Upcoming Match-ups

Purple Becomes Odds-On Favorite to Be Color of Gatorade Dumped on Winning Coach at Super Bowl

David Golokhov

by David Golokhov in NFL Football

Updated Apr 13, 2020 · 6:38 AM PDT

Gatorade bottles at the store.
'Clear/Water' was originally the favored color for Gatorade but now it's Purple, which has steamed all the way from +1200 to -120. Photo by Colin (Wikimedia).
  • “Purple” has steamed up from +1200 to -120
  • “Clear/Water” was originally favored but now its at +800
  • The Twitter rumor is that the teams will pick “Purple” as an homage to the late Kobe Bryant

One of the most popular Super Bowl props to bet on is the color of the Gatorade bath for the winning head coach. This year, the initial line of thinking was that “Red” might be a good bet as both teams have that color in their uniforms. However, as we approach Super Bowl Sunday, it’s “Purple” that’s now favored.

Is that the best bet?

Super Bowl 54 Gatorade Bath Color

Gatorade Color Odds
Purple -120
Red +350
Lime/Green/Yellow +450
Orange +600
Clear/Water +800
Blue +900

Odds taken Jan. 30.

Clear/Water Falls Down The Board

These odds have been up for almost two weeks and it’s interesting to see the movement. After all, we’re not exactly talking about a point spread or a total here. We’re looking at the Gatorade color, which – at best – is an educated guess for most people.

When the odds opened up on January 19th, “Clear/Water” was favored at +160, likely because it has been the answer four times. However, when you take a look at the odds now, “Clear/Water” had been dumped down to +800.

YouTube video

At this point, it’s unclear – pun intended – why the “Clear/Water” color has dropped so much.

Purple Now Favored; Kobe Tribute?

There’s a lot of speculation going around that the best bet for this prop is “Purple”. The thinking behind it comes from the most reliable source: rumors on Twitter. Those rumors are rampant that the Gatorade color will be purple for both teams as they have talked about a tribute to Kobe Bryant.

As you probably have heard, the NBA legend passed away in a helicopter crash this past week and that news has pervaded the sporting world.  Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes not only tweeted about the news right away but also spoke about it during media interviews.

If you think that this is merely just a few tweeters making some noise: take a look at the betting lines. “Purple” has gone from +1200 down to -120. There appears to be some smoke here but it might be merely speculation. Twitter has burned bettors like that before.

What’s The Best Bet?

I’m old enough to remember the 2019 Oscars when – if I recall correctly – a director named Yorgos Lanthimos was supposed to win Best Director, according to Twitter. He was originally a 41-1 long shot, but because Twitter conversations hyped up the speculation, he was eventually down to 5-1 at some books. We could be seeing the same thing here.

YouTube video

Is it possible that both teams have a quiet agreement to go with a purple Gatorade Kobe Bryant tribute? Yes. Would I bet on any Gatorade color at -120 on pure speculation? Absolutely not. If anything, I’d take a shot with “Red” – the color that makes the most sense to me at +350. Or even “Clear/Water” at +800.

The issue in my mind is that the players and coaches can pay tribute to Kobe Bryant in so many other ways. They can write his name on their cleats, wear his jersey after the game, or do an end zone celebration to honor him. How does a Gatorade bath pay homage? To me, it doesn’t make sense, so I’d avoid purple and bet either “Red” or “Clear”.

Author Image