeat performance, but I’m also not convinced the game will be so offense-heavy that either team will be able to avoid a punting situation altogether.

Both the Chiefs and Niners have punted 6 times through the 4 combined playoff games to this point. As well as both offenses have played all year long, it’s hard to imagine things go smoothly enough for either of them to avoid a punt over the course of the full 60 minutes.

How Many Penalties Will be Called?

One unfortunate side effect of the NFL’s focus on improving player safety has been a spike in the number of flags we see during the games. The NFL has tried to lessen the impact that officials have on the outcomes of the games, but it’s safe to assume we’ll see a steady stream of yellow flags on Sunday.

The Chiefs ranked 15th in the league with an average of 6.8 penalties per game. The 49ers were more disciplined during the regular season, as they were flagged 6.2 times per game. The teams have combined to commit 28 penalties during these playoffs, though, with both going over their regular season averages. I’m optimistic that we won’t see the game marred by too many flags, but I could also see the referees choosing to crack down on shenanigans during the biggest game of the year.

The betting value, as you can see, lies with betting the over on 12.5 penalties at +130.

How Many Chiefs Will Catch a Pass?

Patrick Mahomes is known to spread the wealth. While Hill and Kelce are clearly a couple of his favorite targets, one of Mahomes’ best attributes as a quarterback is his ability to see the entire field. 6 different pass-catchers caught a pass from Mahomes in the AFC Championship Game, while 8 did so in the previous round against Houston.

Blake Bell (2 catches) and Deon Yelder (1) caught passes in that Texans game. It’s not impossible to think that either of them could find their way into a target in the Super Bowl, but those guys combined to catch just 11 passes during the regular season. They’re not typically heavily involved in the Chiefs’ passing attack.

The over is the value at +145, but the under on 7.5 is the most likely outcome (-165).

How Many 49ers Will Run the Ball?

The Chiefs like to throw, and the 49ers prefer to run. Mostert accrued 220 yards in the shellacking of the Packers in the last round, while Tevin Coleman topped 100 yards in the Divisional Round against Minnesota. Part of what makes the 49ers such a dangerous offense is the fact that the defense never knows who is going to get the ball. Matt Breida, who is as explosive as any player on the 49ers’ roster, has just 9 carries through 2 games.

The Niners can also try something fancy with Emmanuel Sanders or Deebo Samuel running an end-around from the wide receiver positions.

Mostert, Coleman, Breida and Garoppolo are near-locks to attempt at least one rush apiece. That puts us close to the over, but I’m not convinced the Niners will run multiple end-arounds with multiple receivers, either. The under on 5.5 at +170 looks like a strong value bet.

Will a Non-QB Throw a Touchdown Pass?

One of the most infamous plays in Super Bowl history came just a couple of years ago when Eagles quarterback Nick Foles hauled in a touchdown pass from tight end Trey Burton when the Eagles ran the “Philly Special.” Earlier this season, Emmanuel Sanders connected on a touchdown pass to Raheem Mostert in the 49ers’ win over the Saints in New Orleans.

These offenses are both so good that they rarely need to rely on gimmicks in order to surprise the opposing defense. Trick plays are nothing new in the Super Bowl, though, so I could also imagine both teams being willing to dive into their bag of tricks on the NFL’s biggest stage. I’d prefer this bet if it were merely a non-QB completing a pass, but I suppose betting through Bovada on a non-QB throwing a touchdown at +340 is appealing enough from a value perspective.

Who Will Win Super Bowl MVP?

It obviously comes at no surprise to see both quarterbacks listed with the best odds of claiming the Super Bowl’s MVP trophy. Betting on Super Bowl MVP is essentially a bet on which team you think will win. The quarterback of the winning team is the most likely candidate, of course. If the Chiefs win, Mahomes will likely have had an awful lot to do with it.

