The coin toss is an important part of every football game. A winning coin toss can help set the tone for the first half or, if the winner chooses to have the ball first in the second half, help start the third quarter on a good note. Similarly, a winning Super Bowl coin toss bet can set a foundation for a winning evening of betting on the big game.
When it comes to betting on things like the Super Bowl national anthem, Super Bowl Gatorade color, and Super Bowl coin toss, which are all betting options directly related to the outcome of the Super Bowl matchup, the idea is not–or should not be, at least–to roll in the cash.
That said, we all want to win all of our bets, large or small, serious or frivolous. Is there anything from coin toss history that might provide some helpful insight to make our Super Bowl coin toss betting pick less of a… coin toss? (I’ll see myself out.)
Who Won the 2022 Super Bowl Coin Toss?
In the Super Bowl coin toss, the Los Angeles Rams called tails, but the coin landed on heads. Therefore, heads was the winning coin toss, and the Cincinnati Bengals won the Super Bowl coin toss.
However, for the eighth straight Super Bowl, the team who lost the coin toss won the Super Bowl, as the Rams edged the Bengals 23-20 to win Super Bowl 56.
Super Bowl Coin Toss Betting Odds
With the big game matchup on the horizon, Super Bowl betting odds have been set for the showdown at SoFi Stadium between the Rams and Bengals.
The Bengals lost the toss and the game in their two previous Super Bowl appearances. But while the Rams have won the toss in their previous appearances in the big game, they have only one title to show for it and failed to cover the spread in any of those appearances.
The best spread result for the Rams was in Super Bowl XXXIV, when they were a seven-point favorite over the Tennessee Titans and won by that margin, resulting in a push.
Now, do we suggest making your big game picks based on the coin toss result? No, but at the very least, it is interesting information to take note of.
Coin toss odds are now also available at many sportsbooks. Which sportsbook has the best Super Bowl coin toss betting odds? It will be hard to be Caesars Sportsbook, who has +100 odds for their main coin toss prop bets.
Super Bowl Coin Toss Betting Odds (Caesars Sportsbook)
Super Bowl Coin Toss: Heads or Tails
- Heads +100
- Tails +100
Who Will Win the Super Bowl Coin Toss?
- Los Angeles Rams +100
- Cincinnati Bengals +100
Here’s a look at the coin toss odds available at BetMGM.
Super Bowl Coin Toss Betting Odds (BetMGM)
Who Will Win the Super Bowl Coin Toss?
- Los Angeles Rams -105
- Cincinnati Bengals -105
What Will the Call for the Super Bowl Coin Toss Be?
- Heads -105
- Tails -105
What Will Be the Outcome of the Super Bowl Coin Toss?
- Heads -105
- Tails -105
Will the Super Bowl Coin Toss Call Be Correct or Incorrect?
- Correct Call -105
- Incorrect Call -105
What Will Be the Decision of the Super Bowl Coin Toss Winner?
- Receive opening kickoff +450
- Defer to second half -650
All Super Bowl coin toss betting odds are as of Saturday, February 12, 2022.
Who Calls the Coin Toss at the Super Bowl?
Knowing which team will call the Super Bowl coin toss might not influence your picks, but it is helpful information to know. The designated away team calls the coin toss, and the Rams are the away team this year. So, the Rams will get to call the toss on Super Bowl Sunday.
Yes, Super Bowl 56 is being played at the Rams’ home stadium, but the Rams are the designated “away” team. That is because the NFL alternates “home” and “away” designations between conferences each year.
Last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers happened to be the home team at their home stadium since it was the NFC champion’s year to be the designated Super Bowl home team. So, no matter what the Super Bowl matchup was this year, the NFC champion would have been the away team this year.
