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In the world of sports betting – especially around the Super Bowl – there are some wired and fun novelty props to bet on.
If it’s a stat, seemingly it can be wagered.
The newest one is the "octopus."
Coined by Sports Illustrated’s Mitch Goldich in 2019, an octopus occurs when the same player scores a touchdown then the following two-point conversion. Eight points. Eight legs. Get it?
But it has to be actual points scored. So if a quarterback throws for a touchdown and then throws for the two-point conversion, it’s not an octopus.
With the Super Bowl coming up Feb. 12 from Glendale, Ariz., FrontPageBets takes a look at this fun new novelty prop.
Coming into the 2022 season, there have been 169 instances of an octopus in NFL history, according to BetSperts.com.
According to the NFL Octopus Tracker (@NFL_Octopus) there were six octopi (or octopodes, if you wish) during the 2022 regular season, including one by each of the starting quarterbacks for Super Bowl LVII.
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes accomplished the feat on Nov. 6 against the Tennessee Titans, tying the game up at 17-all with a 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He then ran in the two-point conversion. The Chiefs ended up winning in overtime, 20-17.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was the last person to record an octopus, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run and subsequent two-point try in a Week 15 win over the Chicago Bears.
So what are the odds there will be an octopus in Super Bowl LVII?
Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 22-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His "View From The Lazy Boy" column won multiple state and national awards. He can be reached at mszvetitz@timesdispatch.com.
