The 2009 Super bowl contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals was the most wagered Super Bowl in history.  Additionally, there was more money wagered in online sports betting than in the traditional land-based casinos.  Casino pundits prognosticate that the online sports betting on this year’s NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl will far surpass last year’s record amounts.

Online sportsbooks offer the traditional betting options on the upcoming playoffs as well as an enticing number of proposition bets.  For our purposes, this column will be devoted to futures wagering on the upcoming games.  We shall offer you some food for thought as well as a couple of long shots that could line your pockets with a healthy sum of money at good odds if you place your bets on them now. 

National Football Conference

The National Conference has two outstanding teams that have risen to the top of their respective divisions.  These teams are the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings.  The Saints have assured themselves of the home team advantage for the duration of the Conference playoff, and they will need to capitalize on this advantage.  Both the Vikings and the Saints have stumbled recently, but are safe and securely seeded into the semi-final round of the Conference playoffs.  

While the online sports betting will heavily favour these two teams in reaching the Conference finals, I’ll take umbrage with this train of thought.  The Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles are legitimate contenders for a Super Bowl spot, and I believe that either or both of these teams could end up in the Conference finals.

American Football Conference

The American Conference has the favourite Super Bowl bet, the Indianapolis Colts.  The Colts, featuring the all-time great quarterback, Payton Manning, have had a remarkable regular season, and are picked to win the Conference as well as the Super Bowl title.  However, there is another team that deserves some consideration.   The San Diego Chargers have always been the nemesis of the Indianapolis Colts, and will be fearless if they are matched up with the Colts in a Conference final meeting in Indianapolis.

The Super Bowl Bet

The odds are in your favour if your Super Bowl bet includes the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Diego Chargers.  Take the advantageous odds and wager on the San Diego Chargers to capture the Super Bowl this year.