The Super Bowl offers some of the best props bets of any sporting event year-in and year-out. This year’s game is no exception.
Super Bowl LVI this Sunday will start with a kickoff. There are a handful of interesting kicking props this year. Here is a look at the best Super Bowl LVI kicking props odds and picks.
Find out who we’re picking to win Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.
First Team to Punt
Rams +100
Bengals -130
Neither +8000
Which team will punt first? Well, the conventional thinking is that the Rams offense is better than Cincinnati’s. The Rams, being the visiting team, will call the coin toss. If they win it, they are likely to defer.
That means Cincy would get the ball first. Head coaches in Super Bowls are typically conservative at the beginning of the game. They don’t take too many chances. Again, the thinking would be that the Rams defense – a top five unit – would stop the Bengals and they punt first.
That, of course, is the favorite here, but you have to like the plus-money odds on the Rams. Don’t forget, the Bengals defense is allowing just 19.7 points per postseason game. They are often overlooked. Whether the Rams get the ball first or not, Sean McVay will likely remain conservative early on. We’ll go against the grain and take a shot at the plus-money odds.
PICK: RAMS +100
PATS Made
Evan McPherson O 2.5 (+105) U 2.5 (-140)
Matt Gay O 2.5 (-120) U 2.5 (-110)
The number of extra points kicked is directly related to how often each team will score. For the postseason, the Rams are averaging 28 points per game. The Bengals are scoring 24 a game.
The game total is set at 48.5, which gives an indication that each team could be in the 24-point range. If that’s the case, each kicker might get three PAT attempts.
With the PAT not automatic anymore, the question then becomes can either kicker – or both – make all three attempts?
McPherson went 46-for-48 during the regular season and is a perfect 4-for-4 in the postseason. Gay missed just once (48-for-49) during the regular season and is also perfect – 9-for-9 – during the playoffs. There is the chance that either team could go for two after any of their touchdowns, but if Gay has hit 3- of-3 and 4-of-4 in two playoff games this year.
PICK: MATT GAY OVER 2.5 (-120)
Kicking Points
Evan McPherson O 7.5 (-135) U 7.5 (-115)
Matt Gay O 7.5 (-135) U 7.5 (-110)
Again, with each team in the two- to three-touchdown range, the number of kicking points scored will come down to which team kicks more field goals. Obviously, McPherson and Gay are going to have to make them.
Making field goals shouldn’t be too much of a problem with the game being indoors. Gay is 7-for-9 with his postseason field goals. McPherson is a perfect 12-for-12.
Gay will have the advantage of kicking on his home turf. For the season, he hit 14-of-19 field goals at SoFi Stadium.
During the postseason, the Rams have scored more touchdowns. The Bengals have kicked more field goals. McPherson has attempted four field goals in each playoff game thus far. Remember, he hasn’t missed yet.
PICK: EVAN MCPHERSON OVER 7.5 (-135)
Total Field Goals
Over 2.5 (-255) Under 2.5 (+195)
Over 4.5 (+265) Under 4.5 (-340)
With these two offenses, the ball will get moved up and down the field. The Bengals have attempted four field goals in each of their last three games. The Rams attempted at least two in each of their last three games.
Can these kickers come through? McPherson certainly has as he hasn’t missed in the postseason yet. Gay has made at least two field goals in each playoff game.
With Over 4.5 at +265, you have to take it.
PICK: OVER 4.5 (+265)
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