One of the biggest sporting events in the world is set to take place this Monday as American Football fans watch to find out who will reign supreme in 2016 - the Carolina Panthers or the Denver Broncos. Find out what we think with our Super Bowl 50 preview & betting tips.
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Super Bowl 50 (2016)
Carolina Panthers v Denver Broncos - Monday, February 8 at 10:30am AEST
Super Bowl 50 is finally here and Levi Stadium in California gets the honour of playing host to this spectacle. The Super Bowl has become far more than just a football game. There is something for everybody including pregame entertainment by the likes of Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Cold Play and Beyoncé. Or the iconic half-time commercials that will cost a company approximately $5 million for just a 30 second slot.
However at KICKOFF we quickly forget about all these distractions and as soon as the pigskin is in the air its back to business. There is always so much to talk and think about in the lead up to a Super Bowl game. The media goes into a frenzy and a lot of the side stories you will hear this week will be pointless information when it comes to the betting side of things. The important things I want to talk about is what (or who) will have the biggest influence on the outcome of the game.
For your information the line opened at -3.5 (Panthers) and now sits at-5.5 (Panthers) with a game total of 44.5. That's quite a big movement for a Super Bowl.
I can’t even begin to imagine all of the factors the odds makers consider in order to find “middle” or a line for this game. However, I do have the opinion that this event attracts the most occasional and blasé sports bettors. I also believe someone who is in the public eye as much as Peyton Manning only drives the stock price of Denver up. Last year the Harris Poll had the Denver Broncos as NFL’s most popular team and I think this popularity coupled with the Peyton Manning factor creates value on the Carolina side - even with that big line movement.
The proof is in the pudding.
Cam Newton will win the MVP the night before the Super Bowl... this we are almost certain about. I also think he will win the Super Bowl MVP Cam Newton - $1.65 at William Hill. This week I have heard most defensive players refer to him as unique. I agree he is unique, but to me he is a “one of a kind” quarterback. In a way he reminds me of Steph Curry. Let me explain what I mean by that.
After Steph Curry won the MVP and the NBA Championship high school kids and college players started trying to emulate him (which is a big mistake). This will and is slowly breeding a generation of point guards that always want to shoot the three-ball or try and dribble the ball like Curry. Therefore if Cam Newton goes on to win the MVP and the Super Bowl every high school or college football quarterback will think they can run over defensive backs. This will not be the case when they get to the NFL and here’s why.
Basically the Defensive players in the NFL are MONSTERS. For example Von Miller plays line backer for the Denver Broncos. He weighs in at 250lbs (114kg) and stands 6’3 (190cm). Generally these defensive players will face quarterbacks that are 6’4 and stay in the pocket to just pass( Tom Brady) or a 5’11 (200lb) quarterback that likes to take off and run (Russell Wilson). Never have we seen a Cam Newton who stands a whopping 6’5 and weighs 245lbs. Cam Newton has the agility of a smaller quarterback and a rocket arm but more importantly he can literally run over the top of those monster line backers.
This ability to get those all-important short yardages for first downs is the reason this Carolina offense is ranked number 1. They keep their offensive drives alive which keeps their defense well rested and this is such a big advantage in this sport. It’s also the biggest reason I think Denver will struggle. Yes Denver has a fantastic defense but Peyton Manning has also put a lot of pressure on them at times this season. They haven’t faced someone like Cam Newton and I believe he will wear the Denver defense down.
Super Bowl 50 Winner Tip
- Panthers at the line (-5.5) at $1.95 (William Hill)
+ Panthers to win using Ladbrokes $1.82 enhanced odds (max bet $20)
Super Bowl 50 Exotic Tips
- Cam Newton to win Super Bowl 50 MVP at $1.65 (William Hill)
- Greg Olsen First TD scorer at $10 (William Hill)
- Colour of first Gatorade to be dunked on Coaches head (... no seriously you can bet on this) .. We are going with the classic - Orange at $1.75 (William Hill)
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
