We are fewer than 10 days from the Super Bowl, so it's time to look at the time-honored tradition of Super Bowl prop bets.
As they're able to every year, gamblers will have the opportunity to gamble on nearly every portion of Sunday's game, from the winner and over/under to the true minutia that matters for nothing other than a Vegas line.
Tom Brady, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are the favorites for Super Bowl MVP and you can bet on essentially any player at a skill position, on the defensive line or even the kickers. The coin flip, always a treat to bet, has understandably even odds on heads or tails despite the mantra of 'tails never fails.' There are also available wagers on which team wins the coin toss and whether the team that wins the coin toss wins the game.
Like much of America at the moment, the lines are saturated with references to President Donald Trump. Bovada.lv lets you wager whether Trump's interview with Bill O'Reilly on that Sunday will last longer in minutes than Tom Brady has total rushing in the game. One site even allows you bet whether Brady will put on a 'Make America Great Again' hat after the game, but the odds are heavily against that.
The national anthem and the halftime show are also popular bets. The length of Luke Bryan's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner has been set at anywhere from two minutes and seven seconds to two minutes and 15 seconds, depending on the website. Lady Gaga halftime show bets include whether she will reference Trump, whether she will cover specific artists, what she will wear, and what her hair color will be.
As for the broadcast, you can bet on things from when the first Deflategate reference will come to the pattern of Troy Aikman's (or Joe Buck's) tie. For those who obsess over fashion, there are odds on the color of Bill Belichick's hoodie (the favorite is Blue).
Philadelphia Eagles
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles and their NFL rivals from NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Some of the best propositions involve crossovers with other sports. For example, on Westgate's books, there are wagers on whether Falcons running back Devonta Freeman will have more rushing yards in the big game than the NHL expansion franchise Vegas Golden Knights will have points in the standings during the 2017-18 season. Another bet pins Phil Mickelson's 4th round score in next week's Waste Management Phoenix Open against the Patriots' total rushing yards.
Even if the Patriots-Falcons matchup bores your or turns into a stinker like Super Bowl XLVIII, the prop bets may be enough to stimulate your interest.