Bet on the farm on Super Bowl Sunday, says “Wing King” and poultry prognosticator Drew Sarza.
He cited data from the National Chicken Council and his own analysis of the industry to put the over/under number of chicken wings eaten in the first “Wing King Sportsbook” at 1.45 billion.
The Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday.
“Americans are as passionate about chicken wings as we are about football,” Sarza said in an exclusive release of the country’s first-ever buffalo wing betting odds.
America’s Best Chicken Wings: 6 Local Hotspots That Rule The Chicken, Experts Say
“Chicken producers across the country are back at full capacity and producing more chickens, providing a healthy supply of poultry,” he said.
According to the Wing King sportsbook, drumsticks are a 130-favorite to be used more than flats on Sunday.
“Wing King” Drew Cerza named Mickey Sudo the winner over Joey Chestnut at the 2022 National Buffalo Wing Festival. Sudo ate 233 chicken wings in 12 minutes, up to 224 for chestnuts.
(Courtesy of Drew Sarza)
Buffalo wings are a solid -150 favorite over the field of all other wing flavors.
Ranch dressing is a hefty -170 favorite over blue cheese (+160), while dippers should outnumber non-dippers 7 to 3 at Super Bowl parties and sports bars this year.
In betting parlance, -170 means one would have to bet $170 to win $100. The Wing King sportsbook is purely for entertainment, Serza notes.
Meet the American who invented buffalo wings, disrupting the entire chicken industry
He earned his royal “Wing King” status as the founder of the National Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival, held every September at Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills.
Top-ranked female Miki Sodo was the champion eater at the 2022 fair, eating 233 chicken wings in 12 minutes, to just 224 for Joey “Jose” Chestnut.
“Americans are as passionate about chicken wings as we are about football.” – “Wing King” Drew Sarza
Cerza says the National Buffalo Wing Festival is “the Super Bowl of buffalo wings.”
The event was started in 2002. About 22,000 people attended last year.
The odds at the Wing King sportsbook reflect Sarza’s true analysis of wing usage trends across the United States.
Carolina Reaper Wings from the “Hot Wing Honky Tonk” Vandals of Norton, Massachusetts.
(Kerry J. Byrne/)
Blue cheese’s underdog status may surprise wing fans in some parts of the country, where the tasty little chicken parts are rarely, if ever, served with ranch dressing.
“Blue cheese is the favorite dipping sauce for wings in most of the Northeast,” Sarza said. “The rest of the country is dominated by the field.”
Super Bowl Sunday is the nation’s biggest day for wing enthusiasts every year. The chicken industry has long cited the figure of about 1 billion feathers used for the annual NFL championship game.
But a number of factors set the stage for Americans to flock to their favorite wing joints in record numbers this year.
America’s best hot feathers are served by Connecticut’s blind rhino, poultry pundits declare.
Wing King said the national supply of chicken wings has rebounded in recent months after prolonged disruptions during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the increase in supply has reduced wing prices by 22 percent from recent highs.
Meanwhile, Covid actually led to an increase in the appreciation of wings as they were a popular delivery and takeout item.
Bolton’s is a casual East Nashville landmark, known for its shockingly spicy Nashville hot chicken.
(Kerry J. Byrne/)
“Finally, thank God the pandemic is over,” Serraza said, “and people are gathering at capacity at Super Bowl parties and sports bars.”
Cerza, a native of Buffalo, credits the Buffalo Bills’ fortunes with fueling America’s obsession with chicken wings in the early 1990s.
The franchise reached the Super Bowl four consecutive years (1990-93), leading national media and football fans to take an interest in what was then a local culinary trend.
Blind Rhinos from Norwalk and Bridgeport, Connecticut, were named America’s Best Hot Wing at the 2022 National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, New York over Labor Day weekend (September 3-4).
(Courtesy of The Blind Rhino)
“Wings are now a national obsession,” said Wing King.
“Even chefs take their wings seriously and take pride in their sauces. Wings have become the centerpiece of a plate dish. They’re no longer just an appetizer.”
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Some other Wing odds this year: -170 favorite on Wings in Pickup/Delivery Dining. Using 60% buffalo-style wings will be only 5% hotter than medium heat. And non-braided wings are bigger -175 favors over braided wings.
“The use of roti wings in buffalo is punishable by 20 years in prison,” Sarza said, citing a little-known ordinance in his hometown.
Local laws may vary in your community.
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