Super Bowl Gatorade odds: Purple getting steamed in game's most absurd bet
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Amid the hundreds of Super Bowl LIV props, there are three perennial mainstays that always draw a ton of action: the coin toss, the national anthem, and arguably the most ridiculous one of all - I mean, the game's over and we're still rooting for something - the color of the Gatorade bath.
If you thought there wasn't going to be any drama on one of these bets leading up to Sunday's game, think again. The Gatorade color odds have seen a drastic shift in movement. And despite the smaller limits around the novelty prop market, there'll be some bettors out there sweating the postgame electrolytes shower.
Opening odds
| Color | Odds |
|---|---|
| Clear/water | 3-2 |
| Yellow/green | 5-2 |
| Orange | 7-2 |
| Blue | 4-1 |
| Red | 15-2 |
| Purple | 12-1 |
Current odds
| Color | Odds |
|---|---|
| Purple | 5-6 |
| Red | 7-2 |
| Yellow/green | 9-2 |
| Orange | 6-1 |
| Clear/water | 8-1 |
| Blue | 9-1 |
The prop market is highly manipulative. During last year's Oscars, a rumor surfaced stating "The Favourite" director Yorgos Lanthimos, who was 50-1 to win the award, was going to pull it off. So much action came in on Lanthimos that some shops pulled the prop altogether. But the rumor wound up being fake, and the previous odds-on favorite, Alfonso Cuaron, took home the hardware.
While not quite as big of an underdog story, the latest commodity in the prop market is purple Gatorade moving from 12-1 to chalk. Multiple reports cited both teams shipping in purple Gatorade to honor former Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who died last Sunday, though nothing has been confirmed.
The biggest edge you can have in the novelty prop market is the script. Unlike handicapping a game that can play out hundreds of ways, most novelty props are set in stone. Demi Lovato knows if she's using a mic stand or not; Jennifer Lopez and Shakira know what they're playing as the first halftime song; Joe Buck and Troy Aikman can make their peers a quick buck just by saying the word "Patriots."
Basic research won't get you very far, but here are a couple of things we do know:
Red was thought to be a popular choice given the color of both teams' uniforms. However, certain franchises apparently steer clear of red Gatorade due to one reason.
"(A trainer) said he didn't know of any teams that use red Gatorade on the sideline because of the risk that a spill could be confused for blood and require a uniform change," Drew Dinsick, host of the "Deep Dive" betting podcast, told theScore.
Perhaps the correlation between jersey color and Gatorade is overblown in this spot, anyway; since 2001, only three teams have matched their uniform color with the sports drink.
Clear/water went on a run from 2007-10, but serious question: Are there any good Gatorade flavors that are clear? White cherry is in the bottom tier. And I'm sorry, but water ain't gonna cut it in the Miami humidity.
Only in the Super Bowl are bettors up in arms about what color the sugary, replenishing liquid will coat the winning coach. If only it were as easy as the players straight-up telling us what they were drinking.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.