Taylor Swift Is A Big Betting Attraction For Super Bowl
By Bruce Haring
Super Bowl LVI is already a big deal. Add in Taylor Swift’s presence, and you have an event whose star power almost outshines a July sun.
The game kicks off at 6:30 P.M. ET/3:30 PM PT on Sunday, February 9, and living rooms and bars will be packed to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles.
As many of the sportsbook ads in the 39 states and District of Columbia that have legal sports betting tell us, having a little action on the game adds to the fun.
While the big game is the reason for most to watch, Taylor Swift fans will also be tuning in for a glimpse of pop music’s biggest star. Last year’s Super Bowl drew a record 123.7 million average viewers, thanks to a 24% jump in women 18-to-24 years old tuning in. They helped make last year’s total Super Bowl audience the biggest ever, the NY Times says.
Taylor is as big a star in the betting markets as she is on the stage. But betting on a so-called “exotic” Swift proposition is tricky. Placing a real-money bet on a Taylor Swift prop can’t be done at most legal sportsbooks operating in the United States.
Instead, Swifties must head to the offshore (read: illegal) markets to bet directly on their favorite singer, although you can bet on Swift-related bets on game action that allude to her in some locations.
One example of that is the “Swiftie Specials” offered at DraftKings, which take Swift song titles to name prop bets on the actual football being played. For example, a bet on the Chiefs to lead by 14+ points is titled “Is It Over Now?” Or there’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” for a bet on Eagles running back Saquon Barkley to have 250 or more rushing and receiving yards.
But if you want to go the offshore route, here are suggestions on a few bets you can place. For those new to sports betting, any odds with a minus sign (-) means the bet is deemed the favorite. Odds with a plus sign (+) means you’re betting on the underdog.
If the odds are -120, it means that a bettor must wager $120 to win $100. When odds are a positive number, it reflects the money that can be won by wagering $100. For example, if the odds are +150, it means that a bettor can win $150 by wagering $100.
Here’s some of the action you can consider:
1 – Will Taylor join Kendrick Lamar for the halftime show? A “No” bet is -5000, meaning it is an extreme favorite. A “Yes” bet is +1000. While the two performers are friendly – In 2015, Swift released a remix of her song “Bad Blood” featuring Lamar – so chances are Swift won’t steal the spotlight.
2) Will Travis Kelce propose at the end of the game? A “No” bet is at -2000, while a “Yes” is +800. The latter figure is down from last year’s +1000, so the odds are improving for the couple’s engagement.
3) Who will post the first tweet after the game, President Trump or Taylor? The odds have Trump -500, with Swift +300. Since Taylor is likely heading to the field if the Chiefs win and Trump is a frequent flyer on social, it’s an interesting bet.
4) How many times will viewers see Taylor Swift on their screen? This is the type of bet that scares sportsbooks, since it has a human control element. The current odds are Taylor will be seen over 6.5 times is the favorite (-120), while the under 6.5 has the exact same number (-120). If Travis has a big game, count on the over.
5) Who will sit next to Taylor at the game? This is a tricky one, since there are multiple candidates and perhaps a few unknowns, and switching seats does occur.. Some of the speculation includes Andrea Swift (Swift’s mother), Donna Kelce (Travis and Jason Kelce’s mother), Kylie Kelce (Travis Kelce’s sister-in-law, and podcast host), Caitlin Clark (WNBA star) and Brittany Mahomes (Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ wife)
7) Will the Super Bowl MVP mention Taylor? This bet largely hinges on whether Travis Kelce cops the MVP. A “yes” is +600, while a “No” is running -1100.
8) How many times will Taylor and Travis kiss on the field? Over 2.5 is +130, while the under is at -170. This presumes a Chiefs victory, of course.
9) Which comes first: A Taylor TV shot or a touchdown? If the opening kickoff isn’t run back for a touchdown, this appears to be a safe bet on Swift, who is at +110. Either team scoring first is at -150.
10) Which will we see more of: Jason Kelce or Taylor? Taylor is at -800, while Jason is at +425. If he takes his shirt off and goes wild, that may change things.
Keep in mind that odds and circumstances do change right up until gametime, so plan accordingly.