Super Bowl 56 Best Bets: Our Top Plays For The Big Game

It's time for the holy grail of all sports betting events, as Super Bowl 56 is all set to kick off from L.A. Sunday night.

We've compiled a plethora of Super Bowl props to go along with our typical Big Game betting picks, as our writers and content creators have pored through countless hours of analysis, trends, tracked the Super Bowl odds.

After absorbing all that knowledge, we've tasked our best and brightest with serving up their favorite bets for Sunday's showdown: our Super Bowl 56 staff picks. 

Super Bowl 56 best bets

Inglis
• Bengals Over 1.5 field goals (+100)

Chernoff
• Akers Over 62.5 rush yards (-110) AND Akers to win MVP (+3,500)

Hochman
• 1H Over 23.5 points (-110)

Logan
• Rams double result (+115)

DuBreuil
• Kupp Over 0.5 rushing yards (+250)

Caley
• Higgins Over 69.5 receiving yards (-115) AND Higgins most receiving yards (+700)

Ponnaiya
• Joe Burrow longest pass completion Over 38.5 yards

Super Bowl 56 top betting plays

Josh Inglis, NFL Betting Analyst (@Covers_josh)

We are in love with Cincinnati kicker Evan McPherson. The rookie leg is a perfect 12-for-12 in the postseason, including two game-winning kicks. His 11 kicks of 50-plus yards in one season is an NFL record and he's a perfect 22-for-22 on the road this season.

He has the talent, but does he have the environment to have another big game?

Head coach Zac Taylor has been one of the least aggressive coaches on 4th down this season and has gone for it just once in the playoffs. The offense has also aided in the kickers' opportunities as seven of McPherson's 12 playoff field goals have come on the same series as a sack or an offensive penalty.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals have scored a touchdown on just four of their 11 red-zone trips so far in this postseason, as well. All signs point to more field-goal opportunities for the rookie on the big stage.

PICK: Bengals Over 1.5 field goals (+100)

Adam Chernoff, Senior Content Strategist (@adamchernoff)

It is unlikely that Akers will win the MVP award but this is a bet worth making — along with his rush yards going Over 62.5.

The odds imply that Akers has a 3% chance to win Super Bowl MVP. In other words, bettors would expect to win this bet once out of every 33 times they place it... but it is difficult to ignore how mispriced this bet is.

Rams coach Sean McVay loves to lean on a single running back in his offensive system — and Akers is his back of choice. To have a chance at winning, Akers is going to need 20 carries, more than 100 yards, and at least two touchdowns — but that might not be a stretch.

In three playoff games, Akers has 54 carries. Touches and activity have not been the issue for him: it has been an opponent issue! In each of the three playoff games, Akers has faced an opposing front seven that ranks inside the Top 5 for rush defense efficiency. The Bengals, coming into the game, ranked 24th defending the run and finished the season dead last in early-down run defense.

This is a massive step down in quality of opponent for Akers — and one he can run on. It's going to take a couple of big runs, and some luck with play calling in the red zone, but at +3,500 Akers is a much better bet than a number of the defensive players and non-quarterbacks ahead of him in the market.

PICK: Cam Akers Over 62.5 rush yards (-110) AND Akers to win Super Bowl MVP (+3,500)

Jared Hochman, Senior Publishing Editor (@JLHoch)

When the Rams trailed 10-7 at halftime two weeks ago against the 49ers, it ended a four-game streak of at least 20 total points being scored in the first half of LA games.

Los Angeles saw 23 points in the first half against Tampa Bay in the Divisional Round and 21 points after 30 minutes in the Wild Card Game against Arizona — with the Rams contributing 41 of those 44 points. While the NFC championship was relatively quiet, there's reason to believe the Big Game will have lots of early action.

In Cincinnati's last five meaningful games (excluding Week 18 where it went through the motions against Cleveland), four of them saw at least 31 points (including the AFC championship against Kansas City and Wild Card game against Las Vegas) with the Bengals averaging 17.4 first-half points across all five games.

Considering the Rams have been starting hot, while the Bengals generally scrape together some points in the opening two quarters, I love the first half of Super Bowl 56 to go Over 23.5 points.

PICK: First half Over 23.5 points (-110)

Jason Logan, Senior Industry Analyst (@CoversJLo)

Honestly, Los Angeles -175 on the moneyline may be the best bet (or lower if it ticks down before kickoff) but that’s not a lot of fun. You can take some of the sting out of that outright price tag by taking Matthew Stafford to win MVP at EVEN money but there’s a good shot Cooper Kupp goes HAM with the YAC or Aaron Donald destroys everyone. 

So, we look to the double result – AKA halftime/fulltime line – which can be had at +115 at bet365 books. Los Angeles has led at the half in 11 of its 15 wins this season and will dominate the war in the trenches on both sides of the ball: running over the Bengals with and without the football. Halftime/Fulltime is my best Super Bowl LVI… oh and also, “No” on Mary J. Blige wearing fur during the halftime show at +130. 

PICK: Los Angeles double result +115

Brandon DuBreuil, Editor-in-Chief (@CoversBD)

With two weeks to prepare for the Super Bowl, we always see some creative plays drawn up from the coaches. I fully expect Sean McVay to come up with a couple of creative plays to get the ball into his best offensive player’s hands — one of which should be some kind of hand-off, by either bringing Kupp into the backfield or on a jet sweep. Plus, this isn’t something entirely new to the Rams offense, as Kupp has had one carry in four of his last seven games.

All we’re hoping for is a single rushing attempt here and then I think Kupp, the NFL leader in yards after the catch, will do the rest and gain the single yard needed to cash this Kupp Over rush yards prop at +250. 

PICK: Cooper Kupp Over 0.5 rush yards (+250)

Andrew Caley, Senior Betting Analyst (@Covers_Caley)

I can't believe I haven't seen more people pumping up this play heading into the Super Bowl. Tee Higgins has been one of the most productive receivers in the entire NFL since Week 12. He's averaged nearly 95 yards per game over his last nine games. And now he gets a sneaky good matchup against the Rams.

The Rams pass defense obviously gets some hype because of Jalen Ramsey but he's going to be preoccupied with Ja'Marr Chase in this one. That defense ranks 21st in success rate against the pass, has given up the fourth-most yards to opposing wide receivers during the regular season, and is down at least one starting safety. There is a really good chance Burrow locks on Higgins on Sunday. You know what. F$%# it. Higgins to be the leading receiver in the game at +700, too.

PICK: Tee Higgins over 69.5 receiving yards (-115) AND Higgins most receiving yards (+700)

Rohit Ponnaiya, Betting Analyst (@Covers_Ro)

Cincinnati's offense has taken off under Burrow but this isn't the kind of team that picks up short gains and marches up the field with multiple first downs. Nope, this is a squad that attacks downfield with big plays from dangerous wideouts like Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. 

Burrow has completed a pass of at least 44 yards in five of his last six games. While he'll be taking on a strong Rams defense, L.A. has looked a bit vulnerable in the back end after losing starting safety Jordan Fuller to a season-ending injury in Week 18. 

The Rams have given up four pass completions of longer than 40 yards in their last four games and with Burrow airing it out, I expect them to get burned at least once on Sunday. 

PICK: Joe Burrow longest pass completion Over 38.5 yards (-115)

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