Here's why the octopus bet could be a winner in Super Bowl LVIII
Sure, it's highly uncommon and the odds are long. But could there be an octopus in Super Bowl LVIII?
Since sports betting is legal in more states than ever this year, more fans are learning about the elusive octopus wager, a prop bet that occurs when the same player scores a touchdown as well as rushes or receives the consequent two-point conversion. The octopus had never occurred during a Super Bowl until Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts ran in both a touchdown and the ensuing two-point conversion against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII one year ago.
Given the rare nature of this bet, DraftKings lists the likelihood of an octopus in Super Bowl LVIII between the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers at +1400 odds. (The odds of it not hitting are a whopping -4000.) But before you place this silly-sounding prop bet, perhaps consider why this unique wager could actually hit a second year in a row.
It should be recognized that the octopus isn't completely uncommon in the modern NFL, despite only occurring in one Super Bowl ever. According to NJ.com, there have been 188 recorded octopi in the NFL dating back to 1994, and there were 11 octopi recorded in the 272 regular season games played in 2023.
There is also a player on each Super Bowl contending team this year who has an octopus under his belt, Sports Betting Dime notes. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had an octopus during the 2022 regular season in a 20-17 win against the Tennessee Titans. Niners running back and MVP hopeful Christian McCaffrey also has an octopus, although he achieved it against San Francisco in 2019 while playing for the Carolina Panthers.
Of course, it's also easy to see why the odds lean so heavily on there not being an octopus in Super Bowl LVIII. Neither team has an octopus on the regular season, and San Francisco hasn't even attempted a two-point conversion. But in the biggest game of the year, on the biggest stage in the world, could 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan change up his game plan and tap McCaffrey to run the ball into the end zone on consecutive plays? (The league leader in rushing yards this season will be going up against the 17th-ranked run defense on Sunday.)
While the odds are long, there is reason to believe there could be an octopus in Super Bowl LVIII. Perhaps give this whacky prop bet some consideration before you place your bets for the big game on Feb. 11.
More must-reads: