The easiest bets in Super Bowl history

A common lament among NFL bettors is that nearly every bet comes down to the final drive.

Of course, that’s not quite true. A few easy winners can be found each week — sometimes even in the Super Bowl.

Here are the 10 easiest covers, spread or total, in Super Bowl history, based on historical information provided by VegasInsider.com.

10. Super Bowl III (Jan. 12, 1969): New York Jets (+18) 16, Baltimore Colts 7 — The list starts with the most famous upset in Super Bowl history, as Joe Namath made good on his guarantee of a New York win, with a lot of help from his defense. Bettors taking the points covered by 27 points.

9. Super Bowl IV (Jan. 11, 1970): Kansas City Chiefs (+12) 23, Minnesota Vikings 7 — After the Jets paved the way for the AFL the previous year, the Chiefs solidified the league’s reputation and helped coach Hank Stram live on forever in NFL Films clips with his exhortation to “keep matriculating the ball down the field.” Kansas City hasn’t won the Super Bowl since — a streak that might end Sunday — but it covered against the Vikings by 28 points.

8. Super Bowl XXVII (Jan. 31, 1993): Dallas Cowboys (-6½) 52, Buffalo Bills 17 — Jimmy Johnson’s Cowboys completed their takeover of the NFL by handing the Bills their third straight loss in the title game. Would rank even higher if not for defensive lineman Leon Lett’s famous fumble on the goal line. Dallas covered by 28½ points.

7. Super Bowl XIII (Jan. 21, 1979): Over 37 (Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Cowboys 31) — The game is famous in Las Vegas circles for landing on 4 to create a huge middle, but it sailed over the total, covering by 29.

6. Super Bowl XXXVII (Jan. 26, 2003): Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48 (+4), Oakland Raiders 21 — Now-Raiders coach Jon Gruden earned his ring by leading Tampa Bay to a destruction of Oakland, covering by 31.

5. Super Bowl XVIII (Jan. 22, 1984): Los Angeles Raiders (+3) 38, Washington Redskins 9 — The Raiders were on the right side of this blowout behind Marcus Allen’s 191 rushing yards and Jack Squirek’s interception for a touchdown right before halftime. The team covered by 32.

4. Super Bowl XXIV (Jan. 28, 1990): San Francisco 49ers (-12) 55, Denver Broncos 10 — You know it was a beatdown when a double-digit favorite makes this list. Joe Montana won the last of his four Super Bowls, throwing for five TDs in handing John Elway his third Super Bowl defeat, part of a 13-game winning streak for the NFC from the 1984 through 1996 seasons. The 49ers covered by 33.

3. Super Bowl XXII (Jan. 31, 1988): Redskins (+3) 42, Broncos 10 — Of course it was even worse for Elway and the Broncos two seasons before, when Doug Williams, Timmy Smith and Washington put up 35 points in the second quarter, erasing an early 10-0 deficit and rolling to a cover by 35 points.

2. Super Bowl XLVIII (Feb. 2, 2014): Seattle Seahawks (+2½) 43, Broncos 8 — A different era for Denver, but another stunning blowout. A snap went over quarterback Peyton Manning’s head for a safety on the first play, and things never got better for the Broncos. Seattle covered by 37½ points.

1. Super Bowl LIII (Feb. 3, 2019): Under 56 (New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3) — Yes, the easiest bet in Super Bowl history came just last year, when the offenses disappeared for the Patriots and Rams, leaving under bettors with 40 points of cushion for their winning tickets.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.