That isn’t necessarily the case for the Niners, though, as Garoppolo is a less-crucial part of San Francisco’s offensive attack. Mostert and the running game will likely get the Niners across the finish line, which makes Mostert an appealing option at +700 to win MVP. Garoppolo isn’t a bad bet in his own right at +260, but there’s a reason Mahomes is such a heavy favorite. He’s the best player in this game, and Kansas City is the betting favorite to win.

It’s hard to believe that Super Bowl 54 is only a few days away. It feels like only yesterday that the 2019 NFL regular season was just getting underway. Yet, here we are, with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs getting set to square off in one of the most highly-anticipated Super Bowls in quite some time.

There has been rampant betting action on Super Bowl 54 in the build-up to the game, and that will obviously continue through Sunday. More money is expected to be wagered on this Super Bowl than any other single-game sporting event in American history, so there is obviously an awful lot on the line. This is a record we can expect to be broken with each passing year as legal sports betting becomes more prevalent throughout the United States.

You still have plenty of time to get in on the action if you haven’t yet. Kickoff isn’t scheduled until 6:30pm ET on Sunday evening, so you still have time to browse the web in search of the best Super Bowl 54 betting sites.

Top Online Betting Sites for Super Bowl 54

• Bovada – Best for Super Bowl Props
• BetOnline – Fastest Payouts
• BetNow – Great Bonuses
• Sportsbetting.ag – Best for Alternate Lines
• MyBookie – Best for Super Bowl Scoring Props

If you want a one-stop shop, though, you’ve come to the right place. You have no shortage of options when it comes to betting on the biggest game of the year. Frankly, the number of options can be a bit overwhelming. That’s why I’m here to try and help you navigate through it all in order to find what you’re looking for in a betting site.

All of the best sites have different strengths and weaknesses. Some sites offer plenty of prop betting options, for example, while others may offer quicker payouts. Let’s find you the best Super Bowl betting site that suits your needs as a football bettor.

Best Site for Super Bowl Prop Bets – Bovada

The Super Bowl has helped prop betting break into the mainstream. While the vast majority of bets on Super Bowl 54 will come in on the point spread, moneyline or over/under, many choose to focus on the minutiae. You can bet on just about anything Super Bowl-related these days thanks to the popularity of prop betting.

Bovada certainly has you covered if you’re in the market for game-related or off-the-wall prop bets. Bovada is one of the leaders in the online betting industry for a reason. The site offers traditional props such as the passing yardage totals for Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo or whether the first score in the Super Bowl will be a safety. If you’re looking for something a little different, Bovada also has a prop on whether Nike will air a commercial featuring Colin Kaepernick during the game, or whether President Donald Trump will issue a congratulatory tweet to the winning team after the game is over.

Whether the opening coin toss will land on heads or tails has been the most popular prop bet in the lead-up to the game. You can also wager on whether Demi Lovato’s pregame rendition of the national anthem will run over or under 2 minutes, or which color Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach. Will a Doritos or Pop Tarts commercial air first? Will Andy Reid eat a cheeseburger before the end of the Super Bowl broadcast? Will Floyd Mayweather bet over or under $1 million on the Super Bowl?

Yes, these are all real prop bets, and you can find them all (and many, many more) at Bovada right now.

Best Site for Fast Payouts – BetOnline

Different bettors have different goals when it comes to betting on the Super Bowl. Some wager just to make the game a little more interesting. Others bet because they’re good enough to be professional gamblers. Others do it because it’s fun. Regardless of your motivations when it comes to betting on the Super Bowl, everyone can certainly agree that getting your winnings quickly is of the utmost importance.

The last thing you want to do after placing a successful bet is to wait around for your well-deserved winnings to show up in your account. Unfortunately, some betting sites can take well over 24 hours to get your winnings to you. Some take longer. Back in the day, you could have to wait several days before you could see your winnings in your bankroll. The Stone Age wasn’t that long ago, really.

That isn’t the case at BetOnline, however. The site is one of the more well-known in the American betting landscape for a variety of reasons, one of which is that it is second to none when it comes to offering fast payouts.

