Every year, millions of Canadians gather to indulge in Super Bowl traditions such as eating elaborate appetizers and placing bets on the game. Since the Super Bowl is an international sports betting holiday, there’s some key information to know before wading into the waters of betting.
Read on to learn more about Super Bowl betting in Canada and feel confident in your process going into the big day!
Popular Types of Super Bowl Bets in Canada
The most popular types of Super Bowl Bets somewhat differ from the betting markets that are typically the most active during the NFL season. Here are the bet types that Canadians are predominantly interested in during the Super Bowl.
Prop Betting
Prop betting originated at Super Bowl XX and continues to be the most popular form of Super Bowl sports betting to this very day.
A prop bet, simply put, is a gamble on a statistic that is unrelated to the final score. The most popular types of prop bets often concern the performance of a particular player. For example, betting markets such as “Anytime Touchdown Scorer” or “Travis Kelce Over/Under 55.5 yards.”
During the Super Bowl, things are taken a step further with prop betting as there are many that truly do not relate to in-game football activities whatsoever.
For example, betting markets like “Over/Under On Length of National Anthem” or “What Colour Will The Gatorade Be?”
Traditional Betting
Traditional betting refers to any and all of the classic betting markets that have been around since the inception of sports betting. The three bet types that fall under this category include money line betting, spread betting, and over/under betting.
Money line betting is as simple as picking the outright winner. Spread betting takes money line betting to the next level, as a team must either win or lose by a certain number of points. For example, if the Chiefs are -6.5 on the spread, they must win by seven points (a touchdown) or more.
Over/under betting is typically associated with the sum of the final score however it also has other utilities such as the Travis Kelce over/under prop bet example mentioned during the last section.
To give an example of a traditional over/under bet, let’s say the game point total is set at 45.5 points. An over bet would need 46 or more points to cash (like a final score of 24-23 for example) whereas an under bet would need the final sum to be 45 points or less.
Parlay Betting
A parlay bet is essentially a combination bet. Each part of the parlay is called a “leg” and each leg must successfully hit for the wager to be profitable.
For example, if you place a five-leg parlay on five different anytime touchdown scorers but only four of those players score touchdowns, the entire bet loses.
Parlay bets are not limited to particular betting markets either. For example, it would be possible for you to have a three-leg parlay featuring two prop bets and a money line bet.
Live Betting
Live betting can refer to any of the aforementioned bet types. The difference is that live bets are placed once the game has already started, with the odds of each betting market fluctuating depending on what’s happening in-game.
For example, if 49ers star back Christian McCaffrey scores an early touchdown, the odds of his 2+ touchdown live betting prop market will change. After all, an early touchdown means he’s a lot more likely to score a total of 2+ given the number of minutes left on the clock.
Super Bowl Betting Tips & Tricks
There are a few tips and tricks every Canadian bettor should know before diving headfirst into Super Bowl betting. Read below to learn how to place educated bets on the NFL’s biggest day of the year.
Take Advantage of Special Promos
Every sportsbook knows that more Canadians are betting than usual during the Super Bowl. As such, there are tons of promotions to help you save while betting.
If you’re a new player, there are sign-up bonuses including deposit matching and bonus bet credits. For returning players there are reload bonuses as well as boosted odds on same-game parlays, and more!
All’s to say, don’t be afraid to shop around and to make accounts with multiple sportsbooks in order to maximize the value of the real cash you plan to deposit.
Don’t Go Too Overboard With Silly Props
As previously mentioned, there are several silly prop betting markets to choose from during the Super Bowl. Sports betting is meant to be fun and not profitable, so there’s nothing wrong with placing a handful of silly prop bets.
That said, don’t go overboard and only bet on props. Be sure to diversify meaning you should also make safer bets on football-related events.
Always Check The News
Rosters are constantly changing due to a variety of different factors including injuries and suspensions. Always make sure to do a quick news check before placing any bets.
That way, you don’t make a terrible mistake such as betting on an injured player to score a touchdown. Conversely, it can be wise to bet on a backup player with longer odds if the starter in front of him goes down.
Volume is king in football, and sometimes all a backup needs is a few extra snaps to find pay dirt (a football term meaning to score a touchdown).
Spend Within Your Financial Means
This last tip may seem obvious to some, but it’s also easy to get carried away if you don’t have a plan. Before placing any bets on the Super Bowl, honestly assess your financial situation and never spend more than you can afford to lose.
Don’t be afraid to use responsible gaming tools and set limits to further discipline yourself. Never expect your bets to automatically win, no matter how strong they may seem, and never gamble for the sole purpose of making a profit.