Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals will get underway Sunday, February 13 at SoFi Stadium in LA and will be broadcast on NBC. Below, we’ll take a look at the two biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, along with a look at the history of Super Bowl odds since the Chiefs and Packers went at it in Super Bowl I.
The Bengals are a four-point underdog, so no matter the outcome, it’s not going to rank in the largest upsets of all time. Cincy is making its third Super Bowl appearance in franchise history and its first since the 1988/89 season. They’ve yet to win the big game, losing both matchups to the San Francisco 49ers. The Rams will be the second team to ever play a Super Bowl in their home stadium after the Buccaneers did it a season ago. This will be LA’s fifth Super Bowl appearance in team history, with their lone Lombardi Trophy being won in 1999. They made it to the final game of the season as recently as 2018, but fell to the New England Patriots.
The biggest Super Bowl upset has been holding the record for quite some time. The New York Jets came into Super Bowl III as an 18 point underdog to the Baltimore Colts. But Joe Namath pulled off some heroics and the New York defense came to play, limiting Johnny Unitas and company to just 7 points. New York won the game 16-7.
The second-biggest upset in Super Bowl history involved the Rams, but LA fans will want to forget this memory. The Patriots came into Super Bowl XXXVI as a 14 point underdog to the then-St. Louis Rams. They had some former backup QB named Tom Brady who was unproven in big moments and still very inexperienced in the NFL. Well, we all know how that turned out, with Adam Vinatieri hitting a game-winning field goal as time expired to send the Pats home with a 20-17 win to spark one of the best dynasties of the 21st century across all sports.
History of Super Bowl odds
| Season/ SB Num | Date | Favorite (seed) | Spread | Underdog (seed) | Over/ Under | Winning Team | Score | ATS Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season/ SB Num | Date | Favorite (seed) | Spread | Underdog (seed) | Over/ Under | Winning Team | Score | ATS Result |
| 2021 LV | 02/07/21 | Kansas City Chiefs (1) | -3 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5) | 56 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 31-9 | Underdog- Under |
| 2019 LIV | 02/02/20 | Kansas City Chiefs (2) | -2 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | 53 | Kansas City Chiefs | 31-20 | Favorite- Under |
| 2018 LIII | 02/03/19 | New England Patriots (2) | -2.5 | Los Angeles Rams (2) | 56 | New England Patriots | 13-3 | Favorite- Under |
| 2017 LII | 02/04/18 | New England Patriots (1) | -4 | Philadelphia Eagles (1) | 49.5 | Philadelphia Eagles | 41-33 | Underdog- Over |
| 2016 LI | 02/05/17 | New England Patriots (1) | -3 | Atlanta Falcons (2) | 57 | New England Patriots | 34-28 | Favorite- Over |
| 2015 50 | 02/06/16 | Carolina Panthers (1) | -5 | Denver Broncos (1) | 43.5 | Denver Broncos | 24-10 | Underdog- Under |
| 2014 XLIX | 02/01/15 | Seattle Seahawks (1) | -1 | New England Patriots (1) | 47.5 | New England Patriots | 28-24 | Underdog- Over |
