“They got hit pretty hard at the high number,” Vaccaro said. “If the Giants win this game, it could do some damage out here, there is no doubt. A lot of guys were rooting for San Francisco on Sunday, I can tell you that.”

The concern from oddsmakers has little to do with bettors wagering on the actual game — some say this game may break the Nevada record of $94 million bet on the 2006 Super Bowl between Pittsburgh and Seattle. Rather, the fear is based on what is known as futures betting.

Essentially, futures are the odds that sports books offer throughout the season on particular teams to win the championship. These numbers go up or down depending on the most recent developments — say, an important trade or an injury to a star player. Whatever the odds are when a bettor puts down his money is what the payoff is based on should the team end up holding a trophy. A $100 bet at 80-1, for example, would return $8,000.

Futures wagering is active during the entire season, and losing streaks — like the four-game slide the Giants endured in November and early December — affect a team’s odds. When the Giants skidded through defeats to the 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles, the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers, their odds skyrocketed.