Here we go. Super Bowl LV. The 55th (yep, we know Roman Numerals) edition of the NFL Season Finale, and we are in for an absolute belter. It’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s the greatest Quarterback of all time against the greatest Quarterback of right now and it’s going to be a blast. Read on for a little insight into the two teams, the star men on either side plus a few Super Bowl betting tips with Grosvenor Sport.
The Home Team
The what now? That’s right. When Tampa Bay Buccaneers run out the tunnel at the Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, they’ll become the first ever team to play in the Super Bowl on their own turf. The cannons on the pirate ship won’t be firing, but they will be in familiar surroundings. Around 25,000 fans will be inside the stadium to lift the atmosphere – how key will this be on the big night?
However, it doesn’t really matter to the Bucs where they play. Due to making the NFL Playoffs as a Wildcard team, they had to do it the hard way – rattling off road victories at Washington, New Orleans and finally Green Bay in the NFC Championship game. And it’s for that reason that they’ll be all white on the night, wearing their change uniform in a bid to bring them that little bit of extra luck.
But do they need luck on their side? Tom Brady is under centre for his 10th Super Bowl at the tender age of 43, looking for a seventh ring. He continues to defy… well, everything and everyone. He’s got a ridiculous Wide Receiver corps to aim at with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller and Antonio Brown – and his old friend Rob Gronkowski at Tight End.
The Champions
Kansas City Chiefs are looking to #RunItBack and claim a second successive Super Bowl under the coaching of Andy Reid and his terrific team. Throw in the quarterback play of the magical Patrick Mahomes, the lightning speed of Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman and more, plus the immense talent of Travis Kelce, and you have a team that should be unstoppable. And they often are.
Because of the Chiefs’ offense, the defence tends to be overlooked. But they have just got better and better and better as the season has gone on. Their pass defence is number 1 in the post-season and one reason for that is the Honey Badger himself, Tyrann Mathieu. The Safety is one of the best in the NFL and he’ll be lurking should Brady launch an errant throw or two. He’s 3/1 for an interception and 13/2 to get the first of the day. If the Chiefs can smother Brady, rookie L’Jarius Sneed is a tasty 29/10 to record over 0.5 sacks. He’s had a sack in each of his last four and looks good value.
The Outcome
The Chiefs are the 3/5 favourites and have been given a 3 point handicap by the bookmakers, but this one is far from clear cut – especially with the Bucs at home and Brady at QB as mentioned. And there should be points aplenty, although the 56-point over/under looks on the high side. They shared 51 points earlier in the season, plus the pressure-cooker environment could see a slightly more cautious approach. Actually, Chiefs and cautious… what are we saying?!
What about some of the Grosvenor Sport specials? Let’s take a look at the MVP betting where the Quarterbacks are unsurprisingly top of the market. It’s almost a given that the winning QB will take the honour, especially if it is the predicted point-fest, but here’s some potential alternatives.
Travis Kelce has had a record-breaking season and comes up clutch so often for KC. Crucial for third-down conversions, extending plays after the catch and a huge red-zone threat – he’s the only other out-and-out offensive player you feel could take the honour, and he’s a tempting 13/1 shot to do so.
Another worth considering at 50/1 is Mecole Hardman. He went from zero to hero after a nightmare fumble in the AFC Championship game, going onto score a touchdown as the Chiefs turned things around. If he cuts out the errors and produces the goods on offence and Special Teams, he could be an outside shot.
As for Tampa, the defence will need to step up – which they often have this season. Devin White and Shaquil Barrett are 40/1 and 50/1 and will be all over the place at Linebacker, but Safety Antoine Winfield Jr is another shout at an eye-catching 125/1. Six tackles against Washington, six more and a forced fumble against New Orleans… if the rookie can bring that heat again, and add an interception or two? Not far-fetched.
We’ll end with the meat and drink… the Touchdown Scorer betting. Travis Kelce is odds on (4/7) for a touchdown and it’s hard not to imagine the record-breaking Tight End finding the end zone. To eke out more value, you can play Kelce to score and Chiefs to win at 6/5, or Kelce to haul in a first-half TD at 33/20.
Grosvenor Sport also have combined Touchdown Scorer odds, meaning you can go for the classic Kelce and Hill combo (17/10), Evans and Godwin for the Bucs (6/1) or a mix’n’match. WR duo Hill and Godwin both to score is 3/1.
Trick plays anyone? Grosvenor Sport go 31/20 for over 2.5 players to attempt a pass and 7/1 on over 2.5 players to throw a touchdown pass. You can find LOADS more markets on site, so take a look around and see what catches your fancy.
That’s it. Get an afternoon nap in and get ready for a long and late night of top-class football. This has all the makings of a classic – enjoy!
*Stated odds correct at time of writing
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