Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner and with the big game comes all of the different types of prop bets that sportsbooks will offer. One type of prop wager that has become a fan favorite over the years, is the exotic prop bet.
These types of bets allow the casual and novice bettors to have fun, because you don’t have to be an “expert”. Some of the most popular exotic bets include how long the national anthem will be, the coin-toss, and of course, what color the winning head coach’s Gatorade shower will be.
That last bet is what we are here to talk about today, but before we get there, here are the odds and some betting insights on the Gatorade color courtesy of BetMGM:
Orange +140
Red/Pink +300
Yellow/Green/Lime +500
Clear/Grey/White +650
Blue +800
Purple/Violet/Indigo +800
“Casual fans might think the action on the Super Bowl ends when the game is over but many bettors will be sweating the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning coach,” Darren Darby, Sports Trader at BetMGM, said. “Orange is the betting favorite and has received 30% of the handle.”
BetQL has predictions on the side, total, and all top player props for Super Bowl LV. Sign up with BetQL today and become a better bettor!
Let’s start with the facts. Orange will be a popular option for two reasons. First, at the conclusion of last year's Super Bowl, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had orange Gatorade dumped on his head. Gamblers always like to find an angle, so this is going to be the one making the most rounds during this week. Orange had closed at +400 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook last year, and heading into Sunday it is an even heavier chalk at +140.
The second reason why orange is getting hit hard is because it has been the color of choice in five of the past 11 Super Bowl showers. Only one other color (blue) has appeared more than once in that span.
Now, I know you will read a hundred prop bet articles this week, so I wanted to make this one a little bit more fun. That is why I got the rest of my team involved and a person who is the definition of a casual Super Bowl watcher, my wife.
Lucy Burdge, who is a huge Tom Brady fan, had this to say about the color:
“While I want it to be blue because that’s my favorite Gatorade color, I’m going with Lime/Green/Yellow +330. If I’m a team in the Super Bowl on a broadcast that will be seen globally, I’d pick a lighter Gatorade color, rather than blue or purple, that won’t stain your lips or tongue as much since there are cameras everywhere. Also, it just occurred to me this prop is very much like a gender-reveal.”
Reed Wallach, my other teammate, went the betting analyst route for his choice.
“There's too much steam on orange after last year's outcome. At 5/1 I think it's worth a stab on yellow. It's one of my favorite flavors and I feel like we are due for some yellow on the coach.”
As for my boss, he is looking to fade the public.
"All the suckers are on orange, so let them keep hammering the public side,” Thomas Casale said. “The obvious play here is Clear +650, I've never met anyone who drinks orange Gatorade."
Last but not least, I had to get my wife involved. Mainly for the fact that she has no interest in the Super Bowl other than who is performing during halftime show.
“I’ll choose orange for Tampa Bay because they are underdogs and you have to give them a chance sometimes,” she said. “You can't always have the same winner. Other people need a chance in life, otherwise then no one will have hope, and you have to have faith and hope.”
I love that she is rooting for the dog, but took the chalkiest color of the bunch. What cracked me up even more is the fact that she said you can’t always have the same winner, so she is rooting for the Bucs who have Tom Brady. You know, the guy with more Super Bowl rings than any player in NFL history. But she’s right. He is the underdog.
As for me? I am going to listen to my 6-year-old daughter who told me to just pick my favorite color or the flavor I like the best, because that is what she would do. So, I decided to throw out all the data, sharp and public information, and wise insight from my team and wife to select: Blue. I love the color blue. It makes up the majority of my wardrobe, and I actually like the blue favor.
So, there you have it folks. You can look at past history, research what colors some of these coaches like, correlate the team color to underdogs like my wife or just pick your favorite color like me and my kiddo. Either way, the gamblers that bet on this exotic prop will be sure to tune in after the final whistle to see if they won or lost.
Vikas Chokshi covers the gambling industry for BetQL and his written work can be found on the sports betting vertical of Radio.com. He has an extensive network of oddsmakers and appears frequently on podcasts, radio and television shows. His previous work can be found at The Action Network, VSiN, Gaming Today, Front Office Sports and The Big Lead.
You can find him at @docksquad33 on Twitter.