BetOnline is also among the leaders in the industry when it comes to withdrawal options. Seeing your winnings in your account is one thing, but transferring that money into your actual bank account is another matter. BetOnline affords players the chance to withdraw cash via PayPal, or your money can be wired directly into your checking account. If you prefer snail mail, you can also have an actual check mailed to your address within a few business days of your withdrawal request.

If you want to bet on Super Bowl 54 and get your winnings quickly, BetOnline is the site for you.

Best Site for Betting Bonuses – BetNow

The Super Bowl represents the last chance to bet on football for several months. You can always try your hand at the XFL when that gets going in a few weeks, but Super Bowl 54 will be the last NFL game until September. The football offseason is a long one, to be sure.

So, if you’re betting on Super Bowl 54, you’re probably going to go a little harder than you normally might. This is your last chance to bet on pro football for about 7 months. While you definitely shouldn’t go overboard and bet more than you’re willing to lose, having a fat bankroll is useful at this time of the year. That’s why betting on a site that offers big-time bonuses is a must for Super Bowl bettors.

All NFL betting sites offer deposit, reload and referral bonuses, but BetNow trumps the rest of the field when it comes to bonus offerings. If you’re a new customer, you can get a 50 percent bonus on your initial deposit up to $1,000 if you choose BetNow. Some of the site’s competitors have much lower limits on their maximum bonus offers.

BetNow’s refer-a-friend bonus is also generous. If you refer someone to the site and they use your referral link in order to sign up and deposit, you will receive a bonus of 10 percent of that person’s initial deposit into your account. It’s a win-win. You can’t beat the bonuses offered over at BetNow.

Best Site for Alternate Betting Lines – SportsBetting.ag

Oddsmakers are expecting a hotly-contested game in Super Bowl 54. The line for Chiefs-49ers opened as a pick’em at most reputable NFL betting sites, but a flood of public money coming in on Kansas City forced the oddsmakers to quickly adjust. The Chiefs have been a slight favorite leading up to the game. As of this writing, Kansas City is listed as a 1-point favorite at most sportsbooks.

If you’re looking for a slightly different experience, check out the alternate lines offered at SportsBetting.ag. The Chiefs and 49ers are generally considered to be evenly-matched teams, which explains the tight spread. However, SportsBetting.ag has a tab featuring a number of alternate spread betting options on Super Bowl 54.

At SportsBetting.ag you can find lines like Chiefs -3, Chiefs -7.5, 49ers -3.5 or 49ers -9.5. You can even bet on Chiefs -14.5 or 49ers -13.5, if you’re convinced that the game will turn into a blowout in either direction. Alternate lines give bettors a chance to bet on Super Bowl 54 from a different angle, which is a fun and unique experience you won’t find at every Super Bowl betting site.

Best Super Bowl 54 Site for Scoring Props – MyBookie

As is the case with every other site on this list, MyBookie has no shortage of options when it comes to betting on Super Bowl 54. You can bet on standard lines, props, player futures, etc. One aspect of the MyBookie experience that sets it apart from other sites is the array of score-based betting options.

At MyBookie, you can bet on whether the Chiefs or 49ers will win the game by 6 points or more. The 49ers winning by 6 or more is listed at +140, while the Chiefs doing so is at +120. You can also bet on “any other result” at +160.

There is a separate prop for winning margin, where you can wager on whether either team will win by 1-6 points, 7-12 points, 13-18 points, etc. You can bet on whether the first score of the game will be a 49ers touchdown, a Chiefs touchdown, a 49ers field goal, a Chiefs field goal, 49ers “any other method” or Chiefs “any other method.”

You can bet on which team will be the first to get to 10 points, 15 points or 20 points. You can bet on Which team will have the highest-scoring half in the game. As you can see, you can really get down into the weeds with the crazy number of score-related props offered at MyBookie.

Conclusion

Betting on the Super Bowl is supposed to be a fun experience. Super Bowl 54 is expected to be a close, high-scoring game, which opens up countless possibilities for bettors. Each of the top Super Bowl betting sites offers something a little different, so here’s hoping you’re successful in finding the one that suits your betting needs.

