Super Bowl 2025 Recap: Key Moments, MVP Highlights & How Bettors Fared

With us being a few weeks removed from the iconic Super Bowl LIX and more than enough time to reflect, it is the perfect time to take a detailed look back at everything concerning the biggest game of the season. The NFL finishes each season with the two best teams from each conference going at it in dramatic fashion as one of the biggest sporting events on the planet unravels before our very eyes. With tens of thousands in attendance, paying hundreds of thousands for their seats to hundreds of millions watching from home, it is a spectacle of entertainment unlike any other. It is as much about the sport as it is about the culture, tradition, and art. The general feeling of excitement from this unique entertainment excitement is almost overwhelming in the best way possible. 

Now that we know the outcome, the best moments, as well as all the drama and stories surrounding the 59th iteration of the biggest American football game, we take a deep dive into what it all meant and what it means for the future. From the MVP and the game’s highlights to the online sports betting side of things, this Super Bowl 2025 recap is the prime destination for every fan who is already eagerly awaiting the next year’s iteration and simply cannot get enough. Join us in examining this past February 9 matchup between the eventual winners, the Philadelphia Eagles and the would-be three-time defending champions Kansas City Chiefs in what was a high-scoring affair where one team had everything to prove and failed, and the other got back on track and won another title, their fourth final and second title in 7 years. 

Detailed Information and Overall Statistics

The game was played on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the kickoff time being 5:30 PM CT. The Chiefs were the favorite by 1.5, the referee was Ron Torbert, and there were 65,719 people in attendance. The national anthem was performed by Jon Batiste, the coin toss honors was performed by Torbert, and the halftime show starred rapper Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA, who brought on a memorable performance that is still being talked about weeks later. The play-by-play announcer was Kevin Burkhardt, with his analyst being the greatest of all time (GOAT) Tom Brady. Sideline reporters were Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi, and Mike Pereira was the rules analyst. The cost for the 30-second commercial during the game, one of the most fascinating stats every year, ranged between US $7 and $8 million. 

The Super Bowl saw the two best teams of the season go at it, the number 1 Kansas City Chiefs of the AFC with a 15-2 record and the number 2 Philadelphia Eagles of the NFC with a 14-3 record. The head coaches of the teams were Andy Reid for the Chiefs and Nick Sirianni for the Eagles. As for the score, the first quarter ended 0-7 for the Chiefs, and after the first half was over, they added 17 more for a commanding 0-24 going into the halftime break. In the third quarter, it was 6-10 for the Eagles, the scoreboard total before the final period showing 6-34. The Chiefs attempted a comeback and won the fourth quarter 16-6, but it was nowhere near enough as their first-half woes came back to haunt them, and the Eagles won the title 22-40. It was a surprising result score-wise, to say the least, and fans of both sides expected the game to be a much more hard-fought and close contest and not a one-sided affair. 

Important Narratives Before and After 

The biggest story going into the game had to deal with Patrick Mahomes catching up to Tom Brady. The GOAT debate was heating up as Mahomes, still only 29 years old, was about to achieve something that Brady failed to do, win a three-peat. The three-peat is the holy grail of most sports, as it is extremely difficult to remain the best and relevant to even get a chance to win back-to-back titles, let alone three in a row. Brady only got a single chance in his 23 years in the league. After winning in 2004 and 2005, his team failed to capture the third and never reached the Super Bowl in 2006. He did win four more titles to make it seven in a row, with the break between the third and fourth a whole decade, but a three-peat remained unobtainable.

Enter Patrick Mahomes, who has already been in the Super Bowl games five times in his 8 seasons in the league. From 2020 to 2025, he appeared in the finals in all years except 2022, winning three and losing two, one to Tom Brady in 2021. That was one of the worst moments in his career as Brady prevented him from winning back-to-back for his 7th and final title. This loss has to feel even worse than that, as he has failed to do something that would instantly put him much closer to Brady in the GOAT debate. Mahomes is still on track for a more successful career at this stage in his career, and although the poor performance with three turnovers will be a blemish on his illustrious career, there is still time for him to turn things around and get a better record. His 3-2 to Brady’s 7-3 looks quite poor at the moment, and the narrative has again switched in the retired quarterback legend’s favor. 

MVP and Highlights

While the biggest name of the game in Mahomes had a forgettable performance that will probably haunt him for the rest of his career, no matter how it looks when it is all set and done, the quarterback of the other team was named MVP. Jalen Hurts, the 26-year-old quarterback of the Eagles, took home the honors as he won the prestigious individual award in his fifth season in the league. By far his biggest accomplishment so far, he will look to usher in a new era of Eagles football now that they are back as champions. 

