Jan 20, 2020

Kansas City Chiefs hold narrow lead in Super Bowl betting odds

The Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes celebrates a touchdown pass during yesterday's 35-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship. Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP

Early Super Bowl LIV odds have the Kansas City Chiefs as 1.5-point favorites over the San Francisco 49ers.

The state of play : Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes (KC) vs. Jimmy Garoppolo (SF) — opened last night as a pick 'em at many Las Vegas sports books, AP reports.

The 54th Super Bowl — Feb. 2 in Miami — will almost surely set new legal betting records.

Why it matters: The combination of an attractive matchup, close odds and the spread of legalized sports betting means hundreds of millions of dollars will exchange hands over the next two weeks.

Go deeper: The underdogs' path to the Super Bowl

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Kendall Baker

Setting the scene for Super Bowl LIV

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

After a grueling four months of football, Patrick Mahomes has led the Chiefs out of the darkness and into the Miami sun, where the 49ers football machine awaits them in the Super Bowl.

What to know ... "The Gunslinger": Mahomes is 24 years old, arguably the best player in football and he just toppled Tom Brady as the top seller of NFL merchandise. A star has already been born — now he has the biggest stage in sports to showcase his brilliance.

Go deeperJan 21, 2020

Axios

26 million Americans will bet on Super Bowl LIV

Prop bets at Bally's Atlantic City Hotel and Casino. Photo: Wayne Parry/AP

With sports betting now legal in 14 states, the American Gaming Association estimates $6.8 billion will be bet legally and illegally on Sunday's Super Bowl between the S.F. 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, AP's Wayne Parry reports.

The state of play: 26 million Americans plan to make a bet, up 15% from last year, per the AGA.

Go deeperJan 31, 2020 - Sports

Kendall Baker

Special preview: Super Bowl LIV

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The Super Bowl isn't just a football game. It's the halftime show; it's the ads; it's the seven-layer dip; it's the fact that, for four hours on Sunday night, nobody is expected to be doing anything else.

Why it matters: The Super Bowl is one of the last remnants of an era when we all watched the same things at the same time. It is the "live sport" of all live sports, which is currently the only form of content tethering many consumers to traditional TV.

Go deeperFeb 1, 2020 - Sports