Super Bowl 2023: Breaking down the Gatorade odds for Eagles vs. Chiefs

It’s become as much a part of football tradition as end zone celebrations, Bill Belichick’s scowl and the Dallas Cowboys falling short of expectations.

We’re referring, of course, to the postgame Gatorade shower.

What began nearly 40 years ago as a clever new way to celebrate a big victory has morphed into an annual Super Bowl betting phenomenon — one in which millions of dollars change hands based solely on the color of ice-cold liquid that douses the Super Bowl-winning coach.

This year’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will be no different.

Here’s a look at the history of the Gatorade shower, as well as the odds on which color of sports drink will be poured over the winning coach’s head Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Odds updated as of 10:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 8.

If you believe the internet, the origins of the Gatorade shower date back to the 1984 NFL season.

That year, New York Giants defensive lineman Jim Burt soaked coach Bill Parcells with the sticky stuff after a 37-13 regular-season victory over Washington. Burt allegedly did it as payback after Parcells picked on him incessantly in practice in the week leading up to the game.

The prank turned into a ritual for the Giants two years later, when players dumped Gatorade on Parcells after several of the team’s 14 wins during the 1986 season.

However, it wasn’t until Jan. 25, 1987, that the Gatorade shower gained worldwide attention.

On that day, the Giants blasted the Denver Broncos 39-20 to win Super Bowl 21. As the clock ticked down, television cameras captured an orange bucket full of Gatorade getting dumped over Parcells’ head.

With that, a new tradition was born, and it soon would be copied across the sporting landscape.

Part of that tradition has involved betting on the color of Gatorade that gets poured over the Super Bowl-winning coach’s head.

For decades, of course, there were only two ways to place such a wager: with friends or at an offshore sportsbook. That’s because U.S.-based sportsbooks — which until 2018 were all situated in Nevada — were only allowed to post odds on actual athletic events.

However, when the Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports betting in May 2018, certain states that legalized the activity included legislative provisions that permitted wagering on non-competitive events.

So in February 2019, when the New England Patriots met the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53, FanDuel posted the Gatorade shower prop bet in approved jurisdictions where the sportsbook operated.

This year, five states — Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, West Virginia and Wyoming — permit wagering on the color of the Gatorade shower. So does Washington, D.C., and the Canadian province of Ontario.

» READ MORE: Super Bowl 2023: Four Eagles vs. Chiefs long-shot prop bets

Going back to Super Bowl 35 in January 2001, the winning coach has taken the Gatorade hit in 18 of 22 NFL title games.

Belichick (of course) was involved three of the four times there was no Gatorade pour — he stayed dry following the Patriots’ wins in Super Bowls 36, 38 and 51.

The only other coach who avoided getting drenched was Baltimore’s John Harbaugh in Super Bowl 47.

Looking at the other 18 Super Bowls, orange Gatorade has been used more than any other color/flavor — five times (all within the last 13 years).

Blue and clear liquid (including water) have been the colors of choice four times each, followed by yellow/green (three) and purple (two).

Most recently, blue has been used in three of the last four Super Bowls. The exception: Following his team’s Super Bowl 54 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in February 2020, Chiefs coach Andy Reid took an orange-colored bath.

What about the Eagles two years prior when they upset the Patriots in Super Bowl 52? Then-coach Doug Pederson got hit with yellow Gatorade.

This year, yellow/green is the +130 favorite at FanDuel, followed by orange (+320), blue (+380) and red/pink (+650).

At BetMGM, orange opened as the +250 favorite but now is the second choice at +300 behind yellow/green, which opened at +350 and is now +275.

Blue (+375) is third at BetMGM, followed by red/pink (+500) and clear/water (+600).

The long shots: At FanDuel, it’s clear/water and purple, both at +1000. BetMGM has purple at +900.

BetMGM reported midweek that 32% of the tickets and 33% of the handle on the Gatorade shower at its book were on yellow/green. Orange was second in bets (20%) and money (21%).

» READ MORE: Super Bowl 2023 predictions: Bet these Chiefs vs. Eagles defensive props

It’s a short sample size, but bettors looking to score a big payday on the Gatorade prop haven’t fared particularly well so far.

Since wagering on the Gatorade shower was first legally permitted four years ago, the winning odds have been +150 (blue in Super Bowl 53), +400 (orange in Super Bowl 54), +650 (blue in Super Bowl 55) and +300 (blue in Super Bowl 56).

What if the winning coach avoids the Gatorade shower on Sunday? BetMGM is offering +1400 odds. But at FanDuel, all bets would be voided and refunded.

And somewhere in New England, Belichick might actually crack a smile.

» READ MORE: How to bet Jalen Hurts in Super Bowl player props vs. Chiefs

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.