AUGUSTA, Maine — It's a weekend Maine sports bettors have waited a long time for: the chance to place legal wagers on the Super Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will meet for the big game in Las Vegas. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30 Sunday.
Since the state launched mobile sports betting last November, there haven't been any major issues, according to Milton Champion, the Executive Director of the Maine Gambling Control Unit.
"All around it's been a great experience so far," he said Friday.
The Wabanaki Tribes, who control mobile gaming rights in Maine, partnered with DraftKings and Caesars SportsBook and those are the two online options for Mainers to place bets.
While the American Gaming Association predicts more than 68 million Americans will bet on the Super Bowl, spending more than $23 billion, Champion said he won't know how much Mainers placed on the game until sometime next week, although he said a majority of bets already placed have been on the Chiefs.
But, he said he expects to see an "influx" of wagers placed once the game kicks off.
"[Because] that's the fun rime, it's right in the middle of the game, you can wager on the next play or whatever the case may be," Champion added.
While sports betting can enhance the viewing experience, Champion reminded Mainers to be cautious when they bet on the game and to gamble in moderation.
While there are hundreds of betting options for the Super Bowl, here are some tips to keep in mind if you create a mobile betting account for this weekend.
What am I looking at?
According to the latest odds from DraftKings, the San Fransisco 49ers are favored by two points, or -2.
So, if you bet on SF -2, you need the 49ers to beat the Chiefs by three or more points to win your bet. If they win by two, the bet is nulled, or "pushed."
Kansas City is a two-point underdog, or +2.
So, if you bet on KC +2, the Chiefs can lose the game by one point and you'd still win your bet. If they lose by two, again, the bet is nulled or "pushed."
The "green" number shows you what the odds of each bet are.
The bets closest to -100 or +100 are similar to an even 50/50 bet. Meaning, a $10 wager would result in close to a $10 profit.
The more you see the numbers behind the "+" increase, tells you that the bet has lower odds to hit, but would pay out more of a profit.
A $10 wager placed on a +400 bet will payout $50 or a $40 profit.
Total Points:
You can also bet on the total points scored in the game. As of Friday night, the over/under line is set at 47.5 points.
An "over" bet wins if the two teams score at least 48 points. An "under" bet wins if the two teams score 47 points or less.
There are also options to bet on the points owner for each quarter or each half.
Prop Bets:
OK, here is where things can get complex.
A proposition, or prop bet, covers player or team-specific wagers in the game. For example, DraftKings set 49ers star running back Christian McCaffery's rushing yards at 89.5 yards.
You're betting on McCaffery to run for more or less than 89 yards in the Super Bowl.
The same "rules" are in place for receiving yards, or touchdown passes thrown.
You can also bet on a player who you think will score a touchdown, the first touchdown, or multiple touchdowns.
DraftKings and Caesars are also offering a twist on the classic "Super Bowl Squares" game, where you can bet on what the score will be at the end of each quarter.
Of course, there are Taylor Swift-related bets on the board this year.
Again, while betting on the game can be enjoyable, it's best to wager responsibility. You can call 2-1-1 at any time to get connected to resources or follow this link for more information.