Jimmy Boyd in 
There are a lot of terms and jargon that you have to pick up when you are learning sports betting.
One term that has gained traction in recent years is the octopus. I have to admit this one even had me scratching my head the first time I heard it.
But what exactly does it mean?
It refers to a unique scenario in which the player who scored the touchdown immediately follows that up with a successful two-point conversion. The combination of the two scores equals eight points, which is reminiscent of an octopus’s eight tentacles, hence the name.
History of the Term Octopus in Football
The first time I saw the term was when Mitch Goldich coined it in an article for Sports Illustrated back in 2019.
The two-point conversion doesn’t have a long history.
In the college game, it dates back to the late 1950s, but it wasn’t until 1994 that the NFL introduced the two-point conversion into pro football.
After a team scores a touchdown they have the option to either kick the extra point through the uprights for a single point or they can attempt a two-point conversion by either passing the ball or running it into the endzone from the two-yard line.
An essential point to understand is that a quarterback who throws a touchdown pass and then throws the pass for the two-point conversion does not achieve the octopus. The same player must secure the ball into the endzone for both the touchdown and the conversion for it to count.
How Often Does the Octopus Occur in the NFL
I dug into the numbers to see just how often the octopus occurs in the NFL (Hint: it’s rare!). There have been 175 octopuses in the NFL. There have been 1206 successful conversions overall for a hit rate of about 14.2%.
Many notable players have this notch on their belts including both of last year’s Super Bowl quarterbacks Patrick Maholmes and Jalen Hurts.
The award for most octopi? That goes to Todd Gurley who had four of them during his time with the Los Angeles Rams.
Betting on the Octopus as a Prop Bet
Since it’s both rare and exciting sportsbooks have taken notice. They now offer props for players to achieve the octopus in a game.
I would love to tell you that this is a good bet but it’s likely not. It’s rare for a player to accomplish it and the sportsbooks juice these props too much for there to be any value.
I have yet to see a “no” option which means it’s just one-sided action. They put a high number on the prop to entice bettors to take a long shot at a big payout, but the odds are almost never worth the price you are getting.
If you are looking for some NFL handicapping tips on what to look for if you simply must make this bet then here are some suggestions.
Look for players that have achieved it in the past. If they did it one time that means the coaches trust them to score when the team is in the red zone.
Look at red zone tendencies and how teams use specific players down there.
How often does the team go for two instead of kicking the extra point? What players have the most opportunities on the two-point attempts?
So while I don’t think you’ll find many opportunities with this bet, there is some strategy that can give you a chance to win.
Even if you aren’t going to place any wagers on octopus bets, it’s still a fun thing to root for when your favorite team or player achieves it. You can impress your friends or the people at the bar with a piece of vocabulary that isn’t all that common in betting circles, making you look like a real pro.