Super Bowl XLIV Betting

Betting on the Super Bowl is arguably as popular as the game itself, perhaps even more so. The 2010 NFL Championship -- Super Bowl XLIV -- is proving to be no exception as fans of both the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints are betting on their Super Bowl favorite in record numbers here at BookMaker.com. In fact, betting on the Super Bowl has never been easier or more exciting. In addition to posting the best Super Bowl betting odds, BookMaker.com offers a wide variety of office pools, proposition bets, handicapping contests and more. Whether you're a diehard Colts fan or a serious Saints supporter, you'll want to "get your bet on" with BookMaker.com this Super Bowl Sunday!

Super Bowl XLIV Betting Odds

When considering Super Bowl betting odds, history indicates that the winning team usually covers the point spread. With this in mind, bettors who successfully pick the winning side typically see their team cover the spread. For example, if the Indianapolis Colts are favored to win by 5½ points and in fact win this year's Super Bowl, history suggests that they will win by at least 6 points. Of course, if the underdog New Orleans Saints are victorious on Super Bowl Sunday, they will obviously have covered the spread. Interestingly, the betting line on the Super Bowl almost never moves toward the underdog as the public usually continues to bet on the favorite all the way until kickoff.

At BookMaker.com, however, Super Bowl betting is not just limited to point spread odds. Moneyline and Totals are standard betting options and are always popular Super Bowl bets. In addition, bettors will also find odds for betting each quarter and both halfs of the game. But it doesn't stop there. A huge selection of Super Bowl Proposition Bets -- both game and player props -- makes BookMaker.com the place to play on Super Bowl Sunday. Will the Saints score first? Will the Colts' Peyton Manning throw an interception? How many combined yards will Reggie Bush have? If you think you know the answers, then "put your money where your mouth is" and join the Super Bowl betting excitement at BookMaker.com -- odds are you'll enjoy the game just a little bit more!

Super Bowl XLIV Sportsbook Odds

Super Bowl betting records prove that this activity is a huge moneymaking deal both for sportsbooks and sports bettors all around the world. And now, betting on the Super Bowl can be done with a wide variety of options, including office pools, proposition bets, handicapping contests and many more. All of these options are conveniently offered at BookMaker.com for all to enjoy. When picking a winning bet for the Super Bowl, it is almost always profitable to concentrate on the winning team. The history of the Super Bowl shows that the team that wins the game almost always covers the spread. So, in order to win while betting on the Super Bowl, if you pick the team that wins you are almost certain to cover the betting spread. Of course, it can't hurt to buy some points or put in a teaser in order to further your chances of scoring some dough.

Most people think they can pick the winner, and it is not surprising that over 90 percent of the people that bet on the Super Bowl are not professional gamblers. Also, before the Superbowl, there are lots of betting opportunities in the conference playoffs and championship games. Throughout Superbowl betting history this has also brought a lot of action to the sportbooks. Because of the public phenomenon with the Super Bowl the only way the line usually moves is toward the favorite and the over because that is what the public likes to bet.

The betting line on the Super Bowl almost never moves toward the underdog, because the books know betting money will flow on the favorite.

Another fact in Super Bowl History talks about the Patriots becoming the second team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in four years and the seventh team to win consecutive Super Bowls. Their championship years are 2002, 2004 and 2005.

Super Bowl XLIV, as any other Superbowl in history, is an extremely hyped game that for the most part has not lived up to its billing. That also holds true with the gambling aspect of the game.

Usually the point spread is not in doubt late in the game. There have been a few exceptions, and once in a while the dog covers but doesn't win, as it went down in when Carolina covered against New England but didn't win. For the most part though, the game is one sided, the point spread is rarely in doubt, and overall the public has held their own.

In the Super Bowl sometimes we think that there really can't be trends that apply to Super Bowl XLIV or any other. That is not really the case, as Superbowl betting trends have done just as well as in any other area of sports betting.

When taking a look at the 2008 Superbowl betting lines, pick the favorite. You are on the plus side if you took the favorite minus the points in every Super Bowl ever played. It is not a huge percentage, but the favorites have covered more than the dogs. You can throw the over right in there with the favorites.

Since 1982 if you took the over in every Super Bowl you would be very pleased according to the Superbowl odds. These two trends may surprise you because it is well known that the public bets favorites and the over, particularly in the Super Bowl. That should tell you that for the most part the public has held their own in the big game when they bet on the Superbowl.

Most of the time when people bet on the Super Bowl they either lay the points or take the money line underdog. Usually the winner of the game also covers the spread, so most of the time if you are going to bet the dog, do so on the money line.

If you can spot Super Bowl betting trends on rushing statistics it is almost a sure winner for the Super Bowl. The team that has had the most rushing attempts has won well over 70% over the time. It makes sense that the team behind will be throwing the ball, so I don't know if you can make the prediction of rushing attempts before the game is played, but it is still a trend worth thinking about before you bet the NFL Super Bowl XLIV Online or in any way.

During the 1980's and 1990's a trend that made no sense but worked was taking the NFC when a Republican President was sitting in office. That trend has not held water in the 2000's however, as New England and Pittsburgh put that theory to shame.

As you bet on the Super Bowl remember that trends can be interesting to look at. Just as in the regular season you definitely want to consider them, but don't base your entire handicapping upon them. Super Bowl XLIV is just one game, all be it a huge game, and sometimes we get carried away by looking at too many things. I believe keeping it simple always works the best. Simplicity when you bet on the Super Bowl has been to take the favorite and the over. If you don't like either of those bets presented to you in the 2010 Superbowl betting lines, then I suggest finding a good prop bet. At least that will keep you in action throughout the game, and your chances of winning might actually be better.

