Super Bowl LIX Prop Bets & the MEE
Every February, sports fans and casual viewers alike dive into one of the most fun aspects of the Super Bowl: prop bets—wagers on anything from the game’s total points to the length of the national anthem. Since the bar exam is its own kind of high-stakes event, let’s bring that same energy and look at some fun over-under bets tied to both Super Bowl LIX and the MEE.
Super Bowl Prop Bets
Sure, the most common over-under bet is on the total points scored in the game. But the real fun is in the more unusual prop bets. Here are a few intriguing ones for Super Bowl LIX:
🎶 National Anthem Length: Over/Under 120.5 seconds 🔢 First TD jersey number: Over/Under 15.5
🪙 Coin Toss Result: Heads or Tails
📸 First to Occur: A touchdown or a live shot of Taylor Swift
↕️ First Quarter Score: Over/Under 9.5 points
For a comprehensive list of prop bets, check out USA Today's article.
Now let’s apply that same spirit to the bar exam.
Bar Exam Prop Bet: Over-Under for MBE Subjects on the MEE
The Multistate Essay Examination consists of six 30-minute questions.
MEE subjects include: Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and Limited Liability Companies), Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts and Estates (Decedents' Estates; Trusts and Future Interests), and Article 9 (Secured Transactions) of the Uniform Commercial Code.
MBE subjects include: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts (including Article 2 Sales of the Uniform Commercial Code), Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
Because some essay questions may include issues in more than one subject, the number of total MEE and MBE subjects appearing on the six essays may exceed six subjects.
Since 2011 (when the Uniform Bar Exam was first introduced) , MBE subjects have appeared on an average of 3.57 essays out of the 6 essays on the MEE. That’s 53.13% of the MEE essays being pulled from the seven MBE subjects.
So, for the February 2025 bar exam, let’s set the over-under at 3.57 for MBE subjects appearing on the on the MEE.
What does this mean for your bar prep? It’s a reminder that about half the MEE essays will cover subjects that also appear on the MBE—meaning those multiple-choice subjects are worth double duty when studying. Of course, don't ignore the purely essay subjects like Family Law, Trusts & Estates, and Secured Transactions, which have been known to sneak onto the MEE.
Final Thoughts: Know Your Odds, But Prepare for Anything
While prop bets are all in good fun, the bar exam is not a game of chance. The best bet you can make is thorough preparation—and just like betting on the Super Bowl, don’t put all your money (or time) on just one outcome. Study everything, expect the unexpected, and remember that bar exam success isn’t about luck—it’s about preparation and strategy.
