Learn how to bet for the first time on this years Super Bowl.
Online betting is legal in multiple US states. So we know that many people are making their first bets ever this year. Here is our Super Bowl sports betting 101 crash course, with all the answers you need to make a legal wager on the big game. This guide is also a great way to make sure you sound bet savvy at your Super Bowl party this year.
Pick a trusted, legal, US sportsbook to place your Super Bowl bet this year.
The first step is signing up for an account at a US BASED online sportsbook. We list all of the top US options, by state, in our online betting site portal. ‘Offshore’ betting sites are located in countries with relaxed laws and interference regarding gambling and banking. So, if you bet on those sites it is illegal. TPN does not promote or list any off shore sites that could land you in legal trouble if you bet on them.
Shop around for a sportsbook signup bonus.
Now its time to shop for your first online betting bonus deal. Just like booking a flight or hotel, it is good to shop around for the best offer. All of the US online sportsbooks have a similar user experience, so it is smart to look for a good bonus deal when you pick the betting site where you will make your first wager. The betting sites are competitive with one another, so the deals change and you’ll be able to claim more bonuses from other sites in the future.
There is no cost, membership or long term commitment when you sign up for a sportsbook. You are only singed up for an online sports book for as long as you chose to be. Your account can be closed at any time. Many bettors chose to have multiple online sportsbook accounts at one time, as they offer varying odds and bonuses on the same events.
It will not be uncommon for one individual to use as many as four different betting sites for their Super Bowl betting action.
Some betting sites will let you play for free.
Occasionally, online sportsbooks give away free bets that do not require any deposit bonus to get. These are for new customers to try the site. For example, Unibet Sportsbook Pennsylvania and Unibet Sportsbook New Jersey are offering $20 free bets to new signups. All you have to do is register a new account in either PA or NJ and then you get two $10 Free Bets totaling $20 with zero deposit requirement. You can use these bets on any type of wager and on any sport. William Hill also has a $10 free bet, no deposit, signup offer for players in New Jersey.
What are Risk-Free Bets?
Most of the sites now offer ‘risk-free bet signup bonuses. These are a good value for Super Bowl because you get to wager your entire account balance if you choose to. Then you know you have the risk-free bet ‘insurance policy’, so if that first bet loses you get your money back.
At most betting sites, there is a 1x rollover on the funds that get credited back to your account if the risk-free bet loses. That means that you can’t just withdraw it, you have to play it thru one time by betting on sports or playing in the online casino. It is important to read the fine print so you know what will be required to withdraw the funds if your risk-free bet does lose.
Also an online casino bonus is an option you can take when signing up at a betting site. These give you casino credit instead of risk-free bets. If you’re someone who would enjoy some online slots more than betting (aside from the Super Bowl), then a casino bonus might be the way to go. To claim a casino bonus instead of a sports betting bonus, just choose a sportsbook then click casino on the ‘rewards’ or ‘promotions’ page. The available casino signup bonus option should be displayed.
Create a sportsbook account.
Now that you have chosen a betting site to play on, you will need to complete the registration process. The sportsbook registration process is quick and easy. You just need to input some contact and identity verification information, and then allow the site to check your location. Location checking is when the online sportsbook checks to see that you are in fact in a state where it is legal to bet.
Depending on if you are using a computer or mobile device, you may be asked to install a 3rd party application for location checking. These are safe to use apps made by reputable companies that partner with the betting sites to provide a service that requires advanced technology.
Where is it legal to bet online in the US?
It is legal to bet online right now in Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Rhode Island and Nevada also have options for placing bets. You must be present in these states to wager, however you do not need to be a resident of a legal betting state to play.
If you are not located in a legal betting state, you can try an alternative form of gaming for money called DFS. Daily Fantasy Sports are fun games that involve picking players who will perform the best in an event, such as the Super Bowl. These skill based games all offer apps and a wide variety of options and levels of risk. Plus they are 18+ to play and legal in a long list of US states. Check out our top DFS sites here at TPN, including Monkey Knife Fight, Draftkings and Fanduel.
Now that you have your online sportsbook account, it is time to deposit funds for your Super Bowl bet. Decide how much you are comfortable risking, and the method you will use to deposit it. Most betting sites have options for VISA and Mastercard, as well as direct bank transfers, PayPal and various other methods. We do not suggest using Play+ if you do not intend to keep betting after the Super Bowl. Play+ is a great option for simplifying the banking part of betting online, and it also accumulates rewards like a credit card. However you will have a separate account that requires closing if you don’t keep using it for betting purposes. That account has a small monthly fee, so avoid Play+ if you won’t use it in the future.
Complete the required information to deposit the funds. Make sure you select the bonus that you want to claim before doing so! If you select your sportsbook from our online betting site portal, you do not need to use a promo code to get the bonus.
Now you have a sportsbook account and a bankroll.