| 2013 XLVIII | 02/02/14 | Denver Broncos (1) | -2.5 | Seattle Seahawks (1) | 47.5 | Seattle Seahawks | 43-8 | Underdog- Over |
| 2012 XLVII | 02/03/13 | San Francisco 49ers (2) | -4.5 | Baltimore Ravens (4) | 47.5 | Baltimore Ravens | 34-31 | Underdog- Over |
| 2011 XLVI | 02/05/12 | New England Patriots (1) | -3 | New York Giants (4) | 53 | New York Giants | 21-17 | Underdog- Under |
| 2010 XLV | 02/06/11 | Green Bay Packers (6) | -3 | Pittsburgh Steelers (2) | 45 | Green Bay Packers | 31-25 | Favorite- Over |
| 2009 XLIV | 02/07/10 | Indianapolis Colts (1) | -4.5 | New Orleans Saints (1) | 56.5 | New Orleans Saints | 31-17 | Underdog- Under |
| 2008 XLIII | 02/01/09 | Pittsburgh Steelers (2) | -6.5 | Arizona Cardinals (4) | 46.5 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 27-23 | Underdog- Over |
| 2007 XLII | 02/03/08 | New England Patriots (1) | -12.5 | New York Giants (5) | 54.5 | New York Giants | 17-14 | Underdog- Under |
| 2006 XLI | 02/04/07 | Indianapolis Colts (3) | -6.5 | Chicago Bears (1) | 47 | Indianapolis Colts | 29-17 | Favorite- Under |
| 2005 XL | 02/05/06 | Pittsburgh Steelers (6) | -4 | Seattle Seahawks (1) | 47 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21-10 | Favorite- Under |
| 2004 XXXIX | 02/06/05 | New England Patriots (2) | -7 | Philadelphia Eagles (1) | 47 | New England Patriots | 24-21 | Underdog- Under |
| 2003 XXXVIII | 02/01/04 | New England Patriots (1) | -7 | Carolina Panthers (3) | 38 | New England Patriots | 32-29 | Underdog- Over |
| 2002 XXXVII | 01/26/03 | Oakland Raiders (1) | -3.5 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2) | 44 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 48-21 | Underdog- Over |
| 2001 XXXVI | 02/03/02 | St Louis Rams (1) | -14 | New England Patriots (2) | 53 | New England Patriots | 20-17 | Underdog- Under |
| 2000 XXXV | 01/28/01 | Baltimore Ravens (4) | -3 | New York Giants (1) | 33.5 | Baltimore Ravens | 34-7 | Favorite- Over |
| 1999 XXXIV | 01/30/00 | St Louis Rams (1) | -7 | Tennessee Titans (4) | 48 | St Louis Rams | 23-16 | Push- Under |
| 1998 XXXIII | 01/31/99 | Denver Broncos (1) | -7.5 | Atlanta Falcons (2) | 51.5 | Denver Broncos | 34-19 | Favorite- Over |
| 1997 XXXIII | 01/25/98 | Green Bay Packers (2) | -11.5 | Denver Broncos (4) | 49 | Denver Broncos | 31-24 | Underdog- Over |
| 1996 XXXI | 01/26/97 | Green Bay Packers (1) | -14 | New England Patriots (2) | 49 | Green Bay Packers | 35-21 | Push- Over |
| 1995 XXX | 01/28/96 | Dallas Cowboys (1) | -13.5 | Pittsburgh Steelers (2) | 52 | Dallas Cowboys | 27-17 | Underdog- Under |
| 1994 XXIX | 01/29/95 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | -18 | San Diego Chargers (2) | 54 | San Francisco 49ers | 49-26 | Favorite- Over |
| 1993 XXVIII | 01/30/94 | Dallas Cowboys (1) | -10.5 | Buffalo Bills (1) | 50.5 | Dallas Cowboys | 30-13 | Favorite- Under |
| 1992 XXVII | 01/31/93 | Dallas Cowboys (2) | -6 | Buffalo Bills (4) | 45 | Dallas Cowboys | 52-17 | Favorite- Over |
| 1991 XXVI | 01/26/92 | Washington Redskins (1) | -7.5 | Buffalo Bills (1) | 49 | Washington Redskins | 37-24 | Favorite- Over |
| 1990 XXV | 01/27/91 | Buffalo Bills (1) | -6.5 | New York Giants (2) | 40.5 | New York Giants | 20-19 | Underdog- Under |
