Super Bowl betting, odds: Who is catching the first pass of the Super Bowl?
One quick look at all of the Super Bowl betting options at BetMGM will highlight the sheer volume and quantity of markets available. If you can think of something, you can probably bet on it when it comes to the Super Bowl. It's the biggest betting holiday of the year. From the biggest of football fans to the most casual observers, there's something for everyone to invest in.
One of the best parts of the Super Bowl is that you can have five or six bets decided in the first minute of the game. You can bet on which team will win the toss, whether the opening kick will be returned, will the first play be a run or pass and plenty of other options that provide instant action. Today, we're taking a look at another prop out there that can satisfy bettors' quench for quick and early action.
At BetMGM, you can bet on which player will catch the first completed pass of the Super Bowl. You can also break it down by team. Obviously, if you bet by team, you don't have to worry about the randomness of the coin toss costing you your bet. However, you're sacrificing better odds. Let's take a look at both teams and which players have been involved early on offense for both.
Eagles are a concentrated attack
The Philadelphia Eagles have played 19 games this season. In 14 of those games, their first completion of the game went to either A.J. Brown or Devonta Smith. It makes sense, both are elite receivers and both are on the field a lot. They don't get multiple tight ends or running backs involved early. They try to get the ball into the hands of their best players early and often.
This season, A.J. Brown has caught the first pass eight times. Brown is the betting favorite to make the first catch of the Super Bowl with +375 odds. He's +250 to be the first Eagle to make a catch. Brown has made the first catch in three of Philadelphia's last five games and was the first target in their most recent game.
Devonta Smith is +550 to record the first catch of the Super Bowl. He's a co-favorite alongside Brown to be the first Eagle with a reception at +250. On the season, Smith has been the first Eagle involved six times. He recorded the first reception in the Eagles' divisional round victory over the Giants.
Beyond the two big receivers, Dallas Goedert is the only player with multiple first receptions. Goedert has recorded the first reception twice on the season. However, he hasn't accomplished the feat since Week 5. Goedert is +300 to be the first Eagle to record a reception.
Other Eagles players who have recorded the first reception of the game for their team this season include Kenneth Gainwell (11-to-1), Quez Watkins (14-to-1) and Grant Calcaterra (not posted).
Chiefs spread things out
When you think of the offensive weapons on the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelce is the first name that comes to mind. Kelce is +275 to be the first Kansas City Chiefs player to record a reception in the Super Bowl. Those are far and away the best odds on the board for Kansas City. Every other skill player has odds of +600 or better. Overall, for the game, Kelce is +600 to record the first catch for either team. Those are the third-best odds behind Brown and Smith.
Based on reputation and the odds posted, you'd expect that the Chiefs feature Kelce in their offense early on a frequent basis. However, that's not really the case. Kelce has received the first target just four times and has recorded the first reception four times. That's the best mark on the team, but it still means that in 15 of 19 games, someone other than Kelce was the first player involved.
On the season, 10 different Chiefs have recorded their first reception of the game. That list includes Kelce (four times), Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Isiah Pacheco, JuJu Smith Schuster, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Noah Gray, Justin Watson (two each), Mecole Hardman, Kadarius Toney and Jody Fortson (one each). These players all have odds between +600 and 30-to-1 to make the first reception for Kansas City on Sunday.
How to bet this prop
As mentioned, there are two ways to bet this prop. You can bet which player will record the first reception in the game overall, and take the risk that your player's team doesn't begin the game with the ball. You can also bet this prop on a team-by-team basis, sacrificing the juicier odds in exchange for less risk. Personally, I'm looking at both teams separately.
For the Eagles, I'm eating the chalk. As I laid out, it's basically a two-man show in terms of the receiving options on their offense early in games. I'm leaning towards A.J. Brown at +250 to be the first Eagles player to record a reception. A lot of my colleagues expect Brown to have a big game, and I agree with them. Brown has expressed some frustration in recent weeks about a lack of targets. He got the ball first in their last game as a result. I expect the squeaky wheel keeps getting the grease here.
For Kansas City, I'm fading the chalk. Kelce's odds aren't in line with the numbers when it comes to how the Chiefs come out offensively. The Eagles' pass rush is expected to present some problems so I would expect the Chiefs to try and get the ball out early to their explosive playmakers. Through 19 games, running backs Clyde-Edwards Helaire and Isiah Pacheco have recorded the first reception four times. In addition, gadget wide receivers Mecole Hardman and Kadarius Toney have three receptions to kick off games.
With CEH just returning from injury to an unknown role, and Hardman ruled out due to an injury of his own, I'm looking towards Pacheco and Toney to make the first catch of the game for the Chiefs. Toney is +700 and Pacheco is +800. I'm going to bet both, hope one of them comes through and leaves me with a nice profit.
