Super Bowl LVII is almost here, and Ohio bettors will surely be engaged with their new sportsbooks before — and during — the big game.
Sports betting in Ohio just kicked off on Jan. 1, so Ohio bettors are well prepared to embark on their first foray into Super Bowl betting.
Still, the pomp and circumstance of the Super Bowl doesn’t mean one should blindly unload every dollar in their sportsbook account. Here are a few tips for Ohioans betting on the Super Bowl for the first time.
Get $200
Ohio sportsbooks will offer many solid promos
It goes without saying that anyone planning to bet on Super Bowl LVII will gravitate toward odds boosts and other +EV plays. Ohio sportsbooks are happy to offer a few bonuses and promotions to get you started.
PlayOhio’s Brett Gibbons touched on his favorite — and least favorite — Super Bowl promotions this week. Gibbons found odds boosts at DraftKings Sportsbook Ohio and FanDuel Sportsbook Ohio worth taking now, like Jalen Hurts or Miles Sanders to score a rushing TD boosted to +100 at DraftKings.
DraftKings will also offer a $5 bet credit to anyone who logs in during the Super Bowl. That’s certainly worth placing on something.
Gibbons also notes that Bet365 Sportsbook Ohio and Tipico Sportsbook will offer their odds boosts over the weekend.
Some odds boosts are better than others, however. Bet365 regularly offers odds boosts of +50 on bets that start at +500 to +700. That’s not as big of a boost as one of their “super boosts” that add +100 to a much shorter +100 or +200 bet. No reason to snag every odds boost (at any sportsbook) — make sure you still feel good about the odds of the outcome relative to the risk and payout.
Sportsbook gimmicks and TV commercials
Most sportsbook users have seen the FanDuel commercials for Gronk’s Kick of Destiny. That’s funny stuff, and bettors don’t have to do much to be a part of it. (Just place a $10 bet on the game on FanDuel, and you’re in.)
Still, as Gibbons points out, there’s not a ton to gain here even if Gronk makes his live 25-yard field goal during the FanDuel commercial. Thousands of users will be splitting the $10 million in bet credits if Gronk comes through.
Similarly, other sportsbooks are giving away big prizes with nearly astronomical odds. Caesars Sportsbook Ohio is giving away a $57,000 bet credit to one user — just place a $5 bet on anything with -200 or longer odds to be eligible. BetMGM Sportsbook Ohio offers a free-to-play prop game with a chance at winning part of $100,000 in prizes.
These types of offers are worth qualifying for, but don’t count on them changing your life.
Ohio sportsbook sign-up deals offer bonus bets and “no-sweat” bets
Many Ohio sportsbooks are still offering the generous sign-up bonuses and other promotions they had on the table before sports betting went live.
DraftKings and Bet365 are currently offering $200 in bet credits for new users who deposit and bet as little as $5 or $10. You need to place that first bet and have it settled before the bet credits are disbursed, so it’s best to sign up a day before the Super Bowl to allow time for the bet credits to appear in your account.
Still, that’s an easy way for new bettors to fire off several bet credits with very little upfront investment. (One thing to keep in mind when using bonus bets — you do not get to keep the stake even if you win using a bonus bet. So if you place a $25 bonus bet to win $20, only the $20 in winnings goes back into your account.)
For Ohio bettors looking to place bigger wagers on the Super Bowl, “no-sweat” bets at FanDuel Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM Sportsbook can offer a fallback option should your bet lose.
These sportsbooks are offering $1,000 (BetMGM), $1,500 (Caesars) and $3,000 (FanDuel) in bet credits to cover losing bets. It’s important to read the terms and conditions and, again, bet credits can only win back your initial stake — these are not “guaranteed wins.”
But there’s nothing against utilizing deals on separate sportsbooks at the same time. You could bet $500 for the Chiefs on one book and $500 on the Eagles on another — as long as both are offering a bet credit if you lose. In the end, you’ll be left with a $500 bet credit on one of the two books either way.
Again, you need to read the fine print. These offers are for new users, and the bet credits are sometimes rewarded as a single bet. So you’ll have to win that next bet to end up with funds that can be withdrawn (and, again, you don’t get to keep the bet credit stake — only the winnings).
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Ohio Super Bowl prop bets
Super Bowl prop bets are one of the more fun ways for casual bettors to enjoy a single game that doesn’t involve their favorite team.
What’s nice about player props is that you can sprinkle them in on both teams. It can be fun to choose a “first TD scorer” with slightly longer odds than your “anytime TD scorer.” Over/unders on rushing and receiving totals are good ways to stay engaged with one team’s offense for most of the game.
Don’t know much about the Eagles? That’s OK. They have two solid running backs who often make big plays. You can take a rushing yards prop or “longest rush” for either starter Miles Sanders or backup Kenneth Gainwell — both get plenty of playing time and are easy to notice on the big screen even from the opposite end of the snack table.
One thing to keep in mind: There are only so many yards to go around for each offense. It’s usually best not to go crazy with prop bets on one team’s passing game and its rushing game. For instance, if you’re betting on Patrick Mahomes to pass for three TDs, you shouldn’t bet many Kansas City running back TDs, unless you think KC is going to score 35+ points.
Super Bowl same-game parlays and long odds
For new bettors, the potential of multi-leg parlays is intriguing. Who doesn’t want to win a huge payout on a six-leg bet with +20000 odds?
It’s very important that new bettors understand one thing: Sportsbooks are making a lot of money off parlays and the popular same-game parlays. That means bettors are not making a lot of money off them.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t build a fun three- or four-leg parlay for the Super Bowl. It’s the last day of NFL betting for the 2022-23 season — why not try to turn $10 into $1,000? Some sportsbooks will offer odds boosts on same-game parlays and even “bet credits” should the bet lose. “Bet insurance” on SGPs is a smart part of any SGP strategy — you can often retrieve a $10 bet credit if the SGP loses.
Still, you want to make sure that same-game parlay bets are “correlated” — bets that are tied together in some way. So if one bet wins, the other has a good chance of winning too. Think: Patrick Mahomes throws for three TDs + the Chiefs moneyline. Maybe you sprinkle in an anytime TD for Travis Kelce. That is a three-leg same-game parlay that is correlated — if Mahomes has a big day passing, Kelce is his top TD catcher and could easily score one of those three TDs. Both of these players will probably have to play well for the Chiefs to win outright.
Betting on the Super Bowl should be fun, not stressful
It goes without saying that everyone should bet within their limits and never place bets that are going to stress you out or cause a huge emotional swing.
Jamie Foxx might be hyped about winning his $100 in one BetMGM commercial, but Barry Sanders isn’t even listening to him during another commercial where Foxx is unknowingly taking betting advice from his friend and fellow BetMGM ambassador. So take your friends’ betting advice with a grain of salt and only place bets you are comfortable with losing.
Ohio offers a wealth of responsible gambling resources and tips for anyone struggling with problem gambling.
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