Breaking Down Super Bowl Prop Bets
Stew Milne-US PRESSWIRE
The Super Bowl is the single biggest betting extravaganza the sports world has to offer. So it’s no surprise that we will factor in the biggest and best prop bets to get your head spinning with emotion before the big day.
Super Bowl MVPÂ
The Super Bowl MVP can only go so many ways. The best bet is to side with one of the quarterbacks. San Francisco 49ers play-caller Colin Kaepernick (8-5) remains the favorite, while Joe Flacco is a close second (11-4). But what some may not know is that the quarterback position has only won the MVP just a shade over 50 percent of the time throughout the history of the game.
Kaepernick helped the 49ers advance against the Green Bay Packers, but it was running back Frank Gore who carved up the Atlanta Falcons defense in the NFC Championship game to earn the MVP nod.
Meanwhile, Flacco tallied arguably the two best performances of the season, outdueling quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady to advance Baltimore to the Super Bowl.
Besides Frank Gore, it’s hard to pinpoint another target who could compete for the MVP hardware. In that case, base the odds on whoever you have winning the Super Bowl.
Ray Rice Rushing Yards (69.5)
Running back Ray Rice has taken a back seat to Joe Flacco this postseason in an effort to keep pace with a top-notch defense. As such, Rice is only given 70 yards on the ground.
Though it might not seem like much for one of the league’s best tail backs, the Ravens are going up against a stout defensive seven, who boast one of the top defenses in the league. And he may not be given the touches he covets, considering the Niners are a high-powered offense. If that’s the case, the Ravens will have to play catchup through the air, leaving the running scheme by the wayside.
Colin Kaepernick Total Rushing Yards (50.2)
The 49ers dual-threat quarterback has made a name for himself as a scrambler. But when he scrambles, his movements seem more fluid and graceful than any pocket passer we’ve ever seen.
Through the nine games he’s played this season, he’s rushed for more than 50 yards five different times this season (via Pro Football Reference). And he only stopped short of that mark one time this postseason, when the Falcons opted to take away the option play and let Frank Gore and LaMichael James run for three touchdowns.
But let’s be wise. Kaepernick has the speed of a wide receiver, the versatility of a punt returner and the capacity to see the field while split back in the option formation. We can see Kaepernick rattle off a 50-plus yard run, let alone tally a 50-yard day.
