Betting Super Bowl 40

If you snooze, you lose. That’s one adage that remains in play when it comes time to bet Super Bowl propositions.

The Palms Sports Books in Las Vegas wasted no time posting a bevy of attractive proposition wagers for the Feb. 5 Super Bowl XL showdown between Pittsburgh and Seattle at Detroit’s Ford Field.

The boutique off-strip bet shop got the jump on most of the local competition by compiling over three pages of proposition wagers. The menu covers the usual, such as team to receive the opening kickoff or team to score first and last.

Since prop bettors have become more sophisticated, it didn't take long for them to zero in on one particularly enticing opportunity.

Palms bet baron Richie Baccilieri offered a wager on the total pass interceptions, posting the number at 2 1/2 with the 'over' the favorite at $1.30. It didn't take long for the 'wise' guys to drive the 'under' to minus $1.65.

One can certainly see the attraction. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown just 10 picks in 340 attempts, an excellent interception rate of 2.9 percent. Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck has been even better, with a miniscule pickoff rate of 2.6 percent. He has nine interceptions in 341 passes, counting the playoffs.

Roethlisberger was picked off in Pittsburgh's divisional road victory at Indianapolis when he was blindsided by Dwight Freeney and the ball squirted out of his hand. That's the lone blemish in 126 postseason attempts by the two Super Bowl quarterbacks.

Seattle committed just 17 turnovers during the regular season, second fewest in the league. Pittsburgh had just 23 giveaways, the sixth fewest. The Palms posted its opening number on total fumbles lost at 1 ½, with the 'over' favored at minus $1.30.

The Steelers and Seahawks’ defenses ranked first and third, respectively, in sacks during the season. Both teams will bring blitzes from every angle imaginable. Seattle, despite not have a single defender with double-digit sacks, totaled 50 takedowns. Pittsburgh was even more diverse, getting sacks from 15 different defenders totaling 47 for the year.

Total quarterback sacks for both teams are on the board at the Palms at five, with the ‘under’ the favorite at minus $1.20.

Seattle tailback and league MVP Shaun Alexander averaged 117.5 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry, which helped his team rank No. 3 in rushing offense. He also authored 14 rushes of 20 or more yards. Conversely the Steelers yielded just 3.4 yards per carry, a league low. They also surrendered just seven runs of 20 yards or more.

The Seahawks hit the board as $1.20 favorites to have the longest run. The longest run in Super Bowl XL is also posted at 25 ½ yards.

The Palms has also posted special pointspread props not offered on a regular basis during the season. Gutsy bettors who think Pittsburgh will blow the Seahawks out of Ford Field can lay 16 1/2-points with the AFC champs and get $3.50 for every dollar wagered. Seattle supporters can take the 16 1/2, but they will have to lay $4.25 to win a dollar.

As a rule, the majority of Las Vegas bet shops post more exotic Super Bowl props the week of the game. We'll take a look at those when they become available.

Buy your picks at Who2beton or at Don Best