(KTLA) – You may be old enough to remember when the coin toss and the length of the national anthem were the truly strange bets available on Super Bowl Sunday. But as the number of outlets for placing a bet skyrocket across the country, so too do the exotic specialty or “prop” bets.
Now you can bet on the color of the Gatorade the winning coach will wear at the end of the game, where the price of Bitcoin will go after kickoff and what color shoes Snoop Dog will wear while performing. All this in an effort to lure in a new market of gamblers who never leave the couch.
A total of 33 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized sports betting, according to NewsNation, including some of the most populous states in America. That means a growing number of fans will be able to place bets before and even during the game – in between bites of seven-layer dip.
“It’s a whole new age for sports betting,” John Murray, executive director of Westgate Sportsbook, recently told Nexstar’s Morning in America.
And sportsbooks are onto the fact that not all of the new gamblers care about the Rams and Bengals. The popular wagering site Bovada has dozens of available bets that have absolutely nothing to do with player stats or the final score.
Here’s a look at some of their available lines as of Thursday:
- Will Eminem wear a hoodie or a hat during the halftime show? Oddsmakers think he will, as of Thursday you had to bet $275 to win $100 on Slim Shady’s wardrobe.
- Will a word be forgotten during the national anthem? If so, you could win $400 on a $100 bet.
- Will a player propose to his girlfriend on the field after the game? Again, a $100 bet wins you $400 if it happens.
- Which brand will run an ad first? Quickbooks or Taco Bell? You have to bet $115 to win $100 on the right answer. Either way that extra $15 goes right to the sportsbook.
- Which team will performer Drake curse by wearing their jersey? Odds are it will be the Rams. A $240 bet only wins you $100 if he shows up to the homecoming event in their gear.
In all, Forbes predicts a record $7.6 billion will be wagered on Super Bowl LVI.
As the New York Times pointed out last month, this new flood of gambling legality and options has made life difficult for people attempting to recover from gambling addiction. Nexstar’s WBRE recently highlighted some options for individuals struggling with gambling addiction, including a national helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER.