The 15 Biggest Point Spreads In Super Bowl History
Summary
The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will meet in Super Bowl 60 after winning dramatic conference championship games. Early betting action favors the Seahawks, who opened as 4-point favorites. This matchup recalls their memorable 2015 Super Bowl meeting, where Seattle suffered a last-second loss to New England.
Historically, Super Bowl point spreads have been tight recently, with 11 consecutive games having spreads of 4.5 points or less. Underdogs have performed exceptionally well, winning four of the last five contests outright. The last double-digit favorite was in 2008, when the New York Giants famously upset the undefeated Patriots.
The AFC and NFC Conference Championship Games produced more drama following the Divisional Round, which had two games go to overtime, with the Broncos and Rams victorious. But Denver and Los Angeles lost two close conference title games, and the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will meet in Super Bowl 60 on Feb. 8, 2026. The Patriots overcame the Broncos and snowy conditions to win 10-7 in Denver, and the Seahawks won a thrilling game in Seattle over their division rival Rams, 31-27.  Â
Early money is supporting the Seahawks, who opened a 4-point favorite and are up to -5 at BetOnline with the game total 46 points. Part of the history of the Super Bowl includes the most memorable Patriots-Seahawks game in 2015 for Super Bowl 49. The Seahawks (-1) suffered a heartbreaking and devastating defeat when QB Russell Wilson threw an interception from the 1-yard line in the closing seconds to lose 28-24 to QB Tom Brady and the Patriots. Â
In 1967 and Super Bowl 1, there were 15 NFL franchises. Expansion continued in the decades ahead, and the NFL expanded to 32 teams in 2002 with the addition of the Houston Texans, which prompted a realignment of all divisions into eight four-team groups. Since that time and starting with the 2003 Super Bowl, this will be the 24th Super Bowl, and only one of those had a double-digit point spread. Four other Super Bowls had a spread of 4.5 or 5 points, and four others exactly -7 for the favorite.Â
There’s no sporting event that draws more betting interest than the Super Bowl, which generates billions of dollars in wagers, including last year’s 40-22 blowout by the Philadelphia Eagles over the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. From spreads, moneylines and totals to the most popular proposition bets and player props, driving more watch and wager action, the Super Bowl is the pinnacle event for sports bettors.Â
Super Bowl Point Spread History
Since the Seahawks buried the Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl LXVIII (48) in 2014 when Denver closed a 2-point favorite, each of the 11 Super Bowls since have had point spreads of 4.5 points or less for the favorite.
The two 4.5 point favorites over the last 12 years included the Carolina Panthers (-4.5) and QB Cam Newton, who had 3 turnovers to lose to the Broncos and QB Peyton Manning 24-10 behind Denver’s dominant defense in Super Bowl L (50) in 2016. The Patriots (-3) won the next year 34-28 in overtime against the Falcons in the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. New England trailed 28-3 in the second half. New England (-4.5) lost the next year to the Philadelphia Eagles 41-33 in Super Bowl LII (50).
The Patriots (-2.5), Chiefs (-1.5) and Rams (-4) have won the Super Bowl as favorites since 2019 while the Buccaneers (+3), Chiefs (+2) twice and Eagles (+1.5) last year have won the Super Bowl as underdogs since 2021 with the underdog going 4-1 straight up (SU) and 5-0 against the spread (ATS) in the last five Super Bowls.
Biggest Super Bowl Point Spreads And Upsets
There have been 14 double-digit favorites in the Super Bowl, but none since 2008 when the Giants (+12) upset the undefeated Patriots, 17-14. Here are the 15 biggest point spreads in Super Bowl history and the teams that pulled off the biggest upsets.
- San Francisco (-18.5) vs. San Diego – 49ers won 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX (1995)
- Baltimore (-18) vs. New York – Jets won 16-7 in the biggest-ever upset in SB III (1969)
- St. Louis (-14) vs. New England – Patriots pulled the upset 20-17 in SB XXXVI (2002)
- Green Bay (-14) vs. New England – Packers won 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI (1997)
- Green Bay (-14) vs. Kansas City – Packers won 35-10 in Super Bowl I (1967)
- Green Bay (-13.5) vs. Oakland – Packers won 33-14 in Super Bowl II (1968)
- Dallas (-13.5) vs. Pittsburgh – Cowboys won 27-17 in Super Bowl XXX (1996)
- New England (-12) vs. New York – Giants won 17-14 Super Bowl XLII (2008)Â
- San Francisco (-12) vs. Denver – 49ers won 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV (1990)
- Minnesota (-12) vs. Kansas City – Chiefs won 23-7 for big DD upset in SB IV (1970)
- Green Bay (-11) vs. Denver – Broncos won 31-24 in a big DD upset in SB XXXII (1998)Â
- Pittsburgh (-10.5) vs. LA Rams – Steelers won 31-19 in Super Bowl XIV (1980)
- Dallas (-10.5) vs. Buffalo – Cowboys won 30-13 in Super Bowl XXXVIII (1994)
- Chicago (-10) vs. New England – Bears won 46-10 in Super Bowl XX (1986)
- New York (-9.5) vs. Denver – Giants won 39-20 in Super Bowl XXI (1987)
Only twice since the year 2000 has the Super Bowl point spread been higher than 7 points. And in both those contests, the underdog won straight up. The Patriots (+14) beat the Rams 20-17 for New England’s first Super Bowl victory and the start of the Brady-Belichick dynasty. But that dynasty did not include a Super Bowl victory in 2008 after New England finished the regular season undefeated, only to lose to QB Eli Manning and the New York Giants (+12), 17-14.
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