It’s been months since I’ve carved out time in my schedule to watch NFL football but, of course, I’ll be tuning in to the big game on Sunday and betting my fair share of novelty bets and cross-sport props. NHL-related Super Bowl prop bets aren’t as widespread as those connected to the NBA, but there are some good bets to be made. Here are a couple of my favorites that involve the Vegas Golden Knights:
Golden Knights Shots on Goal (-11.5, -110) vs. Kansas City Chiefs Points
Vegas might not be the hockey power it once was, but Anaheim is arguably the worst defensive team in the NHL and the Ducks are especially bad on the road. They have allowed at least 38 shots on goal in 21 of their 28 road games and have allowed 40-plus shots in 16 games, or 57 percent of the time.
Vegas has generated only 39-plus shots seven times this season, and you’d have to go back 11 home games to find the last time they registered more than 40 shots, but it doesn’t seem to matter who the Ducks play. Anaheim has given up at least 39 shots in 13 of their last 16 road games and their opponents have registered 40-plus shots per game on average since Dec. 1.
To handicap the football portion of this bet, I referenced the Chiefs’ team total, talked to a handful of my sharp football friends and concluded that 25 points is a reasonable projection for Kansas City. In other words, if the Ducks allow 40-plus shots on average, as they typically do, there’s potential for the margin to be much more than 11.5 if the Chiefs are held to 25 points or fewer.
Play: Vegas Golden Knights (-11.5, -110) Shots on Goal
Golden Knights Shots on Goal (+0.5, EVEN) vs. Distance of 1st Made Field Goal
Sticking with the same theme (shots on goal), here’s another prop bet that immediately jumped out. According to most sportsbooks, the distance of the first made field goal is projected to be 37 1/2 yards, and if that’s the case, bookmakers once again seem to be underestimating how many shots Anaheim typically gives up.
Based on what I’ve observed over the course of the season, the Ducks will give up 40-plus shots in most games. So, if the distance of the first made field goal is expected to be somewhere around 37 yards, the Golden Knights are also a good bet to cover this number — this time at even money.
The Golden Knights’ ceiling might not be as high as both kickers have made 60-yard field goals, but the Golden Knights did put up 46 shots on goal in their most recent game, and just one month ago, they registered 51 shots on goal against the Ducks. Not to mention, field goal props suggest that the first successful kick will likely travel less than 40 yards.
Play: Golden Knights Shots on Goal (+0.5, EVEN)