With the final game of the 2022 NFL season now upon us let’s zero in on a few more last-minute facts surrounding today’s Super Bowl LVI showdown between the Bengals and Rams –
THAT WAS THEN…
- Super Bowl III was the first Super Bowl. The thing is, the first two clashes between the AFL and NFL champions were called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. It wasn’t until the game’s third installment, in 1969, that the much name “Super Bowl” was used.
THIS IS NOW…
- 31.4 million bettors are expected to wager $7.61 billion on Sunday’s game, breaking the previous records by 35% and 78%, respectively. “Over the last 14 Super Bowls, the early money has been on the right side on 11 occasions,” says Jason Logan, senior analyst at Covers.com. “Early money was on the Rams this year, moving the line from -3.5/4 to -4.5 in the first 24 hours.”
- Finally, in closing, will any quarter be scoreless? The “Yes” is +300. This has happened in four of the last seven Super Bowls. That includes Chiefs-Bucs last year, as well as the last time Sean McVay was coaching in the big game when the Rams put up three total points against the Pats three years ago. With McVay likely to be conservative and the Rams boasting a strong defense, a scoreless quarter should be in play here, and we’re getting 3-1 odds. It’s worth considering.
Enjoy the commercials, the food, and – oh yeah – the game.