2023 Super Bowl Novelty Bets: Lock in This Plus-Money Kickoff Prop
2023 Super Bowl Novelty Bets: Lock in This Plus-Money Kickoff Prop
This prop has won a lot more than it has lost in the history of the Super Bowl and hopefully, it will win again this year. The odds have rarely been plus money like they are this year. We will look at the opening kickoff of the game and explain how we think it will play out.
Super Bowl Start Time and Where to Watch
- Date: Sunday, February 12, 2022
- Start Time: 6:30 pm ET
- TV Coverage: FOX
Super Bowl Odds
- Spread: Eagles -1.5 (-110), Chiefs +1.5 (-109)
- Total: Over 51 (+100), Under 51 (-110)
- Moneyline: Eagles (-118), Chiefs (+105)
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2023 Super Bowl Novelty Bets
Let's look back in history. The last time the Kansas City Chiefs were in the Super Bowl 55 (31-9 losers to Tom Brady and Tampa Bay), Harrison Butker kicked it 68 yards and Jaydon Mickens returned it 26 yards. In the Super Bowl before that, Mitch Wishnowsky the year before kicked it 68 yards and was returned 29 yards by Mecole Hardman. Greg Zuerlein kicked it 64 yards and Cordarrelle Patterson returned it for no gain in Super Bowl 53. Sadly, last year in Super Bowl 56 Evan McPherson kicked it for a touchback ending the streak.
That's three in a row, and all were not touchbacks before last year. We will go back to a few more Super Bowls. Stephen Gostkowski kicks it 64 yards and Corey Clement returns it 25 yards, Bosher touchback, of course, it would be Brady and Belichick that would ruin it in Super Bowl 52. The year before Graham Gano had a 63-yard kick and Andre Caldwell 18 yard return.
That's the last six and if we win four times we will take 60 percent on a prop at plus money, but let's go even further back. Stephen Hauschka kicked it for 70 yards and Amendola had a 23-yard return. Then Hauschka kicked for 71 yards and Holliday had a 20-yard return, and the 49ers didn't return another streak buster as Justin Tucker's kick.
But if we look even further and we see it happened in Super Bowl 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, and 41. The worst opening kickoff ever as Hester returned it for a touchdown in Super Bowl 40. So that's 16 Super Bowls and only three losers.
We went even further back and this streak is amazing as in the last 29 Super Bowls you saw only three didn't have a kick return. You can do the math. That's almost a 90% chance of a winner over the last 29 years. You can't pass that up and the team that ruined the streak was Buffalo as they lost 52-17 in the Super Bowl. Maybe if they could go back to 1993, the Bills would have returned it since they lost that game by 35 (but the Bills never win).
Both teams are playing great and have speedy returners and they want to make a point early, especially with all the slow starts we have seen in recent Super Bowls. Boston Scott returned for 29 yards against the 49ers on the opening kickoff while the Chiefs received the kickoff in the second half against the Bengals and Isaiah Pacheco returned for 22 yards.
Neither team has great coverage either and this game isn't going to be a field possession game that's for sure. The NFL does not allow the ball that is used for the opening kickoff to be handled before the game since the ball goes to the Hall of Fame. Kickers have said that they can't break in the ball so it's a lot harder to kick it the way they want.
Until the NFL changes or until we see this prop lose back-to-back we will ride it again. We are sold and you should be too. Last week the 49ers got over 100 kick return yards and the Chiefs did as well so we know the Eagles' weakness and Andy Reid will exploit it if they get the ball first.
No one wants to see a touchback; they want to see it run it back for a touchdown. Let's start the Super Bowl with a winner as we take the opening kickoff to NOT be a touchback +130 as your prop winner.
2023 Super Bowl Novelty Bets
Opening Kickoff Touchback: NO (+130) Bet $100 to collect $230 DraftKings has the best odds, click here to bet
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