VSiN’s Steve Makinen has done all of his Super Bowl homework — and shared every bit of it with you.
>His Super Bowl Analytics Report
>His top Super Bowl trends
Now, he’s tied it all together to land on his Best Bets for Sunday’s Patriots–Seahawks matchup.
Makinen sees two realistic paths for this game:
- New England wins outright in a tight contest decided late
- Seattle wins and covers, controlling the Patriots’ offense most of the day
He’s firmly behind Door No. 1 — and has the numbers to back it up. Here’s why:
➡️ He expects a tight, defensive-leaning Super Bowl
➡️ He believes New England’s defense is undervalued and could be the difference in a low-scoring game
➡️ He has concerns about Seattle’s offense, including turnover risk and the loss of RB Zach Charbonnet
➡️ He projects a ball-control game from both teams, with Drake Maye and the rushing attacks playing central roles
➡️ His analytics give New England the edge in time of possession, rushing yards and defensive efficiency
The result: Makinen’s nine official Super Bowl plays, built from every angle of his data.
Super Bowl bonus material
Everything we do for the game is posted at our Super Bowl Hub.
But let me draw your attention to a few highlights . . .
DraftKings/Circa Betting Splits: DraftKings and Circa are both at Seattle -4.5. DK has 63 percent of the bets on the Seahawks with 68 percent of the handle. At Circa, 69 percent of the bets are on Seattle with 57 percent of the handle.
Opta AI player prop projections: We’ve heard from a fair share of experts about betting the Under on Kenneth Walker III rushing props. Opta AI projects 69.73 yards, Under the current DK number of 73.5.
YouTube.com/VSiNlive: We have a playlist with betting advice from the likes of John Hansen, Steve Fezzik and Bill Krackomberger.
Sharp Money podcast: Patrick Meagher offers his favorite defensive prop and Mike Somich has his best Seattle 1Q props, among many bets. Watch / Listen
Injury Report: Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, who suffered a low-ankle sprain in Wednesday’s practice, said he will be ready to go on Sunday.
Super Bowl Picks: More than 230 picks from our hosts and guests, collected over the last few weeks, available for VSiN Pro subscribers.
Quick Hits
Olympics: The Milan Cortina Games start today with the Opening Ceremony. Perhaps the most bettable event, men’s hockey, won’t start until Feb. 11, although the NHL is now on break. Jonathan Davis will handicap the tournament next week.
Pro tip: If you want to get in the mood for the Olympics, I highly recommend “Miracle: The Boys of ’80” on Netflix.
NBA: Zach Cohen analyzes the betting impact for the trades happened ahead of Thursday’s deadline — and one that didn’t. Zach’s Best Bets and Steve Makinen‘s Analytics Report will hit around mid-morning on our NBA page. And don’t miss Zach’s takes on the Hardwood Handicappers podcast.
College Basketball:Greg “Hoops” Peterson has picks for today’s menu. Adam Burke offers his Best Bets Monday–Saturday, available mid-morning on our college basketball page.
Get real-time steam alerts from the DonBest Screen. Sign up now for a 7-day free trial at go.donbest.com. Use the promo code VSIN10 for 10% off your initial subscription.
Horse Racing: On the VSiN At The Tracks podcast, Mike Somich and Aaron Halterman handicap the weekend Kentucky Derby prep races.
We have picks for today’s Oaklawn menu from “Mr. Ed” Sehon and DRF’s Mary Rampellini on our horse racing page.
UFC: On the First Strike podcast, Dave Ross and Rob Moreno are joined by Kyle Anthony to preview Saturday’s Vegas 113 card.
And you can find picks and predictions from Rob and Lou Finochiarro on our UFC page.
Soccer: Nigel Seeley has Best Bets for the weekend EPL menu.
