You can place a bet on who you think the first player selected in the 2018 NFL Draft will be on Thursday. You can also wager on whether or not that player will hug his mom before anyone else, whether he’ll touch Roger Goodell when he comes on stage, or whether or not he’ll pick Cardi B or Drake as his walkup music.
Draft season also means prop bet season and the opportunity to gamble on the minutia that makes up the three day broadcast. BetDSI unveiled its list of wagers Monday, and it covers everything from Odell Beckham Jr. trade rumors to whether or not a psychic can correctly predict where Baker Mayfield winds up.
Here are the most notable ones:
Will the No. 1 overall pick cry at some point before being greeted by Goodell?
If you think Sam Darnold has a big soft heart, you’ll get a +200 return — $200 back on your $100 bet — if he’s the first pick and sheds a tear. If the top pick retains his manly resolve, it’s only a -300 — meaning you’d have to wager $300 to win $100 — investment.
Who will the No. 1 pick hug first?
There’s only two options here: his mother (-300) or anyone else (+400). If you’ve got any insight into the relationship Sam Darnold or Josh Allen has with his parents, you could clean up here.
Will any first round pick completely shun Goodell?
If one of Thursday’s picks refuses to make any contact with the commissioner — no hugs, no handshakes, not even a pat on the shoulder — it will be worth a +600 return. The far more likely scenario of gritted teeth and disingenuous hugs through all 32 picks is a solid -1000 favorite.
How many times will Odell Beckham Jr. be mentioned on the official broadcast?
FOX has this year’s primary television rights, and bookmakers are expecting announcers to harp on the Giants’ wideout, who has been the target of trade speculation throughout the 2018 offseason. New York reportedly wants two first-round picks for the All-Pro — the same kind of package Seattle asked for and failed to get when shopping Richard Sherman last spring. Odds are good Beckham remains a Giant, but bookmakers have put the over/under at 2.5 mentions Thursday night, with equal (-115) lines on either side.
Will the 2018 NFL Draft run longer or shorter than four hours?
FOX has blocked off 3.5 hours for the event, scheduled to run from 8 p.m. ET to 11:30 p.m. The network will probably need more time than that; if every team takes its allotted 10 minutes per pick, that comes out to 320 minutes before getting into any introductions, pre-pick announcements, or special guests or Goodell breakdancing performances. That’s five hours and 20 minutes, although the past few drafts haven’t even come close to that number. The 2015 Draft took about three hours and 40 minutes, while the 2016 version clocked in at around 3:20.
You can take either under four hours or over four hours. Either choice will net the same -115 payout.
Who will be the second running back off the board?
Saquon Barkley is going to be the first tailback selected, and probably in the first five picks. The second running back, however? You’ve got plenty of options from which to choose, ranging from Derrius Guice (-450) to Rashaad Penny (+5000). You can also bet on the number of running backs to be selected in the first round; the over/under is 2.5.
Will Baker Mayfield be drafted by the Arizona Cardinals as a psychic predicted?
No prop bets on whether the reigning Heisman winner will land where Mel Kiper Jr. or Todd McShay predicted, but you can place your faith in the paranormal (or, much more likely, a bunch of nonsense) by siding with the psychic who paired him with Arizona. Yes is a +800 underdog to no (-1200).
Baker Mayfield sits down with a psychic. #Sooners
— Sooner Gridiron (@soonergridiron) March 29, 2018
"I don't know what year. I just see Super Bowl around this kid. He's awesome, yeah."pic.twitter.com/utZM1eDdL6
Who will be the final NFL Draft invitee to be selected?
20 players have been formally invited to attend the draft in Arlington — 19 probably first-round picks and a potential Day 2 pick with an amazing story. Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin was a stud for the ersatz national champions, but scouts have questioned whether he can make an impact in the NFL due to the fact he only has one hand. The league decided to capitalize on his incredible story by inviting him to Texas, but he’s got the best odds (+150) to be the last player in attendance to hear his name called at the 2018 Draft.
Sam Darnold (+12000) has the longest odds to be the last attendee picked. Barkley, Allen, Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick all come in second at +7500.
The walk-up music speed round
The NFL has been allowing the first round picks in attendance to select the music that plays as they walk to the stage since 2015. This year, BetDSI has a short list of rappers from which to choose. Bookmakers are bullish on Kendrick Lamar but not sold on Cardi B:
2018 NFL Draft walkup song odds
Artist | Is played | Isn't played |
---|---|---|
Artist | Is played | Isn't played |
Drake | -200 | 150 |
Future | -250 | 200 |
Lil Wayne | -200 | 150 |
Kendrick Lamar | -300 | 240 |
Cardi B | -115 | -115 |
Kodak Black | -115 | -115 |
And finally, a handful of bets on FCS powerhouses
Four FBS teams -- Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and LSU — all got breakout bets on how many alums they’ll have selected this week. Three FCS teams also got honored by bookmakers:
North Dakota State: over/under 1 pick. over pays +100, under pays -130
South Dakota State: o/u 1.5 picks. over pays -115, under pays -115
Jacksonville State: o/u 1.5 picks. over pays -115, under pays -115