Popular prop bet: Here’s every safety scored in Super Bowl

Betting on a safety to be scored in the Super Bowl is a perennially popular prop that typically pays about 8-1.

Nine safeties have been scored in the first 57 Super Bowls (15.8 percent), or an average of one every 6.3 games.

There were only five safeties in the first 42 Super Bowls before bettors cashed in on the prop in four of six games from 2009 to 2014, including three straight from 2012 to 2014.

Here is a list of every safety scored in the Super Bowl:

XLVIII (2014)

On the first play from scrimmage, Broncos center Manny Ramirez snapped the ball over Peyton Manning’s head and the fumble was recovered in the end zone by Denver’s Knowshon Moreno as Seattle took a 2-0 lead 12 seconds into the game en route to a 43-8 rout.

XLVII (2013)

Ravens punter Sam Koch intentionally took a safety for the final score with four seconds left to help preserve Baltimore’s 34-31 win over the 49ers.

XLVI (2012)

On the first score of the game, the Giants went ahead 2-0 when Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was penalized for intentional grounding in his own end zone in the first quarter of New York’s 21-17 win over New England.

XLIII (2009)

With 3:04 remaining, the Steelers saw their lead over the Cardinals cut to 20-16 when Pittsburgh center Justin Hartwig was penalized for holding in his own end zone. Arizona went ahead 23-20 on the ensuing drive but the Steelers answered with Ben Roethlisberger’s touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 42 seconds left in their 27-23 victory.

XXV (1991)

Bills defensive end Bruce Smith sacked Giants quarterback Jeff Hostetler in the end zone to give Buffalo a 12-3 lead in the second quarter. The Bills suffered the first of four straight Super Bowl losses when Scott Norwood missed a 47-yard field goal in the final seconds of their 20-19 defeat.

XXI (1987)

The Giants scored a safety in the second quarter when defensive end George Martin sacked John Elway in the end zone to cut Denver’s lead to 10-9. New York went on to blow out the Broncos, 39-20.

XX (1986)

On the last score of the game, Bears defensive lineman Henry Waechter sacked Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan in the end zone in the fourth quarter of Chicago’s 46-10 rout of New England.

X (1976)

Steelers running back Reggie Harrison blocked a punt by Dallas early in the fourth quarter and the ball went through the end zone for a safety, cutting Pittsburgh’s deficit to 10-9. The Steelers repeated as Super Bowl champions with a 21-17 win.

IX (1975)

In the only score of the first half, Steelers defensive end Dwight White tackled Fran Tarkenton in the end zone in the second quarter after the Vikings quarterback had recovered a fumble by Dave Osborn. The first safety in Super Bowl history gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 halftime lead on its way to a 16-6 victory.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.