Vegas Super Knights: Books build Super Bowl props involving local team in bulk

By Jesse Granger

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 | 2 a.m.

Sports books have a major local professional sports team to fully tie into their hundreds of Super Bowl prop bets for the first time this season.

The Vegas Golden Knights conveniently play on Super Bowl Sunday, as they’re scheduled for a 9:30 a.m. tilt against the Capitals in Washington that should conclude well before football fans gather around their televisions.

Bettors will have plenty of options in wagers pitting the Golden Knights against the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 52. While the majority revolve around the game against the Capitals, some stretch all the way to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin in April.

With the Golden Knights leading the Western Conference, the question has gone from, “Will they make the playoffs” to “How far will they go?”

Odds imply the Golden Knights will win at least one playoff series, and six playoff games. This is derived from the following Westgate Las Vegas Superbook prop bet: Which will be higher — total touchdowns scored in the Super Bowl plus-0.5 or total playoff wins by the Golden Knights or minus-0.5?

The line for total touchdowns in the Super Bowl is set at 5.5, so the Golden Knights are projected for six playoff victories.

That’s just one of many possible cross-sport wagers involving the Golden Knights on Sunday.

Find the rest below, along with three involving the hockey team that I think have the most value.

Golden Knights goals minus-0.5 at minus-120 (risking $1.20 to win $1) vs. Tom Brady’s touchdown passes

The Golden Knights are the third-highest scoring team in the NHL this season with 3.4 goals per game, taking on the Capitals who rank 14th allowing 2.8 goals per game. When the two met on Dec. 23 Vegas won 3-0.

The likelihood of the Golden Knights scoring at least three goals is high, so now we look at Brady’s touchdown passes. Oddsmakers believe his most likely total for touchdown passes is two at 7-to-4 odds. With a line of 2.5 touchdown passes, the oddsmakers made the under a minus-180 favorite, meaning they believe it’s more likely he’ll throw two than three.

Furthermore, in his five Super Bowl appearances Brady has averaged 2.4 touchdown passes per game.

Golden Knights and Capitals combined goals pick’em at minus-130 vs. total Super Bowl touchdown passes

This bet goes along the same lines as the first, and again, it looks like there’s value on the hockey side.

The total for the Golden Knights and Capitals game hasn’t been released yet, but it’s safe to assume it will be at least 5.5 considering Vegas has yet to have a line lower than that through the first 48 games. The line when the teams faced each other on Dec. 23 was 6 goals.

On the other side, there has been only one Super Bowl since 2003 with more than five total touchdowns thrown (2015). In that same span, only three Super Bowls have had more than four touchdown passes.

While Brady and Nick Foles may light up the scoreboard, history shows it’s more likely to see more goals in the hockey game than touchdown passes in the Super Bowl.

Jake Elliott total points vs. Golden Knights penalty minutes pick’em

The Golden Knights have consistently been one of the least penalized teams in the NHL this season. At only 6:58 in penalty minutes per game, only the Carolina Hurricanes average less at 6:23.

Oddsmakers have set the line for Jake Elliott’s total points at 7.5, and the 23-year-old placekicker has averaged 7.88 points per game for the Eagles this season including the playoffs. Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick loves to play a bend-but-don’t-break style of defense. New England finished the regular season 29th in yards allowed, but fifth in points allowed, meaning Elliott may get an abundance of field goal chances in the red zone.

Westgate Superbook

Golden Knights and Capitals first period goals pick’em vs. Jake Elliot field goals

Golden Knights shots on goal minus-6.5 vs. Patriots points scored

Capitals shots on goal minus-8.5 vs. Eagles points scored

Golden Knights playoff wins minus-0.5 vs. total Super Bowl touchdowns

Golden Knights playoff series wins pick’em vs. fumbles lost in the Super Bowl

Jonathan Marchessault points pick’em vs. fumbles lost in the Super Bowl

Jonathan Marchessault shots on goal plus-0.5 vs. Danny Amendola receptions

Nate Schmidt points pick’em vs. Tom Brady interceptions

James Neal shots on goal minus-0.5 vs. Nick Foles touchdowns and interceptions combined

William Karlsson points plus-0.5 vs. Stephen Gostkowski field goals made

William Hill Sportsbook

Golden Knights goals pick’em vs. New England touchdowns

Golden Knights shots on goal minus-1.5 vs. New England's points

Marc-Andre Fleury saves minus-4.5 vs. Nick Foles completions

William Karlsson and James Neal combined points pick’em vs. Stephen Gostkowski made field goals

Jonathan Marchessault shots on goal minus-0.5 vs. Chris Hogan receptions

Collin Miller and David Perron combined hits pick’em vs. Brandon Cooks receptions

Cody Eakin face-off wins plus-0.5 vs. total punts in the Super Bowl

Deryk Engelland blocks pick’em vs. Tom Brady touchdown passes

Golden Knights penalties pick’em vs. New England penalties

Golden Knights and Capitals combined goals minus-0.5 vs. Danny Amendola receptions

Alex Ovechkin shots on goal pick’em vs. total sacks in the Super Bowl