Super Bowl betting: Odell Beckham Jr. leads top prop bets for Super Bowl LVI
It's not really a Super Bowl until some prop bets hit.
The popularity of prop bets in the Super Bowl has bled into other sports — you can bet Nikola Jokic's total rebounds against the Boston Celtics on Friday night, thanks to the years of those Super Bowl props — but loading up on prop bets for the Super Bowl is an annual tradition.
Here are my top prop bets at BetMGM for Super Bowl LVI between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, having already picked which side I think will cover the spread:
Odell Beckham over 62.5 yards
Beckham is coming off his first 100-yard game for the Rams and I'm not sure why he'd slow down now. Matthew Stafford's confidence in Beckham is growing, and he has been a huge part of the offense. His receiving total yardage props have been low for a while, but Beckham looks like he's back to being one of the better receivers in the NFL. Tight end Tyler Higbee being banged up should mean even more targets for Beckham. I could see Beckham having another 100-yard game on Sunday.
Beckham first TD +1000
First touchdown scorer is always a popular bet. For this Super Bowl, Beckham is getting the most bets to score first. It makes sense. He has been a reliable target when the Rams get near the end zone and the odds are good. It’s also worth a little bit on Stafford, who is down to 50-to-1. He does have two quarterback sneak touchdowns this postseason.
Tee Higgins over 5.5 receptions
The main reason to ride with Higgins here, other than him being one of the NFL’s better receivers, is he should have extra targets funneled his way. I don’t think Jalen Ramsey will shadow Ja’Marr Chase all game, but he’ll be on Chase plenty. That gives Higgins an advantageous matchup. And if the Bengals fall behind and have to pass more, Higgins could cruise by 5.5 catches.
First made field goal over 36.5 yards
Here's the thought process: Both coaches are fairly aggressive. A 36-yard field goal means they'd be kicking it from about the 18-yard line or closer. I think, in the right situation, you'd see Sean McVay or Zac Taylor go for it. From further out? That might be a field-goal try.
Cam Akers under 64.5 rushing yards
Akers is a great story but the truth is he hasn’t been too efficient in his return from an Achilles injury. He has 55, 48 and 48 yards in the Rams’ three playoff games. If the Rams split the backfield work a little more, Akers will have an even harder time hitting the over.
Joe Burrow over 10.5 rushing yards, Matthew Stafford over 4.5 rushing yards
We always see quarterbacks run a little more than usual when we get to the postseason. It makes sense. They might be saving wear and tear during the regular season but play more recklessly in the playoffs. If Burrow or Stafford has an opportunity to make anything happen with his legs on Sunday, he's going to do it and might not be sliding either. These numbers aren’t high, and it would only take one run on a scramble to get there. But beware the end-of-game kneel-downs.
Cooper Kupp over 105.5 receiving yards
Not a strong play, and I’m surprised I ended up with this considering this is the highest number we may ever see for a receiver in a Super Bowl. But ask yourself, do you want to bet the under?
Cooper Kupp MVP (+600)
The player in this Super Bowl who had the best season, for either team, is Kupp. The line looks a bit short but I don’t believe it is; I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Kupp closer to +300. There’s little doubt he’ll have the stats to win MVP if the Rams beat the Bengals. The only question for this play is if Stafford also has the numbers, because voters lean toward quarterbacks.
Von Miller MVP (+4000)
I have to throw this out there because the odds are great. Miller is a star already and we’ve seen him win a Super Bowl MVP. We know the Bengals have offensive line issues. If Miller can have two or three sacks with a forced fumble, and none of the offensive players goes crazy, I can see this bet winning. At these odds, take a small shot on it.
Coin toss is heads (-105)
Hey, it’s the Super Bowl. If there’s one day to do some dumb props, here it is. Tails leads 29-26 in Super Bowl coin toss history, so here’s to some regression for heads.