Fri, Jan 23, 1998 (1:01 a.m.)

For Sunday's Super Bowl you can bet on just about anything except in which quarter the Budweiser lizards will eat the Budweiser frogs.

Local sports books are taking action not only on the outcome of the game in which the defending champion Green Bay Packers are roughly a two-touchdown favorite to beat the Denver Broncos, but also on more than 100 "proposition" bets.

Although gaming officials have told bookmakers to avoid posting a line on which team will win the coin toss, some bookies are offering similar and somewhat more challenging alternatives to that 50-50 proposition.

"Here you can bet on which team will receive the opening kickoff," said Jay Kornegay, race and sports book director at the Imperial Palace. "It's even money. And, it won't necessarily be the team that wins the coin toss because they could defer (to the second half)."

John Avello, director of the race and sports book at Bally's, has added yet another twist to the old coin toss bet.

"We've made it the first team to run an offensive play," he said, noting that a bettor wagers $11 to win $10 on that proposition. "The team that wins the toss and elects to receive won't necessarily win this bet. They could run the opening kickoff back for a touchdown or the kicking team could recover an onsides kick."

College and pro basketball aside, Sunday's matchup is the only game in town. So more than just the point spread and over-under bets are needed to entice gamblers. Over the years, the props have provided that avenue.

"For the Super Bowl we see more people than ever who do not ordinarily bet on football," said Rob Terry, director of the Sunset Station's race and sports book. "The proposition bets extend the action."

Some of the more interesting bets (and at least one place where you can bet them):

* Who will win the first half and who will win the game? Currently, a good deal of action has been on Denver to win the first half and Green Bay to win the game. (Sunset Station)

* Which team will score first? (Sunset Station)

* Points by kickers: Denver's Jason Elam to score over-under 6 1/2 or Green Bay's Ryan Longwell to score over-under 7 1/2. (Bally's)

* Pick your own point spread: Green Bay anywhere from minus 6 1/2 to minus 17 1/2. Of course, you will have to lay more money for the better odds you give the Packers. (Bally's)

* Who will score more points: The Green Bay Packers or the Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan in his NBA game against the Utah Jazz Sunday? (Imperial Palace)

* Which number will be higher: Pro golfer Phil Mickelson's score in Sunday's fourth round of the Phoenix Open or Green Bay receiver Robert Brooks' total yards? (Imperial Palace)

Since the line was first posted following the conference playoffs earlier this month, gamblers have been putting a lot of money on the AFC's Broncos to beat the spread.

"We have been seeing about 5-to-1 betting on Denver," Terry said.

And some of the so-called "wise guys" (professional bettors) have been betting the money line for the Broncos to win straight up.

"They figure they are getting good value for their money," said Kornegay, a former Denver resident and longtime Broncos fan.

"If this were a regular season game at Green Bay, the Packers would be about a 7 1/2 to 8-point favorite. But they are playing at a neutral site in San Diego. Some people believe Denver is just getting too many points."

Also, books are getting a little more action than expected on the money line, which opened at a number of places at Packers minus $3.40 and Denver plus $3 and has since dropped to minus $3.30 and plus $2.50.

This means that a bettor who picks Denver gets $25 for every $10 bet if the Broncos win. A gambler who bets Green Bay on the money line would collect $10 for every $33 wagered if the Packers win.

"Unlike the (New England) Patriots (last year's AFC champs) which was a good team, Denver is a great team," Avello said. "The Broncos are a team with all of the elements -- a great quarterback in (John) Elway, a solid offense and a strong defense.

"Green Bay came into last year's Super Bowl rolling over everybody. This year, it seems they are just doing enough to win."

Ideally, a book posts a line with the hope of attracting equal action on both sides. Bettors have to lay $11 to win $10 regardless of which team they pick. This means that a book that takes $110,000 on the Packers and $110,00 on the Broncos pockets $10,000 regardless of which side wins.

On Super Bowl Sunday in Las Vegas, many millions will be on the line.

"I'd like to see some money come in on Green Bay to lift some of the weight off my shoulders," said Kornegay, who used to have season tickets for the Broncos back in the "Orange Crush" days of the early '80s.

"That way I can sit back and root for my favorite team. Otherwise, I'll have to be pulling for the Packers to cover."

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