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Statistics are part and parcel of the NFL - its lifeblood almost - but there are a lot out there and knowing which to hold onto and which to discard can open the path to riches. I've picked out some that could have a game changing impact on Super Bowl XLVI or at the very least make you consider your betting strategy. I'll be taking a look at the Specials markets tomorrow and some of the data here will have an impact on those markets also. Super Bowl outsiders, the Giants, have been attracting the majority of punters' money and momentum has seen the handicap line decrease from -4 initially to -2.5. Whilst some of that move is allied to analysts' perceptions of the two teams and their relative strengths and weaknesses another factor is the fact that the lower seeded team has dominated...

Britain's gamblers have always been willing to accept that, from time-to-time, they'll be presented with an event that is decidedly lop-sided: Liverpool taking on a non-league team in the FA Cup; Arkle going for a third Gold Cup; Matt Cardle loosening the vocal chords on X Factor final night. On occasions like this - where the scales of chance are heavily weighted on one side - the event is priced-up accordingly, and punters make their choice. Simple. It may well be that the weight of money required to make a wager on the favourite financially worthwhile, or the sheer improbability of an upset, mean that punters keep their money to themselves and wait for the next betting opportunity. But one thing is for certain: there's no meddling. At least there never used to be. Back in the day,...

Statistics are part and parcel of the NFL, the lifeblood almost, but from the plethora of stats that abound here are five that could have a game changing impact on Superbowl XLV: [b]Both sides are capable of putting points on the board [/b] The Packers in three play-off games have rattled up 90 points, while the Steelers, who played just two play-off games, scored 55 points. In the regular season they were equally adept at putting points on the board, both sides averaging more than 23 points per game. But this will be the fourth Super Bowl in which the team that gave up the fewest points in the regular season (Steelers) faces the team that gave up the second-fewest points (Packers) and this could be a little more defensive than is expected from these two storied franchises. With...