Super Bowl 54 is expected to be one for the ages. A year after last year’s snoozer between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams, we have what figures to be a thrilling matchup between a couple of teams that have been among the NFL’s elite all season long.

The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs have never met one another in a playoff game. Despite being two of the league’s oldest and most iconic franchises, the Niners and Chiefs have rarely crossed paths at all. San Francisco is 7-6 all-time across 13 regular season meetings with Kansas City. The Chiefs picked up a 38-27 win over the Niners in their most recent clash in September of the 2018 season.

Despite the Niners having finished the season with a better record than the Chiefs, the vast majority of the betting action has come on Kansas City to win Super Bowl 54. The game opened as a pick’em at most sportsbooks and NFL betting sites, but oddsmakers quickly shifted the spread in favor of the Chiefs after a massive amount of early money came in on Kansas City.

The betting amounts have evened out since then, but the Chiefs have steadily maintained their status as favorites in the days leading up to the game. As of this writing, BetOnline has the Chiefs listed as 1-point favorites to beat the 49ers.

While the Chiefs have the edge, there is clearly plenty of merit to betting on the Niners to pull the upset. Here are a few things that make San Francisco an appealing underdog betting option to win Super Bowl 54.

Nobody Has Stopped This Running Game

Just ask the Green Bay Packers what the 49ers’ strength is. This is a team without many holes, but their offensive game plan is simple. They’re going to run the ball right down your throat, and you’re probably not going to be able to stop them.

The Niners cruised to an easy 27-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings in the Divisional Round thanks to a dominant showing on the ground. Tevin Coleman racked up 105 yards with a pair of rushing touchdowns as the Niners rushed for 186 yards on a whopping 47 attempts. Jimmy Garoppolo threw just 19 passes. They didn’t need to throw the ball, so why should they even try?

The NFC Championship Game was one for the ages, as Raheem Mostert racked up 220 yards with 4 rushing scores of his own in the 37-20 demolition of Green Bay. In all, the 49ers accrued 285 yards on 42 attempts for an average of nearly 7 yards per carry. Garoppolo had to attempt just 8 passes all game long.

The Chiefs’ defense is vastly improved over the one we saw a season ago, but I’ll believe someone can slow this running game down when I see it. The Niners have gotten this far without having to really use Matt Breida, who happens to be the most explosive of the 3-headed monster the Niners typically rely on in the backfield. Breida has 9 carries for 19 yards so far in these playoffs.

Kansas City did a good job of slowing down Derrick Henry in the AFC Championship Game, but the Titans were also forced to take to the air more often than they would have liked after falling into a halftime deficit.

The 49ers rushed for 144.1 yards per game during the regular season. Only Lamar Jackson’s Ravens, who ran for an absurd 206 yards per game, were more prolific in the ground game. Suggesting the Chiefs should force Garoppolo to beat them is an easy thing to say, but it’s a much more difficult thing to actually do.

If Mostert, Coleman and co. are able to gash the Chiefs early and often, Sunday could be a long, grueling and unpleasant afternoon for the Kansas City defense.

The 49ers Can Keep Patrick Mahomes Sidelined

Other than taking a physical toll on the opposing defense, controlling the game with the ground attack can also help the 49ers set the tempo of Super Bowl 54. If this game turns into a track meet, the Niners are in trouble. San Francisco has plenty of playmakers, but they’re not an offense designed to run-and-gun with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and the rest of the Chiefs’ high-octane attack.

Slowing the game down and controlling the clock is something the 49ers absolutely have to accomplish offensively if they want to pull the upset. One of the main reasons the Chiefs have garnered so much of the early betting interest is because of Mahomes. Garoppolo is a nice player, but the Chiefs clearly have an edge when it comes to the quarterback position.

So, a key for San Francisco will be to ensure that Mahomes will have limited opportunities to inflict damage. The best way to do so is to keep him on the sidelines as the 49ers’ offense manages the game with the rushing attack.

