Dan Schachner, a seasoned referee for the Puppy Bowl and a passionate animal rescue supporter, is already anticipating a flurry of messages before Super Sunday: People will be sliding into his Instagram DMs asking for insider tips about the top dogs in the game.

“It’s amusing to see questions like, ‘Who do you think will be MVP? Is Smoosh going to win? Can Team Fluff pull off a victory?'” Schachner, who has officiated in 14 Puppy Bowls, shared with YSL News. “I have to delete all of these messages because it seems like people are placing prop bets on the Puppy Bowl.”

We are all taken aback—absolutely taken aback—to learn that gambling exists around the Puppy Bowl, Animal Planet’s charming annual event aimed at promoting pet adoption. The event will be aired simultaneously on platforms like Animal Planet, Discovery, Discovery+, Max, TBS, and truTV starting at 2 p.m. EST/11 a.m. PST.

So, can enthusiasts place legal bets on these enthusiastic pups as they play for the Lombarky Trophy? It’s quite challenging to find Puppy Bowl betting options at casinos or online sportsbooks like BetMGM, which typically don’t permit wagers on this televised event. The Puppy Bowl is filmed over a week in October at a dog-friendly astroturf studio before it gets extensively edited for a three-hour pre-Super Bowl broadcast.

“The short answer is: I have not encountered any betting on the Puppy Bowl within any legal market,” ESPN sports betting analyst Doug Greenberg stated. “This is a pre-recorded television show with a predetermined outcome, which is not permitted in the realm of sports betting.”

Points are scored during the Puppy Bowl each time a dog pushes or carries a chew toy into the end zone. In last year’s event, which featured the first dog assistant referee, Team Ruff edged out Team Fluff in a close match that ended 72-69.

Betting entities in the U.S. keep a watchful eye on the Puppy Bowl, with some sportsbooks offering humorous odds. However, for those seeking more serious betting opportunities, Colorado’s Division of Gaming rejected a Puppy Bowl betting proposal from an unknown source in January 2021, according to their official list. (A fun tidbit: many of the rejected wagers focused on the “Color of Gatorade” poured over winning coaches.)

If you’re in search of authentic betting on the imaginative world of dog football, you might have to look offshore. Websites like BetUS, based in Costa Rica, offer a variety of bets, including which team will win, who will be the MVP, the first letter of the MVP’s name, and even the somewhat absurd question: “Will any puppy try to mate?” (Rest assured, the favorite bet is “no” regarding any on-screen mating.)

In an email, BetUS representative Andres Vargas informed YSL News that although the event is filmed well in advance and production teams know the outcomes, “viewers are kept in the dark until the event is aired.” He noted that wagers on the Puppy Bowl are “surprisingly popular,” although he did not disclose exact betting statistics. However, BetUS did mention that around 2,700 individuals searched for Puppy Bowl odds in the past year.

Schachner asserts that he doesn’t even know the final scores. His role as a referee, which includes penalties for “excessive licking” during the event, does not entail tracking points amid the frenzied antics of the dogs or the later editing process. Scores are only calculated during editing. To maintain the element of surprise, Schachner revealed that the team records two different endings and ten MVP acknowledgments. And for those curious, the media does not receive pre-screened Puppy Bowl footage.

“It’s actually more protected than you might think,” Schachner said. “If you’re thinking of placing a bet, best of luck! But honestly, I have no idea about what will unfold.”