Why You Need to Bet This Super Bowl Prop on a 12-1 Run Entering Seahawks vs. Patriots
With so much attention focused on Super Bowl 2026 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, it's tempting to invest all of your time (and money) into the game markets that are based on this year's matchup and the schemes and players involved.
Sometimes, though, the key to a profitable Super Bowl is basic math. And there's one Super Bowl first quarter bet that continues to fly under the radar despite cashing in 12 of the last 13 years - and it's one of my biggest positions in my Super Bowl betting manifesto, which breaks down all 95 of my bets and why I'm making them.
If you're still making your Super Bowl predictions and last-minute bets before kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET (NBC), here's why the 1Q total to be even needs to be on your betting card.
1️⃣ How to bet on the 1st quarter
See all of our NFL analysis and expert predictions for Super Bowl 2026.
Among the literal thousands of Super Bowl prop bets to choose from, there's a sneaky bet in the Super Bowl first quarter market that still isn't getting enough love.
Entering last year, the first quarter total had landed on an even number in 12 consecutive Super Bowls dating back to 2013. Think about that: if you had wagered "1Q total even" at -110 odds each of those 12 years, you'd be up a ridiculous 10.9 units over that 12-year run on a single prop bet - that'd be like betting $10 to return a profit of $109.
A combined score of 10 has happened five times alone in that 12-year sample, with zero points as the next-likeliest outcome with four such instances. And when you see the data laid out over those dozen years, it's pretty hard to ignore the Super Bowl trend at play.
📊 Super Bowl 1st quarter history
See the latest NFL odds and our experts' NFL picks for every game this season.
Here are the first quarter scores for every Super Bowl since 2013:
| Year | 1Q combined score | Even/odd |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Odd ❌ |
| 2024 | 0 | Even ✅ |
| 2023 | 14 | Even ✅ |
| 2022 | 10 | Even ✅ |
| 2021 | 10 | Even ✅ |
| 2020 | 10 | Even ✅ |
| 2019 | 0 | Even ✅ |
| 2018 | 12 | Even ✅ |
| 2017 | 0 | Even ✅ |
| 2016 | 10 | Even ✅ |
| 2015 | 0 | Even ✅ |
| 2014 | 8 | Even ✅ |
| 2013 | 10 | Even ✅ |
🤔 Is there logic to betting on Super Bowl 1Q to be even?
Look, I get the skepticism: whether the total is odd or even feels like a coin flip, which is why the best Super Bowl betting sites have essentially priced it as one - some books like FanDuel are even offering "even" as the cheaper side at -108 odds.
If you think about it logically, though, it's not hard to see how we've arrived at this place. Teams are running more plays than ever as offenses evolve to be more efficient and attack with pace and space - something the Seahawks and Patriots both excel at.
That doesn't necessarily always mean more points (hence the scoreless first quarters), but it does suggest the potential for more plays in the opening frame. That's the key to this bet: the clearest path to victory is neither team scoring, or both teams scoring. And, barring an early safety or 2-point conversion, the vast majority of scoring plays result in either three or seven points (after the extra point).
When you think about all of the permutations for the first quarter - zero scores, one score, two scores, three scores or more - it's likelier that we see either zero or two scores than the chances we see either one score or three-plus scores.
💰 Why you need to bet 1Q even for Seahawks vs. Patriots
I'm not here to tell you that the first quarter will definitely result in an even score. I bet this prop last year and was dismayed when the Chiefs couldn't muster a measly point to match the Eagles' first-quarter touchdown, snapping our 12-year run of success.
What I am here to tell you is that we're still staring at a ridiculous value at -108 odds (or -110 odds or even -112 odds) for a prop bet that sportsbooks are still too slow to catch up on. What seems like a random stroke of good fortune for "even" bettors is a trend that doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon - so let's take advantage together.
More Super Bowl prop bets
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- Super Bowl first touchdown scorer predictions
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- Super Bowl tight end player props
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- Best Super Bowl specials
- How to fade Sam Darnold vs. Patriots
- How to fade Drake Maye vs. Seahawks
- How to bet on Seahawks' historic defense
- Why you have to bet George Holani to score first touchdown
- 5 Super Bowl long shot bets to make now
- Will any Super Bowl records be broken?
💡 How to bet the Super Bowl
Our NFL experts have put together a "how to" series for betting on the Super Bowl, including a basic explainer and our tips and best practices for every major Super Bowl betting market.
- How to bet the Super Bowl spread
- How to bet the Super Bowl Over/Under
- How to bet the Super Bowl moneyline
- How to bet Super Bowl player props
- How to bet Super Bowl novelty props
- How to bet Super Bowl alt lines
- How to bet the Super Bowl national anthem
- How to bet the Super Bowl coin toss
- How to bet the Super Bowl opening kickoff
- How to bet the Super Bowl Gatorade bath
- Super Bowl betting strategies
- Super Bowl betting history
📺 How to watch Super Bowl 2026: Seahawks vs. Patriots
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
- Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
- TV: NBC/Peacock
See our full breakdown for how to watch Super Bowl 2026, including TV info and streaming options for Seahawks vs. Patriots in Super Bowl 60.
❓ Super Bowl 60 FAQs
Who is favored to win the Super Bowl?
The Seattle Seahawks are the Super Bowl favorites with odds of -240 to beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 2026. Those odds carry an implied probability of 70.59% for the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl, according to our odds converter.
When is the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl will be on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 6:30 p.m. ET from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Where is the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl 60 will be at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Who's playing in the Super Bowl?
The NFC champion Seattle Seahawks will face the AFC champion New England Patriots in Super Bowl 2026.
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