While it is disheartening to watch the Super Bowl without the 49ers involved, there is still football to be played, which means one more chance to win some money. While the Super Bowl is a big deal, two things arguably bigger than the game itself are Super Bowl commercials and Super Bowl gambling.
If you are looking for ways to make the game a little more interesting, the folks at Bovada have a mix of player props and team props to keep you occupied. Anybody can bet on who will win the game and/or cover the spread, but it takes a true fool to hit up some of these prop bets (I do believe I just called out for myself!). Not that I would encourage illicit wagering of any sort. You can wager actual peanuts with each other!
My annual favorite prop bet is the over/under on the length of the National Anthem. I should have learned my lesson after Christina Aguilera skipped a line in the National Anthem last year and cost me, but I won't be learning my lesson anytime soon. This year, Kelly Clarkson's over/under is at 1:34. A little quick research has her coming in under that in the NBA Finals. Will she speed up on the big stage, or hold the brave long enough to push it over? Just to make it interesting, Bovada has added "Will Kelly Clarkson forget or omit at least 1 word of the official US National Anthem?"
One bet that seems like a no-brainer is how many times will Tom Brady's wife Giselle Bundchen be shown on TV during the game. The over/under is set at 1/2, which means only one showing puts you over. The only way this one doesn't work out is if she is not in attendance, right? Hmmm....
One other random prop that might be a tough call is number of times they show David Tyree's 2008 catch. The over/under is 1 1/2 and is only from kickoff to final whistle. We're just about guaranteed to get it once, but would it go multiple times during the game itself? I'm almost leaning towards not.
In terms of actual on-field action, I'd take Victor Cruz over in a lot of props. Receiving yards is set at 89 1/2, longest reception at 29 1/2, and even money on a touchdown. Although the first meeting between these two teams was not a shootout, my hunch is this one turns into a shootout. Putting these two teams on the field turf should be enough to open this thing up. I'd take the over on Victor Cruz receiving yards, longest reception and that he scores a TD.