Prop bets have become one of the most popular aspects of the Super Bowl in recent years. Sure, you could bet on the actual football, but where's the fun in that? You can always bet on how long the National Anthem will go, or on who wins the opening coin toss, or on what kind of wardrobe Beyonce will wear at the halftime show.
Super Bowl prop bets: A look back at last year’s top bets
Super Bowl prop bets have taken on a life of their own in recent years. We take a look back at last year’s popular bets and guess what could be the big betting items this year.
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
This year's field of prop bets promises to be no less fun when the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos square off in Santa Clara. But first, let's take a quick look back at last year's more popular prop bets.
Will Marshawn Lynch be fined for any incident during Super Bowl Media Day? — Lynch did participate at Media Day, although he did so in his typical reclusive nature and made “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” a national catchphrase. We’ll say no on this question.
What color hoodie will Bill Belichick wear? — The betting options were either grey or blue. Belichick wore blue, so congrats if you chose that color.
What will Katy Perry wear for her first song of her halftime performance? — The choices were either a skirt/dress or pants/shorts/other. Perry wore a dress for her first song, but the real notable part is that she rode a damn mechanized lion to the stage.
How long will Idina Menzel’s anthem be? — The over/under was set at two minutes, 2.5 seconds. Menzel’s performance clocked in at two minutes and four seconds.
So what will be the more popular prop bets this year? Here are our best guesses, based on what we know about both teams:
—Dabbing references. Cam Newton made dabbing a national sensation in 2015, and then old people killed it just as quickly. Still, it seems like a safe bet that Phil Simms will mention it repeatedly, and if the Panthers lose you can expect a flood of "ironic" dabbing.
—“Omaha! Omaha!” The last time the Broncos made the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning’s “Omaha” line call was already a big deal. Two years later, it’s still synonymous with the 40-year-old even though he doesn’t call it as much these days. Don’t be surprised if there’s an over/under line set.
—References to Carolina's WR corps. Kelvin Benjamin tore his ACL in training camp, leaving Ted Ginn Jr. as the Panthers' No. 1 receiver. Despite that setback, Newton still played at an MVP level. It seems likely that the announcers hammer home this fact repeatedly, especially after cameras kept cutting to Benjamin on the bench during the NFC Championship.
—Demaryius Thomas drops. Thomas is one of the league's most gifted receivers with the ball in his hands, but he repeatedly struggled with drops this season, something that could cost the Broncos in a critical moment.
—Guest singers at the halftime show. Coldplay and Beyonce have already been confirmed as the halftime show act, but with the NFL wanting to make its 50th Super Bowl the biggest ever, don’t be surprised if other big names show up unannounced.
See More:
