One of the biggest sporting events in the world is gradually getting closer, as the four teams that will compete in the respective conference finals has been decided. Just one game stands between teams and a place in the prestigious Super Bowl this year, and all four teams have excellent claims to landing the win that they crave. But, which team is best placed to come out on top? Find out everything that you need to know about Super Bowl LVI and drop in to one of our top sportsbooks to make your pick!
When & Where Is Super Bowl LVI?
Super Bowl LVI will be the eighth championship game to be staged in the Greater Los Angeles area, and will take place on Sunday, February 13th. The first Super Bowl to have been staged in the area was back in 1993. Meanwhile, this year’s match at the SoFi Stadium will be the first time that the Super Bowl has been hosted in Inglewood.
History will also be made this year, as it will be the first Super Bowl to be staged on the second Sunday in February, as opposed to it taking place on the opening weekend of the second month of the year. One of the most exciting factors surrounding the Super Bowl is the half time show, and this year fans will be treated to an all-star line-up, with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lemar and Snoop Dogg performing.
Contenders To Reach Super Bowl LVI
AFC Championship
Cincinnati Bengals
The dark horses to win the Super Bowl this season are the Cincinnati Bengals. They will come up against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game, and boast a record of 10-7 this season in the NFL. This season is the third under Zac Taylor, and there has been massive improvement from last season. Last term, the Bengals finished 4-11 and failed to make the playoffs. However, this year, they finished with a winning record for the first time, and are making their first appearance in the playoffs.
Furthermore, the Bengals won the AFC North title for the first time since 2015. The Bengals ended the longest playoff draught in NFL history in the wild card round, as they beat the Las Vegas Raisers 26-19. They clinched their place in the AFC Championship game with a win over the Tennessee Titans in the divisional playoff round. That shock victory means that they are competing in the championship game for the first time since 1988, and will be looking to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the same year.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Super Bowl favourites are currently the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City won their second championship back in 2019, and once again the instrumental quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be pivotal to their chances. The Chiefs were the losers last year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV, but have bounced back with a vengeance this year. They ended the regular season with a 12-5 record, which ensures that they won the AFC West division for the sixth year running. Andy Reid will be hoping to lead his side to the Super Bowl this year, and create history in the process by becoming the fourth side to reach the championship game in three straight seasons.
The Chiefs have been excellent offensively in both playoff games that they have played so far. They beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 42-21 in the wild card round, before a dramatic overtime success against the Buffalo Bills was the star game in the divisional playoffs weekend. The sides were locked at 36-36 after four quarters, before the Chiefs ran out winners scoring six points in the overtime period. They are looking extremely formidable at present.
NFC Championship
San Francisco 49ers
It will be an all-California affair in the NFC Championship for a place in the Super Bowl. The San Francisco 49ers will be the outsiders of the two to reach the championship game this year. They finished the regular season with a 10-7 record in the regular season, which saw them finish third in the NFC West. That still highlighted clear improvement from the previous season, as they finished last term with a record of 6-10. The 49ers snuck into the playoffs following a dramatic comeback against the Los Angeles Rams towards the end of the season.
They have shown throughout the campaign that they are well-rounded, as the Niners finished in the top ten for both offense and defence. Their defensive record was most impressive, as they were third overall after giving up just 310 yards. However, they have needed two huge wins to upset the odds and reach the NFC Championship game. They first edged past the Dallas Cowboys with a 23-17 win in the wild card round, before upsetting the number one seeds, the Green Bay Packers. Another huge effort will be needed again against the Rams.
Los Angeles Rams
There was a lot of talk before the Super Bowl last year surrounding the curse of home sides having field advantage in the championship game. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended that hoodoo, and the Los Angeles Rams will be looking to show this year that home field advantage in the Super Bowl is a positive once again, as the championship game will be held in their SoFi Stadium. The Rams ended the regular season as winners of the NFC West, and boasted a record of 12-5. That was a huge improvement on their 10-6 record from the previous season and ensured that they were among the favourites in the Super Bowl betting.
The Rams have continued to look strong throughout the most season, scoring 30 or more points in both playoff games that they have played. They beat the Arizona Cardinals 34-11 in the wild card round, before coming up against the reigning Super Bowl champions in the divisional playoffs. The Rams were more effective in that game, and did a great job on shutting down Tom Brady’s supply line, and eventually won the game 30-27. They will be huge favourites to progress through to the Super Bowl this year.
Who Will Win Super Bowl LVI?
The biggest game of the American Football season will be yet another captivating occasion, with NFL fanatics racing to wager on the the biggest online sportsbook betting day of the year.. We believe that the most likely match-up for the Super Bowl will pit the 2020 winners, the Kansas City Chiefs, against the hosts, the Los Angeles Rams. Comparisons will be drawn from the Super Bowl last year, with the Chiefs looking to overcome a side with home field advantage. However, this is their year to take the win, and we like the chances of Mahomes winning Super Bowl MVP, as the Chiefs win the championship game for the second time in three years.
