Super Bowl Betting History: The Spread Rarely Matters

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FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021 file photo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski (87), left, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrate together after the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa, Fla. NFL Films has been chronicling Tom Bradyโ€™s career since he entered the league in 2000, but there are still times when there are still new things to reveal. That is the case with this yearโ€™s Super Bowl film, chronicling Bradyโ€™s seventh championship and his first with the Tampa Buccaneers. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano, File)
(AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
Andrew Doughty @DoughtyBetMGM Jan 30, 2023, 11:21 AM

Tom Bradyโ€™s 8-yard first-quarter touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski erased an early 3-point deficit against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. The Bucs never trailed again, cruising to a 22-point win and an easy cover (+3) as the Super Bowl spread didnโ€™t come into play for the 12th straight year.

That streak was finally snapped in 2022 when the Los Angeles Rams won but didn’t cover the spread in Super Bowl LVI.

Super Bowl Spreads

In a typical season, NFL spreads come into play in approximately 20% of games, i.e., the favorite wins outright but fails to cover the spread. And through the first 45 Super Bowls, the spread mattered at a similar rate (approximately 22%); seven favorites won outright but lost against the spread, and two favorites won outright but pushed against the spread.ย 

Until the Rams’ 3-point win as a 4.5-point favorite last year, not since LaMarr Woodleyโ€™s strip-sack of Kurt Warner in the final seconds of Super Bowl XLIII secured an outright win (but ATS) loss for the Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5) over the Arizona Cardinals, had the Super Bowl spread come into play.ย 

And, like the Bucsโ€™ obliteration of the Chiefs, it wasn’t close over those 12 years; the winner covered by an average of 12.2 points. Only the Green Bay Packers (XLV) and the New England Patriots (XLIX) failed to cover by at least six points, while five teams have covered by at least 10 points.

Super Bowl LVII Spread

As of Monday, Jan. 30, the Philadelphia Eagles are a 2-point favorite over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. Since Patrick Mahomes became starting quarterback in 2018, the Chiefs lead the league in games in which the spread was a factor.

You can view updated Super Bowl odds at the BetMGM sportsbook.

NFL Betting Odds at BetMGM

The BetMGM sportsbook has up-to-the-minute NFL betting odds each season.

From the preseason through the Super Bowl, there are thousands of football betting opportunities, including point spreads for an Indianapolis Colts-Tennessee Titans game, player props for a Detroit Lions-Chicago Bears game, or over/under totals for a New England Patriots-Buffalo Bills game.

Sign in to your account today โ€” or, if you don’t have an account, sign up today with a sportsbook welcome offer โ€” to start betting. And always check your new account for updated sportsbook promos and bonuses.

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About the Author

Andrew Doughty

Read More @DoughtyBetMGM

Andrew Doughty is the Web Content Lead for BetMGM. A graduate of the University of Kansas, he previously wrote for Sports Illustrated and HERO Sports.

Andrew Doughty is the Web Content Lead for BetMGM. A graduate of the University of Kansas, he previously wrote for Sports Illustrated and HERO Sports.