Why 2K (Super Bowl Prop Bets)? ESPN’s Sports Betting Industry Reporter Wades Through Myriad Wagering Possibilities
David Purdum on taking ESPN.com readers inside Caesars Sportsbook's 2,000-offering strong Super Bowl LVII prop betting creation process
Super Bowl LVII is just days away, and we bet you’ll be watching. This bet is not a prop for this year’s game, but according to Caesars Sportsbook, there are around 2,000 props fans can bet on. Some props include:
- The coin toss
- Kelce vs. Kelce (which brother, Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis or Philadelphia Eagles C Jason, will play more offensive snaps)
- Quarterback rushing yards
- Receiver receptions
- And thousands of others
ESPN sports betting industry reporter David Purdum highlighted the Super Bowl LVII props market in a recent story, and fans can get into the action with an ESPN Super Bowl LVII props bingo card.
Purdum discusses how the Super Bowl prop market has grown and how its rise has created numerous storytelling opportunities.
How do you decide what storyline to lead with for a Super Bowl props story?
Purdum: A decade ago, sportsbooks might have posted a few hundred different props. Last week, Caesars posted 2,000. For my Super Bowl LVII props story, I went with an origin storyline and asked about the process in setting odds on 2,000 different offerings knowing how much the props market has increased over the years.
Enjoyed visiting with @roywoodjr and @michaelkosta of @TheDailyShow about the past, present and future of sports betting. https://t.co/2ILSTvbKiD
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) February 8, 2023
What do you find fascinating about the Super Bowl prop market?
Purdum: The game itself can determine how fascinating a prop is. For example, in Super Bowl LIV, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ over/under rushing yards became interesting because he lost 15 yards on kneel-downs during the last series of the game.
His rushing yards dropped to 29, with the over/under around 36.5, turning winning bets to losers or vice versa.
What is data showing on prop popularity?
Purdum: Props have accounted for about 50 percent of the amount wagered on the Super Bowl for the last several years, according to sportsbooks, and same-game parlays have increased in popularity. Sportsbooks said between 20-30 percent of bets on last year’s Super Bowl were same-game parlays, which are multi-leg wagers that have lower probability cash rates.
What else is important to know about your prop bet storytelling process?
Purdum: The props focused on events that don’t occur during the game are always a popular storyline. The betting interest on the coin flip is amazing. When they toss that coin pregame, millions of dollars will change hands on simply heads or tails.