Most Recent Super Bowl Coin Toss Winner: Tails
- Most Recent Toss Winner to Win the Super Bowl: Seattle Seahawks (Super Bowl XLVIII, 2014)
- Longest Streak: Heads (five – Super Bowl XLIII in 2009 to Super Bowl XLVII in 2013)
- Longest Tails Streak: four (three times – Super Bowl XXXII in 1998 to Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 to Super Bowl XL in 2006, and Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014 to Super Bowl LI in 2017)
Super Bowl Coin Toss History and Trends
Heads Wins in Tampa, But Tails Holds All-Time Edge
When there are two sides to the coin and therefore only two possible outcomes, one side is unlikely to have too much of an edge over time. And that is the case, as tails holds a 29-26 over heads ahead of the upcoming Rams-Bengals Super Bowl matchup.
With tails winning 29 times in 55 Super Bowls, it has come out on top almost 53 percent of the time, with heads coming in at 47 percent.
When the Kansas City Chiefs met the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV in 2021, heads came up the winner, and so did Kansas City. However, it was the only thing that the Chiefs won that night in Tampa, as the Bucs dominated the Chiefs 31-9 at Raymond James Stadium.
Prior to last year, tails had dominated the Super Bowl coin toss for several years, winning six of the seven previous tosses.
For what it is worth, the first 25 times that heads won the coin toss, tails won the toss the following year 14 times (56 percent of the time). Based on Super Bowl history for both the Rams and Bengals, that bodes well for tails in 2022.
This will be the fifth Super Bowl appearance for the Rams and the third for the Bengals. The Rams have won the toss three of the previous four times, with tails coming out the winner three times.
In the Bengals’ previous two Super Bowl appearances (both against the San Francisco 49ers), the Bengals lost the toss, with tails as the result both times.
Recent Super Bowl Results Favor Coin Toss Losers
But how many times has the coin toss winner won the Super Bowl?
It turns out that winning the toss is not exactly a harbinger of success in the big game. The Super Bowl coin toss winner has gone on to lift the trophy only 24 times in 55 Super Bowls, which comes out to just 44 percent of the time. So, the Chiefs’ loss last year was anything but an outlier.
Both all-time and recent Super Bowl coin toss historical trends heavily favor the coin toss loser. In fact, the coin toss loser has won each of the past seven Super Bowls.
To date, the Seattle Seahawks were the last coin toss winner to also win the game, when they throttled the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII eight years ago.
If you intend to wait until after the toss to make a pick on the Super Bowl spread or potentially hedge your spread pick based on the winner/loser of the coin toss, the coin toss winner has covered in only 24 of the first 55 Super Bowls.
To date, the last coin toss winner to cover was also the Seahawks, who were a two-point underdog when they routed the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Years in Which the Toss Winner Won the Game (24 Times: 12 Heads, 12 Tails)
21st Century
- 2014 (Super Bowl XLVIII – Tails): Seahawks won the toss and defeated Broncos 43-8
- 2013 (Super Bowl XLVII – Heads): Ravens won the toss and defeated 49ers 34-31
- 2011 (Super Bowl XLV – Heads): Packers won the toss and defeated Steelers 31-25
- 2010 (Super Bowl XLIV – Heads): Saints won the toss and defeated Colts 31-17
- 2008 (Super Bowl XLII – Tails): Giants won the toss and defeated Patriots 17-14
- 2003 (Super Bowl XXXVII – Tails): Bucs won the toss and defeated Raiders 48-21
20th Century
- 2000 (Super Bowl XXXIV – Tails): Rams won the toss and defeated Titans 23-16
