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49ers vs. Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII Novelty Props: Extravagant Bets You Can Make

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Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on December 10, 2023. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images/AFP

Top NFL Pick: Under 117.5 Million Viewers (+300) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)

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Under 117.5 Million Viewers (+300)
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Our top-rated online sportsbooks have released their NFL odds for the upcoming Super Bowl between San Francisco and Kansas City.

The Super Bowl is unique because, in addition to being able to bet on the side and total and on conventional props like player yardage, you can bet on any number of random things. Every second of the Super Bowl broadcast could contain a moment in which some random bet is decided.

Three prop bets interest me for this Super Bowl.

The first is the viewership total and the second and third refer to who will be shown before whom during the national anthem.

For your best bets, I will recommend hitting the “under” for viewership total, and respectively Christian McCaffrey and Brock Purdy for the second and third bets.


San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Sunday, February 11, 2024 – 06:30 PM ET at Allegiant Stadium


The Viewership Total Bet

The over/under for the official viewership total during the Super Bowl 58 broadcast is 117.5 million.

The “over” is unplayable, as it is chalked at -500. As I will explain, there is no persuasive reason to be that confident that the “over” will hit. Instead, I see tremendous value in the “under” at plus money.

Why the “Over” Looks Easy

I will say that the “over” does seem to be an easy bet. I emphasize the word “seem.”

Last year, the Super Bowl attracted 115.1 million viewers.

The “over” seems easy because the Chiefs made the Super Bowl, which means that music icon Taylor Swift will attend the game. It is statistically proven that female viewership of the NFL has increased tremendously, and this is presumably because of Swift.

Swift has a lot of fans, male and female, who might not otherwise have tuned into the game. So, you take the 115 million from last year, add a bunch of Swifties, and you exceed 117.5 million for the “over.”

Faulty Reasoning

Last year was an exceptional Super Bowl in terms of viewership numbers.

In previous Super Bowls, we’ve seen well over ten million fewer viewers than we saw last year.

The key to deciding this bet is not to add the imagined high number of Swifties to the viewership total from last year, but to consider whether this year’s Super Bowl will be viewed as heavily as last year’s, regardless of the finite number of Swifties who will be tuning in.

Last year, we had a couple of great angles in play:

  • Two black quarterbacks going against each other for the first time.
  • Two brothers competing on opposite teams.

I love football and I’m always inclined to find reasons to watch the game. However, I also recognize that a lot of fans over social media and in real life are expressing dissatisfaction with this year’s Super Bowl.

First of all, NFL fans are getting tired of the Chiefs.

We just saw them last year. We also saw them three years ago and, against these very 49ers, four years ago. I can’t see the general excitement for this rematch and for another Chiefs appearance to be this significant.

While, sure, many Swifties will tune in, this game will be too uninteresting for the majority of people who will be basing their decision to watch the broadcast on football-related reasons.

NFL Pick: Under 117.5 Million Viewers (+300) at BetOnline

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Under 117.5 Million Viewers (+300)
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Travis Kelce or Christian McCaffrey Prop Bet

This bet will be decided by which of these two players will be shown first during the National Anthem.

Travis Kelce Is Favored

Travis Kelce is favored heavily, but I disagree with oddsmakers’ implication that he is likely to be shown before Christian McCaffrey.

I really like these “to be shown first” prop bets because the odds favor those who are more well-known or popular.

I do not doubt that Travis Kelce is a more famous, popular, well-known figure than San Francisco’s running back. This seems to be especially true in view of his relationship with Taylor Swift.

Why Christian McCaffrey Is the Play

However, popularity is far from constituting the only meaningful criterion of which player gets shown before another player.

If you look at previous broadcasts, it is very often the case that less popular players get shown before more popular ones.

I really like McCaffrey to win this prop bet because of the association between the National Anthem and the military.

Military members are always recognized during the Anthem. McCaffrey is well-known as a huge supporter of the military. His Christian McCaffrey Foundation is devoted to assisting service members. In 2021, he won the Salute to Service Award.

He is the perfect person to be featured on television during the Anthem.

NFL Pick: Christian McCaffrey (+150) at BetOnline

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Christian McCaffrey (+150)
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Patrick Mahomes or Brock Purdy Prop Bet

This bet will be decided by which of these two players will be shown first during the National Anthem.

Patrick Mahomes Is Favored

Patrick Mahomes is heavily favored, and for obvious reasons. He is more well-known than Brock Purdy. The casual viewer will have an easier time recognizing Mahomes than Purdy.

Why Brock Purdy Is the Play

Last year, Jalen Hurts cashed in at plus money, as he was shown before Mahomes, even though he was the lesser-known quarterback.

That’s because he looked solemn. As also evident in Odell Beckham Jr.’s early appearance during the Anthem two Super Bowls ago, the TV camera likes to focus on players who appear moved by the Anthem and who otherwise treat this patriotic song with great respect.

Whereas Mahomes, as cool as he is, can be seen appearing disinterested. On the other hand, Brock Purdy during the Anthem performance at the NFC Championship had his hand on his heart looking very attentive and patriotic.

Mahomes will tear up because he is frustrated with the refs. He will get emotional during the game, which he is locked into mentally before the game starts, whereas Purdy demonstrably likes to at least show devotion to the Anthem.

The favored player here is not attractive, especially with this juice. Purdy is likelier to be shown first, and we get him at plus money.

NFL Pick: Brock Purdy (+125) at BetOnline

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Brock Purdy (+125)
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*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.