Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt is credited with coining the name Super Bowl. He came up with the idea while watching his children play with a bouncy rubber toy called a Super Ball, which was popular in the 1960s. If there is one person responsible for turning the Super Bowl into a must-see event, that distinction belongs to Joe Namath.
The brash New York Jets quarterback famously guaranteed his team would defeat the mighty Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Entering the game as 18-point underdogs against a 15–1 Colts team, Namath delivered on his promise with a stunning victory.
That win marked the AFL’s first Super Bowl triumph.
The Green Bay Packers had dominated the first two Super Bowls with one-sided victories, but the Jets’ upset instantly gave the AFL credibility in the eyes of the football public, and rewarded bettors who were savvy enough to trust Namath.
Considering the hype, passion, and national obsession that Super Bowl Sunday has become in North America, it’s hard to imagine that nearly 30,000 seats went unsold for the first game in 1967, when the Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10.
The Super Bowl itself was born out of the 1966 merger agreement between the AFL and NFL. However, because both leagues had existing television contracts in place through the end of the 1969 season, a full merger could not take effect immediately.
As a result, the AFL was not fully absorbed under the NFL umbrella until the start of the 1970 season. Still, the leagues agreed to introduce an annual championship game right away. The first Super Bowl was played on January 15, 1967, in front of 61,946 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Best Super Bowl Betting Lines
We provide the best Super Bowl betting lines below so keep your eye on them and find the game that is most appealing. Don’t forget to take into account the variety of betting types.
How To Win At NFL Super Bowl Bets
One of the biggest lessons Super Bowl bettors have learned over the years is the value hidden in prop bets. First-touchdown scorers, in particular, have produced long-shot winners on the sport’s biggest stage, often rewarding bettors who look beyond the most obvious star players.
Super Bowl Prop Bets
Prop bets are a major part of the appeal of the Super Bowl. You don’t need to be a hardcore football fan to enjoy wagering on whether the first score will be a touchdown or a field goal, who scores the first touchdown, or what type of scoring play opens the game.
You don’t even have to bet on football itself to wager on the Super Bowl. Bettors can place odds on the coin toss, the over/under on the length of the National Anthem, the halftime show, or novelty props such as the color of the Gatorade poured on the winning coach. These wagers have become a staple of Super Bowl betting culture and continue to attract casual and experienced bettors alike.
The origins of Super Bowl prop betting date back decades, when unconventional wagers first gained national attention after a defensive lineman was deployed as a short-yardage running back and scored a touchdown in the game. Since then, prop bets have exploded in popularity and now account for a significant portion of total Super Bowl handle.
Super Bowl Over/Under Total
The Super Bowl over/under is consistently one of the most heavily bet markets each year. Totals can be influenced by venue, playing surface, weather conditions, and the offensive philosophy of the teams involved. Indoor stadiums and matchups featuring elite quarterbacks and aggressive play-calling often push totals higher than regular-season averages.
In recent Super Bowls, bettors have frequently leaned toward the over, especially when both teams are capable of scoring quickly or creating short fields through turnovers and explosive plays.
Favorites, Underdogs, and Betting Value
Super Bowl history shows that backing the favorite is not always the smartest approach. Underdogs have delivered some of the most memorable and profitable results in the game’s history, often at inflated odds due to public money flowing toward the perceived better team.
Because the Super Bowl attracts casual bettors, lines can be shaped by public perception rather than pure matchup analysis, creating value opportunities for disciplined bettors willing to go against the crowd.
Why the Super Bowl Is Unique for Bettors
The Super Bowl is unlike any other sporting event in North America. With hundreds of betting options available, it offers something for every type of bettor, from sharp players targeting spreads and totals to casual fans enjoying novelty prop bets.
Whether you’re breaking down matchups or simply having fun with props, the Super Bowl remains the most versatile and widely wagered-on event in sports.
More competitions
