How Super Bowl Cross-Sport Bets Can Benefit Bettors
It's all about trying to find value
As Sunday gets closer, we find ourselves searching for those last few bets to make before Super Bowl kickoff. With so many different wagers available, it’s important to shop different markets that might align with the same edge, to find better value with a correlated wager.
For example, there are cross-sport bets that allow you to combine the NBA or NHL with Super Bowl wagers. On Super Bowl Sunday, the Boston Celtics play host to the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA while the Washington Capitals play the San Jose Sharks at home in the NHL. You can go head-to-head with a player from either of those games, with a Chiefs or Eagles player from the Super Bowl.
While the NFL side of the bet might not be an exact match to the individual line or wager for the game, it can closely relate and provide a better cash-out if it hits.
Dallas Goedert receptions (+100) or Jayson Tatum assists (-130)
There is no number set for this bet, but we can use 4.5 as a reference. That’s where Goedert’s receptions prop is set, while Tatum averages 4.5 assists per game this season. Tatum is facing a tough Memphis Grizzlies defense, against which he only had two assists in 40 minutes back in November. This matchup seems fairly even, as the Chiefs defense surrenders 4.6 catches a game to the tight end, while the Grizz have given up 4.6 assists a game to the small forward position. Yet, Tatum is favored in this head-to-head — juiced to -130 — which gives us good value on Goedert, who has averaged 5.4 catches over his last seven games. The fifth-year tight end’s prop for the game is juiced up to -143 to the over. Instead of risking $143 to win $100 on his five or more catches, we are risking $100 to win $100 on the head-to-head bet with Tatum. It is not the same bet, since Tatum could have more than five assists, but it’s a way to find plus money for a similar play.
More total interceptions (-145) or Alex Ovechkin points vs. Sharks (+115)
Here, we will use two as a reference, since the total interceptions for the game is set at 1.5. Patrick Mahomes finished the regular season with 12 interceptions while Jalen Hurts had just six. The difference in the numbers comes as no surprise since the Chiefs had one of the highest passing rates in the NFL while the Eagles finished bottom-five in the same category. With everything on the line, though, Hurts will have to throw the ball in order to keep up with Mahomes. It’s expected to be a high-scoring affair, which likely means a heavy dose of passes from both play-callers, and that introduces opportunity for mistakes. On the other side of this bet, Ovechkin is one of the most respected players in the NHL. However, he has had two or more points just twice in the last month. The Sharks defense isn’t very good, but the volume hasn’t been there consistently enough over the last month to convince that his points is the better play. The vet is also on the second night of a back-to-back, which means tired legs and bodes well to the under. So now that we’ve picked a side, the next step is using that edge in a different market. If you bet total interceptions in the head-to-head, you’re risking $145 to win $100. Instead, you can head to SuperBook sportsbook and bet over 1.5 interceptions at +140. That’s almost a dollar difference on a bet that, while not the same, is still similar.
Market shopping goes beyond just head-to-head wagers. For example, you can get Mahomes MVP at +130, which provides a better cash-out than the Chiefs ML listed at +105. It’s not the same bet, but there’s a good chance that any quarterback that can beat the best defense in football on an ailing ankle is going to win the award. Plus, quarterbacks have run away with the Super Bowl MVP, winning nine of the last 13.
As always, be smart with your money. There’s no shame in watching the game with few or no bets on the line. Have fun with it!
