This year’s Super Bowl was always going to be a bit special. It is the culmination of the NFL’s 100th season and, as such, will see the usually massive celebrations dialled up to 11. Away from the half time show, the fireworks and all the razzamatazz, Super Bowl 54 should be an excellent match between two very strong teams.
The San Francisco 49ers have had plenty of nerve-jangling moments themselves during the course of the season. They narrowly got the better of the Ravens (20-17), the Saints (48-46) and the Rams (34-31) but were much more comfortable in the playoffs against the Vikings and the Packers.
With their only recent meeting coming in the preseason, there is an unpredictability to this year’s Super Bowl which only adds to the excitement levels.
The excellent Patrick Mahomes will be key to the Kansas City Chiefs’ hopes.
Super Bowl Winner Betting Market
Kansas City Chiefs 20/23 (Betfred)
San Francisco 49ers 11/10 (Paddy Power)
The Kansas City Chiefs head into Super Bowl 54 as the narrow favourites with the bookies. They ended the season with an impressive record of 13-4 and have an offense filled with some of the most exciting players in the NFL.
Spearheading everything the Chiefs do from an attacking sense is their charismatic quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. The 24-year-old is the perfect example of a modern quarterback – smart, athletic and able to improvise. His baseball background allows him to make throws that others can’t whilst he is more than capable of running in a touchdown.
Mahomes is the sort of player who capitalises on any opportunity given to him. The question is, how much opportunity will the San Francisco 49ers’ fearsome defence allow him?
The Niners’ defensive line will put pressure on Mahomes right from the off with Nick Bosa the main threat. Even when he is able to find some space it won’t be easy to pick a pass with cornerbacks Richard Sherman and K’Waun Williams impressing of late.
The Chiefs will need to work out a way to stop the 49ers’ clearing a path for Raheem Mostert but if they focus too much on the running game, the Niners will be able to switch things up and bring the effervescent George Kittle into the offense. This is as tight as the odds suggest.
Point Spread Market
Chiefs -1.5 @ 10/11 (Unibet)
49ers +1.5 @ 10/11 (Coral)
Chiefs -3.5 @ 7/5 (Betfred)
49ers +3.5 @ 8/13 (bet365)
Chiefs +2.5 @ 6/10 (Paddy Power)
49ers -2.5 @ 6/5 (Sportingbet)
The Point Spread market is another representation of just how close the bookies are expecting Super Bowl 54 to be. We agree that it is going to be very tight but aren’t quite sure why the 49ers are the underdogs.
Kyle Shanahan’s men arrived in the playoffs with the best record in the NFL despite an incredibly tough run of fixtures. This is a team who have proven themselves against some of the best the NFL has to offer already and the ability to switch things up so the 6/5 that Sportingbet are quoting on the San Francisco 49ers to win with a -2.5 point handicap looks like a great price.
MVP Market
Patrick Mahomes 23/20 (888Sport)
Jimmy Garoppolo 11/4 (Betfred)
Raheem Mostert 9/1 (Unibet)
George Kittle 18/1 (Paddy Power)
Travis Kelce 18/1 (William Hill)
Tyreek Hill 20/1 (888Sport)
Nick Bosa 25/1 (Ladbrokes)
Damien Williams 25/1 (William Hill)
George Kittle has the quality to be decisive for the 49ers.
Traditionally, the Most Valuable Player award goes to the quarterback of the winning team in the Super Bowl. They are the player who sets the tempo and get paid the big bucks. If the Chiefs win then Mahomes would likely be named MVP but it could be a little different if the 49ers win.
If the Niners utilise their running game anywhere near as much as they did against the Packers then it would be tough for Garoppolo to be crowned MVP. Even if they mix things up there is a case to be made for George Kittle at 18/1 with Paddy Power.
Kittle has come up big for the Niners already this season but away from the huge moments he is a key figure in their running game. Kittle’s versatility and the amount of attention he gets suggest he is a potential Super Bowl MVP winner.
Betting Recommendations
San Francisco 49ers -2.5 Points at 6/5 with Sportingbet
