Leading up to the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI (46) between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, we'll be taking a look at Super Bowl proposition betting, or more specifically, the fun or crazy Super Bowl 46 (XLVI) prop bets that you hear so much about. That includes props on the Super Bowl coin toss, Super Bowl halftime show, Super Bowl National Anthem, Super Bowl Gatorade Shower dump and much more. Follow along on the Super Bowl sidebar to the right and follow us on twitter @stocklemonblog!
COMPLETE SUPER BOWL COIN TOSS/FLIP RESULTS CAN BE FOUND HERE.
You know it's a big event when most of the betting action takes place before the freaking thing even starts, as is the case with the most popular of the prop bets at the Super Bowl, the National Anthem and the Coin Flip. We'll get to the former a little later this week, but first things first, let's talk about one of our favorite flipping prop bets of the game: the opening coin toss.
This proposition wager, like many of the weird and hilarious Super Bowl Prop Bets this time of year, has obvious appeal because it attracts bettors who don't necessarily know a whole lot about either the New England Patriots, New York Giants, or the NFL (or football) in general. Anyone whose ever owned a quarter can bet on "heads" or "tails" at the Super Bowl. So, excepting the extremely poor, let's dissect the one bet that everyone in America can make.
This proposition wager, like many of the weird and hilarious Super Bowl Prop Bets this time of year, has obvious appeal because it attracts bettors who don't necessarily know a whole lot about either the New England Patriots, New York Giants, or the NFL (or football) in general. Anyone whose ever owned a quarter can bet on "heads" or "tails" at the Super Bowl. So, excepting the extremely poor, let's dissect the one bet that everyone in America can make.
Your choices are pretty limited here, and it's pretty hard to use facts and stats to determine the outcome of the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI (46) Coin toss/flip prop bet, but it's even harder to resist not trying to do just that. Heads or Tails? NFC (Giants) or AFC (Patriots)? Let's consult a few fun facts about the Super Bowl coin toss/flip before we answer those questions:
- Remarkably enough, the 50/50 proposition that is a coin toss has, through 45 Super Bowls, been as close to 50/50 as possible. Tails has the advantage over heads, 23-22, but the gap was narrowed after the Steelers lost the coin flip in 2011 Super Bowl XLV when the coin landed heads despite Pittsburgh's tails call.
- The team to win the coin toss has a record equally as close to 50/50 as possible, with the winners of the toss going 22-23 through the first 45 Super Bowls (last year's Packers won the toss and the game). However, the Packers were the exception and not the norm as of late, as 10 of the last 15 teams to win the coin toss have proceeded to lose the game.
- There is one stat where the results aren't as close to 50/50 as you would think. In fact, it isn't even close. Capped by last year's Packers, the NFC has won the last 14 Super Bowl coin tosses and is 31-14 all-time in calling the correct side of the coin over the AFC representative.
- Only two teams have chosen not to receive the opening kick, The Cardinals in 2009 and the Packers in 2011 (incidentally, both teams played the Steelers). Those teams are 1-1 in the Super Bowl in a stat that probably matters even less than some of these other statistical anomalies.
- As the visiting team, the Giants will make the call of heads or tails, just as they did against the Patriots in 2008 Super Bowl XLII (42), when they won the toss (tails) and then the game over New England.
- The Patriots hold an all-time record of 1-5 in the Super Bowl coin toss, winning only the toss in 1996 Super Bowl XXXI (31) against the Packers. They lost that lone game after winning the toss, but hold a 3-2 record when losing the opening coin flip.
- The Giants, meanwhile, are 2-2 all-time in calling the Super Bowl coin toss, holding a record of 2-0 when losing the toss and 1-1 when winning it, as they have in their last two Super Bowls.
Given that a coin flip has, as per its design, a 50/50 chance of landing on either side, the odds for the Super Bowl coin flip are even, minus some juice. Some books, to encourage betting on this prop that annually profits them millions from non-regular customers, have reduced the juice to more enticing levels such as (-102):
What will be the result of the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI (46) coin toss/flip
Heads (-105)
Tails (-105)
It's obvious but we'll continue to mention it anyway: if you can find a book that has odds favoring one side of the coin over the other (you won't), take the better odds. At the end of the day, it's a 50/50 proposition.
Since the Giants call of tails worked out so well for them in the 2008 Super Bowl XLII (42) matchup with the Patriots, we like them to try it again. We think the Giants will once again beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl... coin toss, making the NFC winners of 15-straight tosses.
Since the Giants call of tails worked out so well for them in the 2008 Super Bowl XLII (42) matchup with the Patriots, we like them to try it again. We think the Giants will once again beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl... coin toss, making the NFC winners of 15-straight tosses.
Which team will win the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI (46) coin toss/flip?
Patriots (-105)
Giants (-105)
As you see, you can bet on heads or tails, but you can also bet on which team will win the toss. We know the visitors from the NFC will call it, so they cointrol their own destiny. We like the Giants to keep the NFC's streak alive, as we mentioned above. At this point, why bet against it? We say ride it out until the AFC proves that they can win one of these flips.
Will the player making the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI (46) coin toss/flip call be correct or incorrect?
Correct (-105)
Incorrect (-105)
Lastly, you can bet on whether the Giants will correctly call the flip. This is pretty much the same bet as the previous, just worded differently. Since we know that the visiting Giants are calling it, this really means the exact same thing as 'which team will win the toss'. So, again, we'll say that the Giants will be correct, giving the NFC yet another coin flip victory.
The bottom line when it comes to the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI coin toss proposition bet? It's all up in the air. And, as Papa Johns tells us, it's up to America to decide.
The Super Bowl Coin Toss, as well as many other attention grabbing Super Bowl prop bets, really serve as gateway bets, getting regular, non-gambling folk into the fray. Once they get a little taste of something that anyone can participate in, they are more likely to firstly bet on more props, and secondly bet on Super Bowl props in the future. It's only a matter of time before they decide to move to Las Vegas, flame out, become complete degenerates, and start a marginally successful blog about their gambling exploits, mysteriously named for a citrus fruit and an entirely different method of financial gain.
Not that we know anything about that.
Nevertheless, stay with us here at Stock Lemon throughout the Super Bowl hype, as we continue to bring you the best Super Bowl prop betting analysis on the web.