Time of possession is a telling stat in the NFL. San Francisco held the ball for 38 of the game’s 60 minutes in the Divisional Round against Minnesota. The Packers had more possession in the NFC Championship Game, but that had more to do with the Niners being able to break off a number of massive scoring plays that killed possessions early. San Francisco led 27-0 at the half.

The Niners Can Rush the Passer

The 49ers have endured several lean years since losing at the hands of the Ravens in Super Bowl 47. In fact, this was the team’s first season since 2013 with a winning record. Over the course of their 5-year playoff drought, the 49ers have consistently used premium draft picks on players capable of rushing the passer.

Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead are all former first-round picks. Bosa, Buckner and Armstead were all first-round picks by the 49ers, while Ford was ironically the Chiefs’ first-round selection in 2014.

Eli Manning and the New York Giants pulled off two of the biggest Super Bowl upsets in history over the Patriots thanks to the team’s ability to generate pressure on Tom Brady. Brady is a master of picking teams apart when he’s given enough time to see the field. The Giants were one of the few teams capable of rattling the future Hall of Famer.

Obviously, the 49ers need to take a similarly aggressive approach when it comes to squaring off against Mahomes in Super Bowl 54. If the Chiefs’ offensive line is able to protect Mahomes and give him enough time to go through his reads, the Chiefs’ offense will be incredibly difficult to slow down.

According to Football Outsiders’ rankings, the 49ers had the second-best defense in football this season in terms of Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA). Only New England was more prolific on that side of the football. San Francisco ranked fifth in the league with 48 sacks. Kirk Cousins was sacked 6 times in the Divisional Round by the 49er defense, while Aaron Rodgers was sacked 3 times in the conference title game.

San Francisco Generates Turnovers

Rushing the passer is typically thought of as the best way to slow down an elite offense. Obviously, taking the football away is the other. The 49ers are elite in terms of pressuring opposing quarterbacks, and they also happen to be elite in terms of generating turnovers.

Winning time of possession is important to an offense. Winning the turnover battle is often even more indicative of how a game will pan out. Whichever defense gets more takeaways has a clear advantage. The 49ers have been a whole lot better than the Chiefs in that regard.

The Niners have forced 5 turnovers through their first 2 postseason games. The Chiefs have only forced one, and it came on a kickoff return against the Texans. The defense is still looking for its first takeaway of these playoffs.

The 49ers ranked sixth in the league in takeaways during the regular season with a higher interception and fumble recovery rate than the Chiefs. Kansas City intercepted just 5 passes all season long, while the 49ers picked off 13.

The Super Bowl 54 Betting Value is Obvious

As mentioned, oddsmakers see this game as a toss-up. There’s a reason the matchup began as a pick’em. The only reason the Chiefs are favored is because the majority of the betting public sided with Mahomes and Kansas City early on.

Would either result truly surprise you? Certainly not. The 49ers have shown that they’re capable of beating anybody. So have the Chiefs. This figures to be one of the more closely-contested Super Bowls in quite some time, which is why there is so much anticipation.

Prognosticators seem to think this game could go either way. If that’s the case, the odds clearly don’t reflect it. The deluge of cash coming in on the Chiefs has left the 49ers in the enviable position of being plus-money underdogs.

Betting on a plus-money ‘dog in a game that seems to be a 50/50 proposition is generally appealing. The 49ers have looked like a championship-caliber team since Week 1, and they have been able to overcome a steady stream of injuries along the way. The Chiefs have been more up-and-down. Kansas City has Mahomes, but let’s not forget that the Ravens were the talk of the AFC all year long. Kansas City flew under the radar, for better or worse.

Combine that with Robert Saleh’s aggressive and ruthless defense and you have all the hallmarks of a Super Bowl-winning squad.