| 1989 XXIV | 01/28/90 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | -11.5 | Denver Broncos (1) | 47 | San Francisco 49ers | 55-10 | Favorite- Over |
| 1988 XXIII | 01/22/89 | San Francisco 49ers (2) | -7 | Cincinnati Bengals (1) | 47.5 | San Francisco 49ers | 20-16 | Underdog- Under |
| 1987 XXII | 01/31/88 | Denver Broncos (1) | -3 | Washington Redskins (3) | 47 | Washington Redskins | 42-10 | Underdog- Over |
| 1986 XXI | 01/25/87 | New York Giants (1) | -8.5 | Denver Broncos (2) | 40.5 | New York Giants | 39-20 | Favorite- Over |
| 1985 XX | 01/26/86 | Chicago Bears (1) | -10 | New England Patriots (5) | 37 | Chicago Bears | 46-10 | Favorite- Over |
| 1984 XIX | 01/20/85 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | -3.5 | Miami Dolphins (1) | 53.5 | San Francisco 49ers | 38-16 | Favorite- Over |
| 1983 XVIII | 01/22/84 | Washington Redskins (1) | -3 | Los Angeles Raiders (1) | 48 | Los Angeles Raiders | 38-9 | Underdog- Under |
| 1982 XVII | 01/30/83 | Miami Dolphins (2) | -3 | Washington Redskins (1) | 36.5 | Washington Redskins | 27-17 | Underdog- Over |
| 1981 XVI | 01/24/82 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | -1 | Cincinnati Bengals (1) | 48 | San Francisco 49ers | 26-21 | Favorite- Under |
| 1980 XV | 01/25/81 | Philadelphia Eagles (2) | -3 | Oakland Raiders (4) | 37.5 | Oakland Raiders | 27-10 | Underdog- Under |
| 1979 XIV | 01/20/80 | Pittsburgh Steelers (2) | -10.5 | Los Angeles Rams (3) | 36 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 31-19 | Favorite- Over |
| 1978 XIII | 01/21/79 | Pittsburgh Steelers (1) | -3.5 | Dallas Cowboys (2) | 37 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 35-31 | Favorite- Over |
| 1977 XII | 01/15/78 | Dallas Cowboys (1) | -6 | Denver Broncos (1) | 39 | Dallas Cowboys | 27-10 | Favorite- Under |
| 1976 XI | 01/09/77 | Oakland Raiders (1) | -4 | Minnesota Vikings (1) | 38 | Oakland Raiders | 32-14 | Favorite- Over |
| 1975 X | 01/18/76 | Pittsburgh Steelers (1) | -7 | Dallas Cowboys (4) | 36 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21-17 | Underdog- Over |
| 1974 IX | 01/12/75 | Pittsburgh Steelers (3) | -3 | Minnesota Vikings (1) | 33 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16-6 | Favorite- Under |
| 1973 VIII | 01/13/74 | Miami Dolphins (1) | -6.5 | Minnesota Vikings (1) | 33 | Miami Dolphins | 24-7 | Favorite- Under |
| 1972 VII | 01/14/73 | Miami Dolphins (1) | -1 | Washington Redskins (1) | 33 | Miami Dolphins | 14-7 | Favorite- Under |
| 1971 VI | 01/16/72 | Dallas Cowboys (2) | -6 | Miami Dolphins (2) | 34 | Dallas Cowboys | 24-3 | Favorite- Under |
| 1970 V | 01/17/71 | Baltimore Colts (1) | -2.5 | Dallas Cowboys (3) | 36 | Baltimore Colts | 16-13 | Favorite- Under |
| 1969 IV | 01/11/70 | Minnesota Vikings (1) | -12 | Kansas City Chiefs (3) | 39 | Kansas City Chiefs | 23-7 | Underdog- Under |
| 1968 III | 01/12/69 | Baltimore Colts (1) | -18 | New York Jets (2) | 40 | New York Jets | 16-7 | Underdog- Under |
| 1967 II | 01/14/68 | Green Bay Packers (2) | -13.5 | Oakland Raiders (1) | 43 | Green Bay Packers | 33-14 | Favorite- Over |
| 1966 I | 01/15/67 | Green Bay Packers (1) | -14 | Kansas City Chiefs (1) | Green Bay Packers | 35-10 | Favorite |
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