Super Bowl LVI bets: Considering Bengals moneyline? Bet this instead

It's officially Super Bowl week, and by now you likely know which team you want to bet on and root for. If you're a Bengals bettor or a soon-to-be Cincinnati backer, pause on the moneyline bet.

The value on the Bengals to win is solid, currently +170 on DraftKings. However, why stop there? If Cincinnati wins this game, it feels almost guaranteed that it will be the play of Joe Burrow that got them a championship.

If you agree with that logic, the correct bet is on Joe Burrow to win MVP, currently at +230 on FanDuel.

Bengals Win, Burrow Wins

Going back the last 15 years, the Super Bowl MVP has been a quarterback 11 times, good for a 73.3% rate. All-time, that number does dip a bit, to 31 of 55 MVPs being a QB.

If you've been watching the Bengals' postseason run, you've seen how Burrow operates this offense at a high-level. He's shown pocket elusiveness and an accurate touch to move the ball down the field.

Sure, sometimes the drives have stalled, considering Evan McPherson has made four field goals in each of the three playoff games. Side note: we wrote about why he's worth a bet already.

But if you believe Cincinnati can keep pace and beat this Rams team, it's because Joe Burrow outdueled Matthew Stafford and put multiple touchdowns on the board.

The Rams have a great run defense, I don't see Joe Mixon having a successful day and being the catalyst for a Bengals upset.

Other Options

It would be heartbreaking to correctly predict a Bengals win and the reason being anyone but Burrow, so by all means include some of your typical bet on Cincinnati to win. At this odds discrepancy, though, it's worth some of your money to place a bet on him winning Most Valuable Player.

I have a hard time seeing a scenario where one of the Bengals receivers, like Ja'Marr Chase (+2500 to win MVP on FD), wins the award. Chase's production would have to be completely siloed from the rest of the Bengals offense and be short passes that Chase made something happen with.

As a vertical threat, and on a loaded offense, any of Chase's success is likely to revert back to Burrow's game.

If you are fully bought in to the Bengals winning this game, perhaps you turn to the defensive side for a sprinkle on an MVP winner there.

Stafford has been prone to interceptions, and Cincinnati's defense has generated turnovers on a consistent basis in these playoffs, registering six interceptions in three games.

How about a look at linebacker Logan Wilson?

Wilson's odds to win MVP are currently +50,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel.

Wilson led the team in interceptions this year, with four, and has one this postseason, to go along with one sack. He's also leading the team in tackles.

If this ends up a low-scoring Super Bowl, and Wilson intercepts a key pass and racks up tackles in a Bengals win, it could be him.

In the last eight years, two linebackers have won MVP: Malcolm Smith and Von Miller.

Closing Thoughts for Bengals Bettors

For those backing Cincinnati this weekend, my main focus is simply to diversify your betting options and look at the MVP award. If they win, someone on the Bengals is winning the award. The odds are better for Burrow to win the award than the game, and it feels extremely likely those two go hand-in-hand.

Consider it as you prep for Super Bowl LVI, and enjoy the game.