Betting the Big Game: More than 800 wagers available to Pennsylvania gamblers this year
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Every year the Super Bowl reigns supreme as the most-watched single sporting event of the year.
It's also king when it comes to betting - possible bets are limited only by the imagination.
Prop bets run the gambit, everything from the coin toss to the color of the Gatorade that will shower the winning coach, they are out there and people are putting down their money.
There are two kinds of bets on the Super Bowl: game-related and prop bets.
"[Those are] an event that can occur within the game that doesn't necessarily decide the entire outcome of the game," said Max Schmerin of Rivers Casino Sportsbook manager. "Some of them can be how long the National Anthem is, how long the halftime show will be."
And as we said above, Gatorade and coin toss.
"However, Pennsylvania, we don't offer Gatorade color and some of those others," Schmerin said.
That's right, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board does not allow most of the more humorous prop bets, like whether or not Rob Gronkowski makes the kick - you're going to have to stick with game-related bets.
"We do have over 800 different wagers available on the big game this Sunday," Schmerin said.
So, go ahead and put the minimum $5 on Patrick Mahomes to throw two touchdown passes.
"If he throws for four touchdowns, you will win your bet, if he throws for one touchdown, you end up losing your bet," Schmerin explained.
You can also bet on whether either team will force a safety, any particular player to make an interception or total tackles by a player.
"Let's say you pick the game to end in a tie and go to overtime, well, that is 12-to-1 odds, so your $5 bet pays $60," he said.
You can bet on which player will be MVP and you can also bet on the coin toss, but those silly side bets, like what color Rhianna will be wearing, you can't find those in Pennsylvania.
The current estimate on how much money will be wagered on the Super Bowl is $16 billion. Like the Kentucky Derby, the game attracts those who don't normally put money on the line.
