The Slot Jock's Guide to Superbowl Prop Betting

I admit, it is exciting to see the action as hordes of bettors invade Vegas for Super Bowl Sunday.

You can bet on practically anything in Vegas, and the Super Bowl really brings out the lengths Sportsbooks will go to give the gambler what they want -- Proposition or "Prop bets."

Betting on the final outcome of the game too boring for you? Why not bet on who will score first, or even who will win the coin toss? But even those bets are old hat, compared with exotic wagers like -- which will be greater -- accumulative points scored in first half of Super Bowl, or Dirk Nowitzki's points plus rebounds in Sunday's Mavericks-Pistons game?

For those who have no real interest in football, there are a litany of other bets to be made -- this list from The Bachelor Guy website made me chuckle.

http://www.thebachelorguy.com/24-outrageous-super-bowl-bets-thatll-sack-your-bank-account.html

How about betting on the length of Jordin Sparks National Anthem, or which song Tom Petty will close his set with?

It seems to me practice for the Half Time show will render these bets almost pointless, but what about which commercial will be the most popular? Bud, my beer of choice is a 2 to 1 favorite, while Victoria's Secret is 9 to 1 -- any woman who tried to get her man's attention during a football game will attest that lingerie is good, but beer is better.

Who will the MVP thank first? God (5 to 2) or the Coach (5 to 1)?

You'll have to be really observant to track how many time Archie Manning will be shown on the broadcast, and you can bet on that, but what about Eli's mom, Olivia? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/sports/football/29manning.html?em&ex=1201755600&en=df44fd9d38252845&ei=5087%0A She rated this article in the New York Times, what about a Prop bet for her?

I heard on the radio yesterday, that the bet with the longest odds is a Super Bowl without touchdowns -- it pays 300 to 1.

Hilton's Superbook seems to be ground central for Prop Mania, http://www.lvhilton.com/casino/superbook.shtml offering over 300 different bets.

I had a great spot to watch the Super Bowl last year, perched at a "Gold Fish" slot machine with a clear view of the screens in Terrible's Sport Book. I actually came out ahead on the slot, drank plenty of beer and enjoyed the boisterous revelry of the game and game watchers.

This year, I'm not sure where I'll watch the action or what I will bet on. I do like underdogs, so I just might back Eli and Victoria's Secret.