Back in 2020, a bettor turned $12,727 into $70,000 on a single Super Bowl touchdown prediction. Fast forward to Super Bowl LIX, and both the Chiefs and Eagles offer tempting odds. But before we explore what it would take to "bet your way to retirement," let's understand how these bets actually work.

How Much Would You Need to Bet on the Super Bowl to Retire?

First, let's explain betting odds. When FanDuel shows Chiefs at -120, that means you'd need to bet $120 to win $100. For the Eagles at +102, a $100 bet would win you $102.

Now, let's look at what it would take to hit a $5 million retirement goal:

Simple Game Bet:

• Betting Chiefs (-120): Need to risk $6 million to win $5 million
• Betting Eagles (+102): Need to risk $2.47 million to win $5 million

Adding Prop Bets: Props are side bets on specific events. Current options include:

• Saquon Barkley anytime touchdown (-190)
• Patrick Mahomes over 275 passing yards (-110)
• Travis Kelce first touchdown (+125)

Combining these into a parlay multiplies your potential winnings – but also your risk. A $100,000 parlay on all three would pay about $1.2 million if everything hits perfectly. To reach our $5 million goal through props, you'd need to risk over $400,000.

What If You Had a Time Machine?

Let's get even more hypothetical and look at the last three Super Bowls, using verified historical odds from Oddsshark:

Super Bowl LVIII (2024):

• Chiefs beat 49ers as +2 underdogs
• $1 million bet would have won: $1.95 million

Super Bowl LVII (2023):

• Chiefs beat Eagles as +2 underdogs
• $1 million bet would have won: $1.95 million

Super Bowl LVI (2022):

• Rams beat Bengals as -4 favorites
• $1.4 million bet would have won: $1.1 million

Even with perfect foresight and betting the maximum allowed by sportsbooks (typically around $1-2 million per game), you'd still need years of perfect predictions to hit a $5 million retirement goal. 

And here's the real kicker (no pun intended): investing that same betting money at a conservative 8% annual return would generate more wealth with dramatically less risk.

Wishing Isn't a Strategy

As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." The Chiefs didn't reach four Super Bowls in five years by hoping – they built a system for success. And as an unknown coach once noted, "The difference between a good player and a great one is the discipline to do the little things consistently."

Think about it: Andy Reid doesn't draw up one big play hoping to win the game. Instead, he develops a comprehensive playbook, runs countless practice sessions, and adjusts his strategy based on what works. 

Your retirement strategy should follow the same playbook.

You would need $6 million (which is MORE than your total goal) to bet on the Chiefs for a shot at a $5 million payout.

If you invested that in a diversified portfolio earning a conservative 8% annual return, you'd have over $12 million in just ten years – without needing to predict a single football game correctly – not to mention that, in this example, you’ve already saved more than you needed for retirement to make the bet in the first place.

Building Your Championship Retirement

Just as NFL teams need both a strong offense and defense, your retirement needs a balanced approach. 

Savvly offers a market-driven pension solution that combines growth potential with a reliable income. We're not betting on single games; we're building a system for lasting success.

Ready to stop wishing and start planning? Join our waitlist to learn how Savvly can help coach your retirement strategy to victory.