Take some time familiarizing yourself with the betting site. You’ll need to decide if your intention is to make any bets leading up to the big game (like NBA, UFC, NHL, etc) or if you are saving the whole account balance for 49ers vs Chiefs. The betting sites offer TONS of options when it comes to different sports and events that you can bet on. Draftkings even has betting lines on the Oscars.
The Super Bowl bets are broken up at all books into standard wagers and prop bets. Standard wagers include; the spread, the money line, the over/under as well as bets on the outcome of individual quarters and halves in a game.
Types of Bets
1. You can bet Against the Spread.
The spread means betting on one team or the other to win or at least not lose by a certain amount of points. So it’s like a buffer that accounts for there being a favorite and an underdog in the game, as determined by the odds makers in Las Vegas. Currently the Chiefs are a – 1.5 point favorite at most sportsbooks. That means, if you bet ‘against the spread’ on the Chiefs, they will have to win the game by 2 points or more for your bet to win.
If the Chiefs win the game by 1 point, you lose because you bet ‘ATS’ on them. But, If you bet on the underdog 49ers at + 1.5 points, they can lose the game by 1 point, and your bet will still win even if the Niners don’t. If SF loses to KC by 2 or more, then your SF +1.5 bet loses.
The spread on this game is likely to become larger as the week goes on. The individual betting sites are allowed to ‘move the line’ in order to keep the wagering even on both the favorite and the underdog. So, with most of the public backing the Chiefs, the 1.5 point spread is likely to increase by 1 point to be -2.5 by the time the game starts. This means that if you are intending to bet on the Chiefs, you may want to do it early.
2. Or you can bet on the Money Line.
Money Lines are straight forward bets on who will win or who will lose the game (or the first half, or a quarter). Money Lines do not involve any spread or points. Instead, the ratio or wager to payout accounts for who the favorite and underdog are. So if you bet on the favorite Chiefs money line of -125 to win, you need to bet $125 to win $100. If you take the money line on the 49ers to win the game at +108, you will win $108 on a $100 bet if they win the game. But, gone is the 1.5 point buffer for loss that the spread gives you.
3. Then there is the OVER/UNDER.
The Over/Under is a bet on the total points scored in the game. Currently the +/- sits at 54 points for Niners vs Chiefs. The number is set by the oddsmakers who predict the total points that both teams will combine for in the game. You can chose to wager that the actual total will be OVER (more than) or UNDER (less than) this number. So, if the Chiefs were to win the game 35 to 20, the result would be OVER by 1 point. If the Chiefs win 33 to 20, the total would be UNDER. If there is exactly 54 points in the game it is a ‘push’.
FYI.. A push is when a bet ties.
So if the final score lands exactly on the Over/Under number or spread number, you get your wager amount fully refunded because it is a draw. You cannot tie a bet where there is a half point involved (like the current spread at 1.5).
5. Parlays are higher risk/reward.
Another option for a bet is to create a parlay. A parlay is when you mix multiple bets together into one wager, that results in a greater payout if they all win. So, you can take the Chiefs money line to win the game ‘parlayed’ with the UNDER of 54 points, and the payout would be around +240. That means a $100 bet on this 2 ‘leg’ parlay would win $240, but only if the Chiefs win the game AND the total points stay under 54.
6. Teasers are less risky parlays.
Teasers are an alternate type of parlay that you can play at any sportsbook. They have much lower payouts, but you get to add 6, 6.5 or 7 points to the spread or Over/Under in your favor. And you can do this on all of the ‘legs’ that you select. For more on teasers read this.
7. There are a TON of Prop Bets for Super Bowl
Prop bets include an huge variety of potential outcomes including player stats, team stats, totals within a game (ex: sacks by both teams, or TDs by both teams) and more. Some sites also offer more exotic outcomes for betting such as the coin toss.
While the media reports on many more laughable props like the Gatorade Color, National Anthem length, celebrity cameos in the halftime show or cliches deployed by the broadcast team, these props generally are not offered at legal US sportsbooks. So, just say no to ridiculous props and go with something from one of these betting sites.
Types of Props Bets
- MVP of the game.
- Player props include receiving yards, rushing yards, catches, touchdowns, multiple touchdowns, passing yards, field goals, yards on first carry, yards on first catch, longest catch, interceptions, fumbles, etc.
- Player head to head fantasy matchups (betting on who will perform the best from a selection of two or more players).
- First TD bets are on who will score first in the game for either team.
- Game futures like total sacks, total TDs, turnovers, safeties, time of possession, total punts, shortest score, longest score, etc etc.
- Prop Parlays- these include combinations of two or more props. Ex: Travis Kelce Scores AND the Chiefs win.
- Double Result – this is a parlay of the half time and full time outcomes of the game. So you can take the Chiefs to win both halves, or the 49ers to win the first half then lose the game, etc.
- Touchdown Scorer bets are wagers on a particular player to score any time in the game. Players who tend to score less often have bigger payouts.
Good Luck on your first online bet this Super Bowl Sunday! Stay tuned to The Props Network for online betting news, picks and bonuses.
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