Las Vegas sportsbooks post first wave of Super Bowl prop bets

The Westgate sportsbook will host a virtual wiseguy convention starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, when it plans to release its ever-popular Super Bowl prop bets.

But there’s no need to wait until then to peruse hundreds of wagering options on the Feb. 2 NFL title game between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.

The Westgate and other Las Vegas books put up the opening round of props Monday morning, including two of the most popular prop pools: the Super Bowl MVP and first player to score a touchdown.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the even-money favorite at the Westgate to earn MVP honors after throwing for 615 yards and eight touchdowns in two playoff games and rushing for 106 yards and a score.

“Every Super Bowl is different, but usually if Mahomes wins MVP, we’d win the pool because people want to bet on the long shots,” Westgate sportsbook director John Murray said. “But if Mahomes won MVP, it would probably also mean he put up huge numbers and the Chiefs won a high-scoring game, and all of that would be bad for us.”

That’s because the betting public typically bets Yes and Over on the props while sharp bettors — who show up in full force for the release of the Super Bowl props — usually wager No and Under.

San Francisco QB Jimmy Garoppolo is the +350 second choice to be named MVP after attempting only eight passes in the 49ers’ 37-20 rout of the Packers in the NFC championship game.

Niners running back Raheem Mostert, who rushed for 22o yards and four TDs against Green Bay, is the 8-1 third choice to earn MVP honors.

Mostert is the 5-1 co-favorite with Kansas City running back Damien Williams to score the first TD of Super Bowl LIV.

“People always bet on what they just saw and they just saw (Mostert) score four touchdowns,” Murray said.

The Westgate also has odds on the player to score the last TD of the first half, the first TD of the second half, the last TD of the game and many more.

Popular prop prices

A missed extra point in the Super Bowl pays 3-1 at the Westgate, a safety pays 6-1 and overtime pays 8-1.

A successful 2-point conversion pays +310 at Caesars Entertainment and a defensive or special teams TD pays +250.

The South Point posted 10 alternate point spreads and four alternate totals. For example, the 49ers -14½ pays 5-1 and Over 65½ pays +320.

Super Bowl line

The Chiefs were 1½-point favorites over the Niners at multiple books Monday afternoon after the line opened at pick’em Sunday. The total had climbed to 54½ at several books after opening at 51½.

“I’m sure we’ll need the under,” William Hill sportsbook director Nick Bogdanovich said. “We always need the under (in the Super Bowl).”

Notable bets

A William Hill bettor placed a $100,000 money-line wager to win $100,000 on the 49ers, whose longest odds were 40-1 to win the Super Bowl on Aug. 12.

A William Hill bettor placed a $3,000 wager to win $90,000 on San Francisco to win the Super Bowl at 30-1 odds Aug. 3 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno.

“They bet the Niners religiously up there,” Bogdanovich said. “Always have. Always will.

“Futures-wise, the Chiefs are better for us, for sure. We break even with Frisco, but we’re a good winner on the Chiefs.”

Kansas City’s longest Super Bowl odds were 15-1 on Oct. 29. A William Hill bettor placed an $8,000 wager to win $112,000 on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl at 14-1 odds Oct. 31 at the Sahara Las Vegas.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.