The Super Bowl used to be a betting event that only included the side and the total but now these Superbowl betting choices and propositions have taken on a life all to themselves.

You will see many sportsbooks around the world put up hundreds of props and Super Bowl gambling lines and odds for the game. It all starts with the coin toss and action continues right until the final snap of the game. Very often sportsbooks will tie the Super Bowl into other events during the day such as the NBA or NHL and this upcoming Superbowl XLIV won't be any different. This makes it more appealing to bet on the Super Bowl 2008 for more people because options are available beyond just the side and total.

Super Bowl betting choices abound at sportsbooks around the world. Be sure and check out more than just the side and the total. Take a look at some of the interesting propositions that are offered for you to bet on the NFL Super Bowl XLIV and don't forget to consider quarter and halftime betting. We all get so enthralled with the halftime show on TV that we often forget that halftime betting is available on the Super Bowl. This is one area of Super Bowl betting choices that the average player can really gain an advantage over the books, but it is often times ignored. Don't make that mistake. Look closely at the halftime Super Bowl Gambling Lines and Odds and see if you can spot some value. It probably will be your last bet of the football season, so make it a good one.

Also don't forget that propositions are something that can keep you in action throughout the game. These types of Superbowl betting choices will keep you in action throughout the game, regardless of the score. The Super Bowl is about betting choices, and there is a multitude to choose from when you talk about Super Bowl XLIV betting.

The Top Super Bowl Team Prop Bets

By Jeff Frank, Contributing Editor Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - It's easy to have an opinion on which team will win the Super Bowl and by how many points, but when deciding on what other bets to make on the game, be careful how and what you wager.

I highly recommend staying away from all bets that involve a 50% chance of winning. It might be a whole lot of fun to root for one single occurrence, such as heads or tails on the coin toss, but there's not much skill or logic in those wagers. Just because heads has come up in eight of the last 13 Super Bowls doesn't mean it will happen in this contest.

Furthermore, even though the NFC representative has won the last 12 coin tosses, the odds of the Saints taking the honors in 2010 is still a 50-50 proposition. And to put another spin on the situation, just because a team wins the toss, it doesn't necessarily mean that club will get the ball first. Last year, the Cardinals won and deferred.

Imagine if someone had wagered all their hard-earned money on Arizona getting the first first-down in last year's contest. That person was probably ecstatic when the Cardinals won the toss, only to have Pittsburgh receive the opening kickoff.

POSSIBLE WAGERS There aren't many sure things in life but in a game featuring the highest- scoring team in the league (the Saints) and the number three squad in the AFC (the Colts), it's pretty obvious that one of the two clubs will score in the first 7:30 minutes of the game. The line is lofty at -250 but it's better to wager on something that has a high probability rate rather than something at 50-50.

One prop bet that I am a huge proponent of is "the first score of the game will be" with the two choices being a touchdown and field goal/safety.

Last year, it looked as if the first score would be a touchdown when Ben Roethlisberger plunged into the end zone from one-yard out, but Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt challenged the ruling on the field and Pittsburgh settled for an 18-yard field goal.

The first score has now been a field goal in seven of the last 11 Super Bowls, which makes one wonder why the touchdown is such a high favorite at -200 while the field goal stands at a very generous +160. To that end, two more wagers that should also be made are an Indianapolis field goal at 4-1 and a New Orleans field goal at 6-1 as the first scoring play of the game.

Another prop bet to take advantage of concerns turnovers. I mentioned in last week's column how opportunistic the Saints defense has been with 39 regular season takeaways and an additional seven in the playoffs. On the other hand, the Colts ranked 18th during the regular season with 26. New Orleans has turned the ball over only one time in the two postseason games, so take the Colts to have more turnovers than the Saints at +105.

I fully expect this game to be a back-and-forth affair so grab the YES at +155 on "will there be a lead change in the second half." This prop bet in last year's game was as high as +190 for YES and it came through with 2:37 left in the game when Kurt Warner hit Larry Fitzgerald for a 64-yard touchdown strike. Expect it to happen much earlier in this year's matchup.

Along those lines, take the +110 on YES that both teams will have a lead at some point in the first half.

HALFTIME AND END OF REGULATION PROPS For those who are confident the underdog Saints will win the game, there are a few ways to wager without taking them at +185 on the money line. If New Orleans has the lead at the half and at the end of the game, the odds almost double at 4-1. If the Colts lead after 30 minutes and the Saints end up winning the game, the odds go to 8-1, and if the score is tied at the half and New Orleans comes out on top, the payoff is 20-1.

Sometimes when looking over all the prop bets you find some inconsistencies that could help in determining which ones to eventually wager on. For instance, in the prop bet labeled "first-half team scoring," the increment that's the top choice for the Colts is "22 points or more," which stands at 5-2. The one that's favored for the Saints is "between six and nine points" at 3-1.

However, that's not the case when it comes to the "halftime margin of victory" prop bet. If the Colts lead by 14-17 points at the half, the payout would be 13-2. On the other hand, if the first 30 minutes of play ends with the Colts up by just one to three points, the payout would be 3-1. Those figures seem extremely incongruous.

I expect a close game in Super Bowl XLIV with the final score decided by a field goal so the final team prop bet I would make is "will the game be decided by exactly three points" at a very generous +400.

Stay tuned later in the week for Super Bowl player prop bets.