Super Bowl XLI: Average Game, Stellar Betting Memories
February 7th, 2007 by Michael Stephens
We lost $25 in the first 14 seconds alone.
Hey, it’s the Super Bowl, and that means the greatest exhibition of sports betting since the Fiesta Bowl last month.
We had to start early.
In addition to gambling that there would be no score in the first 6:30 of Super Bowl XLI, the Sports Truth wagered that the first score, whenever it took place, would be an Indianapolis field goal. Devin Hester’s touchdown runback of the opening kickoff blew that all to hell.
Fortunately, in each team’s ensuing possession, we won that money back. A $10 bet to win $17 came to fruition when Peyton Manning’s first pass fell incomplete. An $11.50 wager netted us another $10 when Thomas Jones’ first rushing attempt garnered fewer than 3.5 yards.
Despite Hester’s opening kickoff return and unexpected signs of life from Chicago throughout the first half (we have $100 on Indianapolis to win, -6.5), when the Colts defense rose to the occasion and stuffed Jones on that first carry, we took that as a sign that this would be our night.
Powered by a 52-yard run by Jones and a nice touchdown pass (really) by Rex Grossman, the Bears took a 14-6 lead into the second quarter, where they had a chance to actually make this an interesting Super Bowl (and a stressful one for us), but squandered their momentum via turnovers.
A sequence of punts and fumbles that had to be seen to be believed turned things in the Colts’ favor, with Indianapolis taking a 16-14 lead into the locker room almost by default. On a side note, Marvin Harrison won us $10 when his first catch of the night was for fewer than 12 yards.
At this point, we had some decisions to make. Namely, whether or not to endure Prince’s halftime show and whether to eat that seventh helping of lasagna. There was not the slightest of doubts that our $100 on the game was money in the bank. The only issue was whether to supplement that with a pair of $20 (to win $48) bets on the under (-22.5) and the Colts -4.5 in just the second half.
We did.
With the Dolphin Stadium conditions getting wetter and Grossman losing control of his faculties by the moment, there was no way the Bears were getting in the end zone again. The two supplemental bets were akin to playing safety for the Colts against a Grossman-led offense: sometimes, gifts just fall into your lap.
The only sour note from then on was when the Bears actually gained 14 yards on one possession, setting up a 44-yard field goal to cut the Colts lead to 22-17 - and costing us, albeit barely, the $10.50 we wagered on the game’s longest field goal being longer than 44.5. Fortunately, Kevin Federline’s hilarious self-mocking ad for Nationwide Insurance softened the blow.
With 13:38 left in the game came the proverbial nail in the online offshore sports book coffin. Four plays after a Colts punt, Indianapolis defensive back Kelvin Hayden intercepted a pass (presumably) intended for Muhsin Muhammad and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown. It was 29-17.
Another Bears possession after that, and another Grossman INT. Dunzo.
Break out the champagne glasses and the motherf*%king condoms. Following its Fiesta Bowl and Election Night mastery, the Sports Truth has proven itself the compulsive gambling authority once again.
The tally:
Total winnings: $150.
Total entertainment value: Priceless.
