Football

The NFL preseason is upon us and while yes it's true, the games don't count in the standings, they do impact upon a team's final roster. Certainly, that's important info for future wagering, and it's also vital in the short term. A club with many lineup decisions to make is likely to take a much different approach to the preseason than a team with relatively few choices to consider.

A win in Super Bowl LII, and the New England Patriots will join the Pittsburgh Steelers with a share of the record for most Super Bowls won. Each franchise would have six victories. A win in Super Bowl LII and the Philadelphia Eagles would remove themselves from the list of teams that are winless in multiple Super Bowl appearances, a group that also includes Buffalo, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Atlanta and Carolina.

What do Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook have to do with Super Bowl LII? Well, nothing you'd think, unless some of those athletes from other sports are fans of the New England Patriots or Philadelphia Eagles and therefore hold a vested interest in the outcome. But you'd be wrong. Thanks to Bovada's Super Bowl cross-sport wagers, you can play all of them in a Super Bowl bet.

Super Bowl Sunday is often referred to as Sports Betting Christmas, because it is the largest single wagering day of the year in North American sports. And you can bet on everything surrounding the game. Who will win the coin flip? How long with the National Anthem last? What color will Pink's hair be when she sings it? Welcome to the wild world of Super Bowl exotic prop bets.

You've made your bets on the outcome of Super Bowl LII. You chosen your moneyline, point spread and over/under picks between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. Now the real fun begins, because that's what Super Bowl game props are all about. Which quarterback will pass for the most TDs? How will the first score of the game be made? Who will make it? Have at it and enjoy.

Sports history hasn't been kind to Philadelphia, but then again, Philadelphia sports fans aren't known for their kindness, either. Don't forget, this is the town that booed Santa Claus. It's the place where the wife of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Norm Barnes was booed during a charity fashion show. And Donovan McNabb, the previous quarterback to lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl, was booed on draft day.

If you like to follow trends when you make wagers, there's an obvious trend on the go in regards to the NFL's Pro Bowl. The last six AFC-NFC games have seen the winner alternate. The AFC won last season by a shockingly low-scoring 20-13 margin, so that means it's the NFC's turn to win. The oddsmakers agree, establishing the NFC as the favorite.

If you were to complete an oral history of the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, it would be about as long as one of those compositions you read in front of the class in elementary school. And it would be just as awkward, with little of value or substance to offer, finally coming to a very unhappy ending. Will the Eagles be able to change the narrative in Super Bowl LII?