Traditional sportsbooks, as well as online bookmakers, are gearing up for the biggest weekend of the year for the sports betting industry.
Online bookies are looking to build on last year's Super Bowl which generated an estimated $300 million in online bets. That amount was nearly double 1999's total.
Two-thousand was a record-setting year for online sportsbooks, but the Las Vegas books weren't so lucky. The Nevada State Gaming Board reported that Vegas bookies brought in $71 million in total bets. That number was down from the $76 million brought in from the Super Bowl in 1999.
While the 2000 Super Bowl pitted the St. Louis Rams and their explosive offense against the Tennessee Titans, this year the tables are turned. Two of the best defenses in football in the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants will battle it out on Sunday in Tampa Bay.
Haden Ware of World Sports Exchange, admitted this year's match-up might lend itself to more of the side bets, or proposition bets.
"It is odd for fans to be pulling for the defense," he said. "Usually fans are wanting to see the offense march down the field and score. But this year you have two exceptionally strong defenses."
With over 350 propositions to choose from, Ware said it was important for WSEX to cater to its clients.
"We have a lot of golf fans," he said. "So they can make a bet on what will be more, Tiger Woods fourth round score or receiving yards by Baltimore wide out Shannon Sharp."
Among other side bets include whether Manchester United will score more goals in its English Premiere League soccer match than the Ravens will score touchdowns. Bettors can also wager on which team will punt more and who will have the longest punt of the game.
"Last year we didn't have any bets on punts," Ware said. "This game lends itself to those kinds of bets though. People are rooting for defense."
Ware said his company doesn't release any figures on the amount of money or how many wagers are made to the public. He did say that the Super Bowl and the NCAA basketball tournament are two of the company's biggest events. Considering the tournament encompasses a month, it is a safe bet that the Super Bowl is the biggest weekend for many sportsbooks.
Most of the punters will wait until the last minute to make their wagers, according to Ware.
"They will watch all the pre-game show and read all the magazine and newspaper stories before they make their bet," he said. "They will wait until the last minute. We will be very busy on Saturday and Sunday."
World Sports Exchange takes a different approach than most sportsbooks when looking at the big game. Rather than try to use the game to expand its client base, Ware said they are more focused on taking care of who they already have.
"We look at it as a fun celebration for our clients," he said. "Kind of an end to the season party for those who have been with us all season. We certainly won't turn anybody away, but we aren't pounding the pavement real hard trying to get those one-time betters."
Regardless of what approach various sportsbooks are taking towards the Super Bowl, many online bookies are hoping to continue the growth that was experienced from last year's event.