In the game, he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns, together with an interception. He also rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown, avenging his team’s loss from two years earlier in the Super Bowl LVII. He is only the third black quarterback to earn the MVP honors, and with this victory, he is the fourth black starting quarterback to win the title. It was truly a spectacular performance by the underdog going up against Mahomes and coming out on top. Can he continue leading his team in 2025 and reach another final in 2026? Only time will tell, but picking the Eagles in your Stake.com NFL betting will not be a bad idea. 

Key Moments

The game was marked with some exciting highlights and key moments that ultimately helped to decide the outcome. Considering how lopsided it was, most of the best plays belong to the Eagles players. The final score does not even reflect just how much the game was not close at any moment. The small comeback by the Chiefs towards the end meant nothing because, for around three and a half quarters, they were being beaten at every stage. As they failed to become the first team ever to win three consecutive Super Bowls, the question remains as to who was to blame.

Jalen Hurts, the eventual MVP, completed 17 of his 22 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He was the leading rusher with 11 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown of his own. The Vince Lombardi Trophy being in Philadelphia is largely due to his efforts. But of course, others stepped in mightily. Cooper DeJean had a birthday to remember as the rookie became the first player in the history of the NFL to score a touchdown in a Super Bowl. The defensive back’s first career interception also resulted in a pick-six on his 22nd birthday, as he finished the day with a trophy in hand. 

Other notable moments and stats include RB Saquon Barkley’s 25 carries for 57 yards and WR DeVonta Smith’s four receptions for 69 yards and one touchdown. A.J. Brown, another wide receiver, had three receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown. DT Milton Williams achieved three tackles and two sacks, LB Zack Baun had three tackles and one interception, and DE Josh Sweat added two tackles and 2.5 sacks. 

How Did the Betting Go?

In the end, one question remains to be asked and answered. How did the bettors fare, and who did the fans favor more, the favorites, the Chiefs or the underdog Eagles? Before the match, most sportsbooks game the two-time reigning champs the edge with the odds being 1.5 points in front, i.e., having the -115 odds on online betting platforms. Crypto & Super Bowl Betting was big, and many fans opted to use their cryptocurrency to finance their betting this time around. Due to the popularity of this form of gambling on platforms like Stake, a big percentage of new sports wagering is done in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and others. Considering how big the game is every year, the betting market impact is huge, and it is arguably one of the days when the highest number of betting slips is made.

Historical data shows us that the winners cover the spread almost always. In 10 of the last 11 games and 18 of the past 21, the eventual winner has covered the spread. Only 7 Super Bowl winners have so far failed to cover the spread. This time around, prop bets came out big in the end as it was a profitable game result,t with the majority of popular props coming true. Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley’s props were particularly profitable, while those who wagered that Mahomes was going to have a big game did not fare too well. Overall, about 65% of the money wagered on the game at the top online sportsbooks were prop bets. The MVP odds favored Mahomes with +115, then Barkley with +250, and Hurts was only third with +330. 

The over/under bet for a total of 48.5 was a loser for the bookies as it was a very high-scoring game. Whoever placed a lower bet fumbled the bag, but there were probably not that many percentage-wise. Bettors prefer to go over with Super Bowls, and the low total was a mistake for the bookies who had to have lost more than they bargained for. At 66 total points, the 48.5 limit proved to be a wrong prediction, so congratulations if you picked over and won. Overall, it is being reported that about 47% of all spread money and 51% of all moneyline bets were wagered on the Eagles, meaning it was a close call that ultimately favored one side. However, it is reported that the total amount wagered was down compared to 2024 when sportsbooks set a record handle of more than $185.6 million. 

In the end, it seems that this time around, it was the fans and betting enthusiasts who went home a bit happier. The bookies still made their fair share, as they always do, but the fact that so many prop bets were made and came true means that the players knew what to expect and trusted their gut. The biggest loser for the bookies was the over/under spread due to two things. Firstly, it was the efficiency of the Eagles’ offense and then the somewhat subpar play of their league-best defensive line towards the end when they allowed two touchdowns by the Chiefs in the last minutes of the game. Those points would have kept the bet under, and many bettors would lose their money. Ultimately, the Chiefs fans who wagered with their heart are the biggest losers, considering their star player fumbled and their team lost despite being favored. 

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