The fooball betting options are very interesting. One of the unconventional options is to bet on whether the match will include an “octopus” or not. This is a very specific novelty bet that is usually only available at the Super Bowl at most sportsbooks. And when you analyze it closely, it’s quite easy to understand. Find out now with professional analysts from famous Asian W88 betting or FB88 betting.
What is an Octopus bet in football betting?
An octopus bet is a bet that one player will score a field goal and then that same player will immediately score a two-point conversion. A score is worth six points. Add two more and you’ll have eight points the number of limbs on an octopus.
Bets are often offered as a “yes or no” option and include players on both teams with “yes” having much longer odds. It is important to remember that for bets to have action, the same player must score the goal AND convert the two-point conversion immediately afterwards.
The Octopus statistic originated from the 2019 season. When a player scores a touchdown and two-point conversion in a row, it is called an Octopus. The two-point conversion was first added in 1994. Before the 2022 season started, the octopus had occurred 169 times in history. Todd Gurley leads the octopus leaderboard. He achieved this feat four times while playing for the Rams.
This statistical novelty is unsurprisingly popular with bettors, leading sportsbooks like W88, FB88 to introduce octopus football betting options as part of their regular offerings. An octopus only appears when the same player reaches the end zone to score a score. So, must be a runner or catcher.
Read more: What is Juice in Betting? Definition and how it works
What is a two point conversion in football?
The two-point conversion rule is important in understanding octopus rugby betting. After scoring a field goal, the scoring team can choose to convert a one-point conversion by kicking through the goalposts or attempt a two-point conversion by passing the ball over the goal line from the two-yard line.
To clarify, the quarterback cannot throw the ball for both a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the octopus side bet. Players must protect the ball in the end zone for both cases. While octopus bets may include the quarterback, they must personally run the ball in for both the touchdown and the conversion.
In the world of sports betting, octopus markets are often found in the “novelty props” section for NFL games and often appear in both Player Props and Game Props. It will look similar to this:
The odds of an octopus occurring in the above game are priced at +1400. That means if you bet $20 on YES and a player scores a goal and converts the two-pointer afterward, you’ll win $300.
The Rams and Green Bay Packers are the teams with the most octopus tackles, with 11 tackles each. Lions is right behind with 10 goals.
If you’re unfamiliar with two-point conversions, they occasionally happen after a touchdown. After each scoring drive, NFL teams have two options: a one-point conversion, which is made from 33 yards away, or a two-point conversion from the two-yard line. The difference is that instead of kicking the ball, you have to put the ball into the penalty area against the opponent’s defense. This is significantly more difficult than bonus points, resulting in a conversion rate of about 47.5% since 2015. Bonus points converted at 94.6% this season, so the extra difficulty results in a bonus point.
Believe it or not, the first octopus didn’t appear until 1994. The NFL didn’t adopt two-point conversions until the 1994 season.
Conclusion
Sports Illustrated writer Mitch Goldich first coined the term “Octopus” in 2019. The term refers to a football player who scores a field goal and then converts a two-point play. This event will now always be referred to as an octopus, and it has occurred 175 times since 1994.
Related: What is a Flexi bet? How Flexi bets work in sports betting
