Tom Brady missed the first four games of the 2016 NFL season due to a suspension handed down by Roger Goodell for Brady's alleged involvement in deflating footballs. This saga is one of the key storylines heading into Super Bowl LI, and it has given way to a few exotic Super Bowl prop bets as well.
Super Bowl 51 prop bets: Patriots vs. Falcons Exotic Super Bowl Prop Odds for Sunday
Exotic prop bettors can wager on anything from broadcast calls to trick plays in Super Bowl LI on Sunday.
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How many times will the word "deflate" or "deflategate" be said during the broadcast? The total is set at 1.5 times at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Bettors who take the OVER 1.5 "deflate" mentions will hope to hit this prop early if the broadcast team mentions how this controversy has motivated Brady this season, or late if the Patriots are leading and the broadcast team starts to speculate on what will happen in the post game.
Exotic bettors can wager on that, too. If the Patriots win, will any of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick or Robert Kraft be seen shaking Roger Goodell’s hand? Bettors who expect an icy exchange between the commissioner and the Patriots could score a +135 payout if no handshake is caught on camera, while professionalism reigning supreme is favored at -175 on the “Yes” side of this wager.
Will Super Bowl LI see some new records set? Two props are offering bettors the chance to wager on history being made. Will either Brady or Matt Ryan throw for 415 or more passing yards (Yes +400, No -700)? Will both teams combine for 76 points or more to break the Super Bowl scoring record?
Brady has passed for over 415 yards one time over the last three seasons, while Ryan did so once this year in a 503-yard effort against Carolina. That performance came in a 48-33 Atlanta win over the Panthers, which was one of two times this season that the Falcons have gone OVER 76 points.
Bettors that don't mind wagering some big chalk on the Super Bowl LI betting lines could find some value in a prop bet asking whether any player besides Tom Brady or Matt Ryan will throw a pass on Sunday. Atlanta hasn't run a trick play in which a non-quarterback has thrown the ball since 2013, and New England has only run one such play since 2009.
Barring an injury to Brady or Ryan, the “No” is a strong bet to cash at -400. Those looking for some trickery can bet the “Yes” side at +250.
