Sharp bettors hammer Super Bowl props at SuperBook, Caesars
In keeping with an annual Las Vegas tradition, gamblers lined up at the Westgate SuperBook on Thursday night to take the first crack at the book’s enormous menu of Super Bowl prop bets.
The massive video wall lit up at 5 p.m. with more than 500 props and thousands of ways to wager on the 49ers-Chiefs game at Allegiant Stadium. About 20 bettors, most of them professional, took turns making two wagers of up to $2,000 each before heading to the back of the line to repeat the process.
“This is a predominantly sharp crowd,” SuperBook director John Murray said. “Pretty much every guy in this line right now is betting the limit, it’s a respected bet, and we’re going to move the number.
“Most of them are just playing differences between our book and another book and trying to get a middle. They’re trying to win both ways. Some have their position and make their own numbers.”
Caesars Sportsbook posted more than 800 Super Bowl props Thursday afternoon, and also took plenty of sharp action.
“Most of the plays so far are sharp plays because the sharps are the ones that get involved early on a lot of the props. Their bets are the same as usual — a lot of unders and a lot of nos,” Caesars assistant director of trading Adam Pullen said. “In any Super Bowl, from a prop perspective, we’re always looking to have a low-scoring game. The public money dwarfs the sharps. They’re going to bet overs and yeses on all the players.’”
Murray said the sharps pounded the Chiefs total net yards under 368½ and 49ers rushing yards over 122½.
Caesars trader Joey Feazel said sharp bettors at his book are backing the Chiefs to have the longest kick return (-160).
“There are expectations that (Harrison) Butker’s going to kick a touchback on every one of his kicks, which he has done for most of the year,” Feazel said.
Most popular props
Murray said some of the most popular props at the SuperBook are Super Bowl MVP (Mahomes is the +140 favorite), player to score the first touchdown (Niners running back Christian McCaffrey is the 4-1 favorite), a safety to be scored (9-1), a successful 2-point conversion (3-1) and the game to go to overtime (9-1).
The most popular prop at Caesars is the coin toss.
“The coin toss, every year, is one of the top-bet markets,” Feazel said. “People love it. Quick action.”
A Caesars bettor in Michigan wagered $1 million on the 49ers on the money line (-120), $200,000 on San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy to be named Super Bowl MVP (+240) and $100,000 on the coin toss to land tails.
Sharp bets
Professional sports bettor Bill Krackomberger made 15 max prop bets Thursday at the SuperBook.
He said his strongest play was the total yardage of all touchdowns of the game to go over 74½. He bet it again to go over 76½.
“I think there’s going to be touchdowns in this game,” said Krackomberger (@BillKrackman). “I didn’t bet the over in the game, but I actually think there’s going to be longer touchdowns and I think over 74½ is a really good bet.”
Pro bettor Jeff Whitelaw likes Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce to go over his receptions (6½, -130) and receiving yards (72½).
“I like Kelce because in the big games, he’s hard to guard, and that’s where Mahomes looks,” he said. “He’s sort of like Mahomes’ security blanket. Obviously, every team tries to take him away. But he gets open when you need him.”
Pro bettor Randy McKay made two bets at the SuperBook: Purdy to complete his first pass (-220) and Niners tight end George Kittle to go over his receiving yards (49½).
“Usually in Super Bowls, to get a guy on the board, it’s usually a safe, easy pass to the receiver or running back, so I laid a little chalk on that,” said McKay (@RR39). “The other one, I like Kittle. In this Super Bowl played four years ago, he would’ve easily went over the total, if not for a phantom pass interference at the end of the game.
“Kansas City gives up yards to the tight end.”
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.