The game having a 1-point spread is just silly. Who on earth would bet on the Niners to cover a 1-point spread at -110 when you can simply bet the San Francisco moneyline at +105? The 49ers literally cannot cover a 1-point spread and lose. So, if you think they’re going to win, just take the plus odds that come with the moneyline. The conversation shifts if the line moves to KC -1.5, but as of now that SF moneyline just stands out as an obvious value.

The 49ers look awfully tempting as a betting underdog heading into Super Bowl 54.

Super Bowl 54 is just over a week away. On Sunday, February 2, millions of Americans will gather around the TV set to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers. The NFL couldn’t have asked for a better matchup. The league’s biggest game features two of the NFL’s oldest franchises going toe-to-toe in the Super Bowl for the first time ever.

Television ratings for Super Bowl 54 are going to be massive. There will also be no shortage of betting interest. Sportsbooks all over the United States are expecting Super Bowl 54 to smash all sorts of records. Billions of dollars will be wagered on Chiefs-49ers, with the vast majority of that coming via online betting.

Let’s say you can’t get to Vegas to watch the Big Game, but you still want to get in on the action from a betting perspective. Which are the best online betting sites for Super Bowl 2020?

Best Betting Sites for Super Bowl 54

• Bovada
• BetOnline
• BetNow
• Sportsbetting.ag
• MyBookie
• Xbet

We’ve done our research and found these sites to be fast paying, and most reputable sports betting sites on the market today. You can dive right in and start betting today or continue reading our in-depth write up of each sportsbook and what makes them the best.

We’ll break down each site into different categories such as payout speed, banking options, different bonuses available, and site reputation.

Get Super Bowl 54 Winning Payouts in 24 Hours on Bovada

Bovada has been one of the leaders in the American sports betting scene for years. With more and more states now legalizing and regulating sports betting, it’s safe to assume that Bovada will continue to grow in the US. So, it should come as no surprise that Bovada checks in as one of the best betting sites for Super Bowl 54.

New customers looking put some money down on the Super Bowl will receive a 50 percent welcome bonus on their first deposit up to $250 at Bovada. So, if you deposit the full $250 into your account, you stand to earn an extra $125 just for signing up. Not too shabby! This is only good for your first deposit onto the site, but Bovada also offers certain reload bonuses for subsequent deposits. Players can deposit with all major credit cards (American Express, Visa, MasterCard) as well as Bitcoin, if they so choose.

Customer service and fast payouts are absolute musts when it comes to finding the best Super Bowl 2020 betting sites, and Bovada checks both boxes. Bovada has live agent on call and ready to help you navigate your way around the site or answer any questions you may have about their offerings. Bovada will also pay out all winning bets within 24 hours, which is something that sets them apart from much of the competition.

Most importantly, Bovada has no shortage of options when it comes to betting on Super Bowl 54. Oddsmakers have been tweaking the odds ahead of the game with each passing day in order to keep up with trends. In addition to the standard bet types (spread, moneyline, etc.) Bovada is also offering countless prop bets and live betting options.

Super Bowl 2020 Bonus on Every Deposit on BetOnline

While Bovada offers a healthy first deposit bonus, BetOnline offers a bonus on every deposit you make on the site. That’s hard to beat. BetOnline has a clean, simple and easy-to-navigate layout, which is obviously a plus if you’re in the market to bet on Super Bowl 54. You don’t need to be wasting your time trying to find your way around a confusing betting site.

Whether you want to bet on the spread, moneyline or total of Super Bowl 2020, BetOnline has you covered. You can also combine multiple selections into a parlay via their user-friendly display. Parlay payouts top out at $150,000.

BetOnline is a trusted site accessible to American bettors interested in getting some action on the Super Bowl. After creating your account, submitting your deposit and collecting your deposit bonus, all you have to do is scroll over to the “NFL” tab on the left side of the page, where you’ll find their numerous Super Bowl betting options. BetOnline is offering a number of props related to the game as well as in-game betting for those interested in keeping the action going after kickoff.

