Super Bowl Inspires Super Wacky Wagers

Propositions, or "prop bets," can add some spice to a Super Bowl blowout even as they leave oddsmakers shaking their heads. "They're a pain in the ass," a Las Vegas bookmaker tells ESPN the Magazine. "But it keeps non-fans interested for the entire game." Under Nevada law, the wagers must concern issues verifiable by the league—meaning props like what color the victory Gatorade bath will be are nonstarters.

Even within the rules, Vegas sports books offer hundreds of props. Online oddsmakers have fewer rules and crazier bets: Play that hunch about whether Bruce Springsteen will sing Born to Run at halftime, and you might make some money, but not very much, Bloomberg reports. And the odds are even shorter on who the MVP thanks first—in sports, as in life, it's not a great idea to bet against God.
(More Super Bowl stories.)