Super Bowl Coin Toss: History, Superstitions, and Betting

The Super Bowl coin toss is one of the most innocuous yet widely discussed moments in sports. Millions of dollars are wagered on the outcome, celebrities and dignitaries flip the coin, and the result — heads or tails — has been tracked by statisticians and gamblers alike for over 50 years. Here is everything you need to know.

Coin Toss Odds and History

The coin toss should theoretically be a 50/50 proposition. But in Super Bowl history, tails has won the toss approximately 32 times versus 27 times for heads (through Super Bowl LIX). This slight imbalance is within normal statistical variance and does not represent any meaningful pattern. In any given year, the odds remain effectively 50/50.

Coin Toss Winner vs. Super Bowl Winner

Perhaps the most discussed Super Bowl coin toss statistic: the team that wins the coin toss has won the Super Bowl approximately 33 times in 59 games (through 2025). This is slightly above 50% but not statistically significant. Correlation between coin toss and Super Bowl outcome exists by pure chance.

Celebrity Coin Flippers

The Super Bowl coin toss is typically performed by a celebrity or dignitary. Past coin flippers have included former presidents, Hall of Fame athletes, military heroes, and cultural icons. The selection of the coin flipper is typically announced days before the game and generates its own media coverage.

Coin Toss Betting

Super Bowl coin toss betting is one of the most popular prop bets. Major sportsbooks take millions of dollars in coin toss wagers. The bet pays approximately even money (minus the vig) on heads or tails. Because the outcome is pure chance, no strategy exists beyond personal preference or superstition. For more on Super Bowl prop betting, see our Super Bowl betting guide. For game day information, see our Super Bowl schedule page and Super Bowl 2027 guide.