BetNow Offers Sign-Up Bonuses

Those that bet on last year’s snoozer of a Super Bowl between the Rams and Patriots will be hoping for a better outcome this time around. The two teams combined for just 16 points and one total touchdown in one of the most boring Super Bowls in recent memory. On the bright side, most are expecting more fireworks this time around between the 49ers and Chiefs.

First-time depositors at BetNow will receive a sign-up bonus of up to 50 percent on deposits up to $1,000. That’s more bang for your buck than you’re getting for your initial deposit onto Bovada, and it can set you up perfectly to enjoy your Super Bowl 54 betting experience.

BetNow customers can also reap the benefits of the site’s refer-a-friend bonus. If your friend signs up and deposits at BetNow via the link you shared, you will receive a 10 percent bonus on their deposit from the site.

You can bet on almost anything Super Bowl 54-related at BetNow. Touchdown props, field goal props, Super Bowl 54 MVP, quarter props, you name it. The site even has tabs for all Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo prop bets. As is the case with every Super Bowl 2020 betting site on this list, BetNow’s interface is easily-navigable and aesthetically pleasing.

Earn by Referring Super Bowl 54 Bettors to SportsBetting.ag

SportsBetting.ag is offering an appealing referral bonus specifically geared toward Super Bowl 54. You can earn up to 200 percent on your friend’s initial deposit up to $200, which will certainly come in handy ahead of the biggest football game of the year. New customers can also receive a first deposit bonus of 50 percent up to $1,000.

SportsBetting.ag accepts online customers from all 50 states, and they’re one of the few sites left in the industry that offers live poker and casino games in addition to their wealth of sports betting offerings. The site doesn’t have a spotless track record, but it does seem to have turned things around since 2012. Since then, there have been very few noteworthy complaints about the site’s reputation, which is certainly a plus if you’re looking for a safe, reputable and quality Super Bowl 2020 betting site.

The layout is extremely similar to the one you’ll find at BetOnline, and the site is yet another that features countless Super Bowl betting options. Prop bets, player props, halftime show props, alternate Super Bowl betting lines, you name it.

Great Deposit and Withdrawal Options on MyBookie

MyBookie is one of the biggest names in the American sports betting industry. The site boasts that its oddsmakers have come up with the most prop bets available ahead of Super Bowl 54. In addition to the usual props you’ll find just about anywhere, MyBookie has props  such as total touchdowns by both teams, exact number of touchdowns scored and whether either the Chiefs or 49ers will score a defensive touchdown in the Super Bowl.

Clearly, MyBookie is going all-out for the Big Game. First-time depositors can secure a sign-up bonus of 50 percent up to $1,000. The site is also offering its own version of the popular party game Super Bowl Squares. You can purchase any number of squares across a number of different buy-in tiers. You can find Squares contests with buy-ins as low as $1.25 per square and as high as $275 per square, so there is something for everybody.

Quality customer service, quick payouts and a variety of deposit and withdrawal options make MyBookie a prime spot to bet on Super Bowl 54.

Try the New Betting Site XBet for Super Bowl 2020 Wagers

The first-time deposit bonus at XBet (50 percent up to $300) may not be quite as attractive as the one you’ll find at some of the site’s competitors, but it is still one of the best and cleanest sites at which to bet on Super Bowl 2020. The refer-a-friend bonus can also net you an additional $100 to throw into your Super Bowl betting bankroll.

XBet is relatively new on the scene compared to some other more established names in the industry. Even so, the experience is generally a pleasant one, and the site offers competitive and constantly-updating odds. The site has seen consistent improvement over the past few years, as well.

You won’t find quite as many prop bets for Super Bowl 54 as you will elsewhere, but XBet is a safe site that checks just about all necessary boxes.

Conclusion

You obviously have plenty of options out there if you’re interested in betting on Super Bowl 54 online. The sites listed above all have their pluses and minuses, but all of them are also among the industry leaders in quality and reputation.

If you’re looking for fast payouts, a variety of deposit methods, quality customer service and countless Super Bowl 54 betting options, these 6 sites have you covered.