- 1996 (Super Bowl XXX – Tails): Cowboys won the toss and defeated Steelers 27-17
- 1995 (Super Bowl XXIX – Heads): 49ers won the toss and defeated Chargers 49-26
- 1994 (Super Bowl XXVIII – Tails): Cowboys won toss and defeated Bills 30-13
- 1992 (Super Bowl XXVI – Heads): Washington won toss and defeated Bills 37-24
- 1989 (Super Bowl XXIII – Tails): 49ers won toss and defeated Bengals 20-16
- 1988 (Super Bowl XXII – Heads): Washington won toss and defeated Broncos 42-10
- 1986 (Super Bowl XX – Tails): Bears won toss and defeated Patriots 46-10
- 1985 (Super Bowl XIX – Tails): 49ers won toss and defeated Dolphins 38-16
- 1984 (Super Bowl XVIII – Heads): Raiders won toss and defeated Washington 38-9
- 1982 (Super Bowl XVI – Tails): 49ers won toss and defeated Bengals 26-21
- 1978 (Super Bowl XII – Heads): Cowboys won toss and defeated Broncos 27-10
- 1977 (Super Bowl XI – Tails): Raiders won toss and defeated Vikings 32-14
- 1975 (Super Bowl IX – Tails): Steelers won toss and defeated Vikings 16-6
- 1974 (Super Bowl VIII – Heads): Dolphins won toss and defeated Vikings 24-7
- 1973 (Super Bowl VII – Heads): Dolphins won toss and defeated Washington 14-7
- 1969 (Super Bowl III – Heads): Jets won toss and defeated Colts 16-7
- 1967 (Super Bowl I – Heads): Packers won toss and defeated Chiefs 35-10
Years in Which the Toss Winner Lost the Game (31 Times: 14 Heads, 17 Tails)
21st Century
- 2021 (Super Bowl LV – Heads): Chiefs won the toss, but Bucs won 31-9
- 2020 (Super Bowl LIV – Tails): 49ers won the toss, but Chiefs won 31-20
- 2019 (Super Bowl LIII – Tails): Rams won the toss, but Patriots won 13-3
- 2018 (Super Bowl LII – Heads): Patriots won the toss, but Eagles won 41-33
- 2017 (Super Bowl LI – Tails): Falcons won the toss, but Patriots won 34-28 (OT)
- 2016 (Super Bowl L – Tails): Panthers won the toss, but Broncos won 24-10
- 2015 (Super Bowl XLIX – Tails): Seahawks won the toss, but Patriots won 28-24
- 2012 (Super Bowl XLVI – Heads): Patriots won the toss, but Giants won 21-17
- 2009 (Super Bowl XLVIII – Heads): Cardinals won the toss, but Steelers won 27-23
- 2007 (Super Bowl XLVI – Heads): Bears won the toss, but Colts won 29-17
- 2006 (Super Bowl XL – Tails): Seahawks won the toss, but Steelers won 21-10
- 2005 (Super Bowl XXXIX – Tails): Eagles won the toss, but Patriots won 24-21
- 2004 (Super Bowl XXXVIII – Tails): Panthers won the toss, but Patriots won 32-29
- 2002 (Super Bowl XXXVI – Heads): Rams won the toss, but Patriots won 20-17
- 2001 (Super Bowl XXXV – Tails): Giants won the toss, but Ravens won 34-7
20th Century
- 1999 (Super Bowl XXXIII – Tails): Falcons won the toss, but Broncos won 34-19
- 1998 (Super Bowl XXXII – Tails): Packers won the toss, but Broncos won 31-24
- 1997 (Super Bowl XXXI – Heads): Patriots won the toss, but Packers won 35-21
- 1993 (Super Bowl XXVII – Heads): Bills won the toss, but Cowboys won 52-17
- 1991 (Super Bowl XXV – Heads): Bills won the toss, but Giants won 20-19
- 1990 (Super Bowl XXIV – Heads): Broncos won the toss, but 49ers won 55-10
- 1987 (Super Bowl XXI – Tails): Broncos won the toss, but Giants won 39-20
- 1983 (Super Bowl XVII – Tails): Dolphins won the toss, but Washington won 27-17
- 1981 (Super Bowl XV – Tails): Eagles won the toss, but Raiders won 27-10
- 1980 (Super Bowl XIV – Heads): Rams won the toss, but Steelers won 31-19
- 1979 (Super Bowl XIII – Heads): Cowboys won the toss, but Steelers won 35-31
- 1976 (Super Bowl X – Heads): Cowboys won the toss, but Steelers won 21-17
- 1972 (Super Bowl VI – Heads): Dolphins won the toss, but Cowboys won 24-3
- 1971 (Super Bowl V – Tails): Cowboys won the toss, but Colts won 16-13
- 1970 (Super Bowl IV – Tails): Vikings won the toss, but Chiefs won 23-7
- 1968 (Super Bowl II – Tails): Raiders won the toss, but Packers won 33-14
