America’s most wagered-on annual sporting event returns this Sunday when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. This gives bettors one more chance to hit big before the 2023-24 NFL season concludes.
Sure, bettors can stand stout and wager on typical prop bets: Who will win Super Bowl MVP? How many touchdowns will Christian McCaffrey have? Who will be the victor? These types of bets are good to keep bettors engaged throughout the contest, though not nearly as much as many of the other outrageous wagers people have been placing. Gridiron Experts and The Sports Geek have compiled their own respective lists of wild Super Bowl bets. Here, we’ll have a crack at some of the craziest ones.
1. Will any player or coach cry during the National Anthem?
Maybe I’m just a casual fan who is not paying close enough attention, but it seems that this season, when the broadcast camera pans across the line of players during the National Anthem, players are holding their emotions in better than in past years. Still, considering the weight of the moment and the obvious motivation that will be present, a player or coach may break down. If it does happen, hopefully we get a shot similar to the one that made Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni a meme.
Prediction: No
2. Who will be shown first during America the Beautiful?
There are so many stars between both teams that the camera can pan to during the performance. It could be any of the game’s more marketable stars in guys like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce or Christian McCaffrey. Or, we could see other top performers such as Chris Jones, Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel or George Kittle. The odds weigh more in favor of the two faces of Kansas City’s offense, but this bet could be a dart throw.
Prediction: Christian McCaffrey
3. First TV Advertisement – BMW vs. Coors Light
Is it just me, or has the quality of commercials aired during the Super Bowl declined in recent years? Anyways, fans this season have once again extended their Super Bowl bets to include the commercials and one popular question has been what commercial will air first. Both BMW and Coors Light have high odds to be among the early advertisements, and while no one knows for sure what commercials will air and when, these two are among the most-best on. You have your pick.
Prediction: BMW
4. Who will the Super Bowl MVP mention first in their speech?
The sentence “I’d like to thank my…” can end in so many ways. Is it your parents? Maybe God or a religious being? Teammates? Coaches? Spouse? As the two quarterbacks participating in the game, Mahomes and Purdy likely stand the highest chance of winning the award. If it’s either of them who claims the hardware, teammates would be a solid answer. Again, this one could go a number of different ways.
Prediction: Teammates
5. How many times will Taylor Swift be shown?
Not to try to annoy anyone, but it’s no secret that Swift has taken the spotlight ever since her relationship with Kelce became public. She deserves media attention, but in a game of such high stakes, the attention will likely need to stay on the field. Both websites list a current over/under on times Swift will be shown of around five. That’s quite a lot of airtime for someone not even involved in the game.
Prediction: Under five