From the Couch: Super Bowl brings big wagers for football fans

By Zach Alvira

Head of Content

It's bittersweet, isn't it?

The Super Bowl is one of the most highly anticipated events on a yearly basis in the sports world. But it also signals the official end to football season -- though Arena can fill a void at times.

Super Bowl LIX brings a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, where the Kansas City Chiefs knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles in a high-scoring affair at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The two teams are locked and loaded for a run at the Lombardi trophy yet again.

This year's matchup, however, will feature arguably the best running back in football with Saquon Barkley. The Eagles also have one of the best receiving duos in football with AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, along with one of the best quarterbacks in Jalen Hurts.

The offense ranked eighth overall this year in the NFL for total offense, averaging 367.2 yards per game and a staggering 54 touchdowns. And we can't forget about the defense, which ranks No. 1 in the NFL, giving up just 278.4 total yards to opposing offenses.

In comparison, the Chiefs are ranked 16th on offense and ninth defensively.

Should be a cake walk for the Eagles, no? That's what it says on paper. But with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, rankings go out the window.

The duo has been one of the best in the NFL for years. Mahomes finds ways to win despire nagging ankle injuries. And Kelce, even when you think he's having a quiet day offensively, can gash defenses for big gains at any given moment. Especially in the playoffs, the two show up. So does the Chiefs defense.

I think this year's game will be lower scoring than the last meeting in the big game. But I still believe it's close. Personally, I think the Eagles have too much firepower and will walk away with their first championship since 2018.

Below are some of the bets I like for Super Bowl LIX. I am not an expert. I am simply a football fan who likes to gamble a few dollars here and there. Tail with caution. And always gamble responsibly.

Disclaimer: Odds will be primarily from FanDuel and DraftKings. However, books are similar across the board.

Best Bet: Eagles ML (current odds as of Feb. 7)

• FanDuel: -102

• DraftKings: +100

Any Time TD

Player	FanDuel	DraftKings	Description
Saquon Barkley	-190	-195	Five touchdowns in his last two games
Jalen Hurts	-115	-120	Five touchdowns in last five games. Tush Push may come in clutch in a close game
Travis Kelce	+125	+135	He's been quiet getting into the end zone as of late but in the Super Bowl, Kelce shows up.
Kareem Hunt	+150	+140	Scored in his last four games and has clearly become the No. 1 RB in KC

Passing Yards

Player	Prop	FanDuel	DraftKings	Description
Jalen Hurts	225+	+120	+121	Passing game got going last week against the Commanders. Eagles may need to lean on it again if Chiefs load the box to stop Barkley
Patrick Mahomes	250+	-118	-123	Safer play here as Mahomes has eclipsed this mark twice in his last four outings. Against the Bills he had 245

Rushing Yards

Player	Prop	FanDuel	DraftKings	Description
Saquon Barkley	120/125+	+140	+114	The Chiefs allowed over 100 yards on the ground in the regular season and currently over 140 in the postseason
Kareem Hunt	Over 43.5	-110	-148	He has reached this mark four times in the last five games
Isaiah Pacheco	Under 21.5	-110	(15+) -278	Not a great line for DK, but Pacheco has clearly taken a back seat to Hunt

Receiving Yards

Player	Prop	FanDuel	DraftKings	Description
Travis Kelce	60+	-110	-130	He's been quiet, but big games is when Travis Kelce shows up. I'm comfortable taking him 60+ here. Maybe even 70
AJ Brown	70+	-110	-116	Brown had a three-game rough patch but bounced back against the Commanders with 96 yards. He shows up on Sunday
Xavier Worthy	50+	-138	-168	He's nearly eclipsed this mark in all five of his last games, falling just short in two. I would be comfortable boosting to 60+
DeVonta Smith	50+	-128	-286	Hit and miss lately and quite frankly, I might stay clear of this line. But for FD users the value isn't bad