Contrary to what you might have heard, nobody will be throwing an octopus on the field following a Travis Kelce touchdown. No, an octopus is when the same player who scores a touchdown is the same player who scores the following 2-point conversion. On the surface, you may not have heard the term referred to that scenario, but it’s happened once before in a Super Bowl with Jalen Hurts last year. Unlike most novelty props, the octopus concerns a smart on-the-field strategy — so let’s dive into the octopus odds, pick and legal states for Super Bowl 58.
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Super Bowl 58 Octopus, Odds & Legal States
States Where You Can Legally Bet on a Super Bowl 58 Octopus
Because kickoff and octopus markets have to do with the actual on-field sporting action at the Super Bowl — and because they’re both positive events — state-by-state rules are less relevant for these markets than others. It’ll be more important to know if your book offers them than if your state allows it.
Super Bowl 58 Octopus Odds
The likelihood of an octopus being scored in the Super Bowl is set at 14-1 on DraftKings. This was the same number that hit last year, but it’s not just a returning Chiefs team that can cash this ticket. However, there are a few things that need to happen just for a team to go for two in a Super Bowl.
Both Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan are as aggressive as it gets. They match that trait with creativity and a set of play-calling stones the size of boulders. If either team misses an extra point, has an opening with a penalty or simply needs to make up points another way — neither of these men will hesitate to pull the trigger.
The other element is trust. Much like last year, there were players on both teams who were instant threats to get the ball again, solidifying both team’s willingness to try a two-point and set them up for an octopus. Going for two on such a massive stage isn’t for the third-string running back, it’s for studs Travis Kelce or Christian McCaffery.
In fact, both teams have two players each who could easily command the football immediately after scoring. Kelce, McCaffery, Deebo Samuel and Isiah Pacheco are all well-trusted by their respective coaches.
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Super Bowl 58 Octopus History
An octopus has been scored 175 times since 1994. It’s only recently grown in popularity as a Super Bowl prop bet and is rarely — if ever — offered during any other part of the season.
It hasn’t seen any stretch of success in the playoffs, including the most important game, as Jalen Hurts became the first player ever to record an octopus in a Super Bowl just last season. That’s not a great record dating back to when the two-point conversion was first introduced.
The Hurts octopus was just the first time in 29 Super Bowls in which teams had the chance to go for two. Unsurprisingly, the odds are stacked in favor of “No.”
Super Bowl 58 Octopus Pick
While the overall edge is small and favors the “No,” side of this bet, it’s worth a small sprinkle. This bet hits the sweet spot of the Venn diagram of Super Bowl bets between the fun, novelty side of Super Bowl betting, as well as the sharp side of Super Bowl betting with both teams featuring star red-zone weapons.
It paid off last year because the Eagles had a dynamic player whose team is better off with him having the football than not. I’ve already identified two players on each side whose coaches trust them near the goal line, not to mention Patrick Mahomes and his ability to scramble two times over — even if one isn’t intentional.
Both the Chiefs and 49ers boast some heavy hitters in the offensive production category. All-pros get the football, especially in career-defining moments. If the Chiefs need two, they aren’t going to Noah Gray.
Best Octopus Pick: Yes +1400 DraftKings
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