A Las Vegas tradition unlike any other: the Super Bowl prop menu unveiling at the Westgate SuperBook.
The ever-popular Super Bowl prop bets for the NFL title game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles had already been on the board for a few days at other sportsbooks around the country.
But the Westgate’s annual posting of its massive menu of props Thursday night is still a treasured date on the sports betting calendar for professional sports bettors.
“The Super Bowl is Christmas for sports bettors, and this is like a little Christmas Eve celebration with some old friends. It’s a lot of fun,” said pro handicapper Teddy Sevransky, aka Teddy Covers (@teddy_covers). “The markets have changed dramatically over the years. Now it’s an established market that the Westgate is putting numbers into, where they used to be the market leaders.
“Nonetheless, they still have the most respected numbers out there, and everyone — wiseguys, linemakers, whoever — wants to see the numbers the Westgate is posting.”
Hundreds of props lit up on the giant screen at the Westgate at 7 p.m. sharp, and a steady line of about 15 sharp bettors then took turns firing two wagers apiece of up to $2,000 each before going to the back of the line to do it again. This continued for more than an hour, and there were still a few wiseguys placing wagers 90 minutes after the props were posted.
After the sharps pounded the props in person Thursday night, the SuperBook will open betting on its mobile app Friday morning.
“It’s how we’ve always done it,” Westgate vice president of race and sports John Murray said. “These guys will help us sharpen the numbers a little bit for not that much money before we raise the limits (Friday) and open the floodgates, so to speak.”
The Westgate posted its biggest prop menu ever, and Murray estimates the prop action will account for more than 60 percent of the total betting handle, or amount wagered, on Super Bowl 59.
“It seems to grow every year,” Murray said.
Caesars Sportsbook also posted its largest prop menu ever Thursday afternoon, with thousands of ways to wager on the Feb. 9 game at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
“Currently, the most popular prop wager is ‘Will there be overtime?’” Caesars vice president of trading Craig Mucklow said of the prop that pays 10-1. “This prop was exceptionally profitable for customers last year when the game went into overtime.”
Mucklow said the most money wagered on a prop so far is on the Eagles to go over 42½ total team defensive tackles (-200), while the Chiefs to go over 42½ tackles (-180) isn’t far behind.
“This is surprising as usually when the props are opened it’s an avalanche of under money and short-priced favorites,” Mucklow said.
Murray said that sharp bettors generally bet “no” and “under” on props, while the betting public bets “yes” and “over.”
Pro bettor Bill Krackomberger (@BillKrackman) said he used to bet 90 percent unders on props but now bets 70 percent unders.
“I have evolved a little bit,” he said while waiting in line to fire two more max bets. “My way of betting is not a fun way. It’s a very boring way. I’m rooting for no scoring.”
Betting against Barkley
Krackomberger made his first max bet on Eagles running back Saquon Barkley’s longest rush to be under 25½ yards (-110).
“I wanted to bet $10,000,” he said. “It’s real simple. I’m going to go against the public. Usually, I wait for unders Sunday the day of the game. But this number shocked me. I’ll go against everybody. I thought it was going to be more like 18½, 19½, 20½.
“I just think they’re going to focus more on Barkley and containing him. I just really like under on Barkley’s props. But I’m betting against a marquee player. It’s not fun.”
Mahomes on the run
Pro sports bettor Randy McKay (@RR39) bet on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to go over 28½ yards rushing (-110) and on Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton to go over 7½ tackles (-120).
“I just feel like they used (Mahomes’) legs last week, and in the playoffs, they use his legs a lot more,” he said. “This could be another opportunity in a domed stadium on a fast track to use his legs.
“Bolton will get a lot of action in Philly’s rush attack. He’ll get a lot of tackles that way. In the last Super Bowl they played, he had nine total tackles.”
Sharp props
Murray said the book took several sharp bets on the following props: under 13½ players to have a pass reception; under 5½ Eagles to have a pass reception; Mahomes -½ passing touchdowns vs. Jalen Hurts; Eagles receiver Jahan Dotson over ½ catch; and both punters to have a touchback.
Mucklow said Caesars took respected bets on the opening kickoff to not be a touchback and on there to be a score in the last two minutes of the first half.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.