When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, and with it, comes a range of betting markets you won’t find on regular season games. The halftime show is one of those, and we will look at how to bet on halftime show, covering the different types of bets you can make and strategies to increase profitability.
What is the Halftime Show?
At halftime of the Super Bowl, there is a show performed by one of the biggest music stars in the industry. It’s one of the hottest slots for any artist, and many stars do it for free, such is its popularity.
Regular season games have a fixed halftime of 13 minutes before the players return to the field. Because of the complexity of putting on a show for the Super Bowl and the size of the sets increasing yearly, halftime lasts a little longer and can be up to 30 minutes by the time a stage is built, the artist performs, and the stage is dismantled.
The artist generally plays around six or seven songs in their ~15-minute time slot. It’s an incredible production that includes megastars such as Beyonce, Madonna, and Prince. The draw is so big that even those not interested in the game come to watch the halftime show.
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Example of Halftime Show Bet
It seems that every year there are more halftime show betting options. Sportsbooks are incredibly creative, but unlike your standard sports betting markets (moneyline, spread, and totals), there’s no main option. In fact, they change every year based on the performer.
If we were to choose one you can access with most sets, it would be the over/under on the total number of songs covered.
Usher has the privilege of performing in the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, and the betting markets are packed already. They include the total number of songs, the primary color of Usher’s shirt, the necklace types if he will perform a cover, and even if he will perform a Taylor Swift song (let’s hope not!).
As you can see from the image above, we’ve taken the over/under line on the number of songs he will sing. The line is set at 8.5 songs, and the betting is -140 for under and +110 for over.
These are American betting odds. The positive is the amount you will win from a $100 wager, and the negative is the amount you need to wager to make a $100 profit.
So, if you were betting on the over 8.5 songs at +110, for every $100 wagered, you would make a profit of $110. If you were betting on the under, then you would need to wager $140 to make a profit of $ 100.
How to Bet on the Halftime Show – Step-by-Step
To show the process of betting on the halftime show, we’ve created a step-by-step guide using BetOnline. The sportsbook is one of the best for market coverage and is the best way for us to explain how to bet on the halftime show. New accounts can claim a $1,000 welcome bonus, which is a 50% match on your first deposit. The best thing about the offer is that you can use it with the halftime betting markets as part of your wagering requirements.
1. Open the BetOnline sportsbook
Open the BetOnline sportsbook and click the “Join Now” button. You can create an account online or via the BetOnline mobile betting app.
2. Create an account
On the page, you will see a series of entries that you must make to create your account. There are two pages that include name, email, password, country, phone, and date of birth. You must verify your account before you can deposit.
3. Login and deposit
Now that your account is set up click the “Login” button and enter your username and password. Head to the cashier to make your first deposit. Enter the promo code “BET1000” to claim your welcome offer. If you’re using crypto to deposit, there is a dedicated crypto offer using the promo code “CRYPTO100”.
4. Using the sportsbook
Once the deposit has cleared, click the “Sports” button at the bottom. Use the menu to find “Football” > “Super Bowl” > “Halftime show.” This will show all the betting markets live for betting on the halftime show.
5. Place a halftime show bet
Click the odds to add your selection to the bet slip. Enter your stake into the “Risk” box and use the “Win” box to see how much you will profit if the bet wins. Once you’re happy, click the “Place bet” button at the bottom of the page. You can track live bets within your bet slip under “live bets.”
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How Halftime Show Betting Works
All of the markets are linked to the performance at halftime. You bet on what you think will happen during the performance and are paid if that bet wins.
The markets can be obscure, with one of the strangest we’ve seen coming from the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, where you could bet on whether Usher showed a nipple on stage or not.
We told you it was weird.
Because these are prop bets and are more of a bit of fun than anything, the amount you can wager on each market is limited. Bet volume will be much lower than game markets, so sites won’t want too much action either way.
The markets will close either before the game starts or just before halftime. Very few, if any, online sportsbooks allow you to bet live on the halftime show. Once the show has finished, markets will be settled just as if you were betting on the game.
One thing to note is that some betting sites won’t settle these until after the game has finished. Sometimes, they need to rewatch to ensure that markets are settled accordingly. There’s no data input for these, like with game markets, so this has to be done manually.
Most sportsbooks ask that you wait 24 hours before contacting them about markets that have not yet been settled. This is the busiest day of the year for most US-facing sportsbooks, so some patience is required.
Types of Halftime Show Betting Markets
The popularity of the Super Bowl is well highlighted by the fact that you can bet on the halftime show at all, let alone the range of markets you can access. Below we’ve covered the most popular betting markets to help understand how to bet on the halftime show.
- Headliner’s first song: You will have the chance to choose the first song that the artist performs. The market will include multiple songs, then an “other” bet to include any other from the ones listed. Given the limited time on stage, they usually start with a classic.
- Total number of songs performed: This is an over/under bet on the number of songs performed. Any mash-up will count as the song being performed.
- Special guest appearance: Betting on whether another artist will join them on the stage. This is very common in recent years with most over the last decade having a Collab of sorts.
- Costume changes: Betting on the over/under for the total number of costume changes within the set. This will very much be artist-dependent, with female artists doing more than males, for the most part.
- Cover song performance: If the artist performs a cover song (a song not originally released by them), it’s a good market to link with special guests as they often sing each other’s songs.
- Technical difficulties: This is a simple yes or no market in which you bet on whether there will be technical difficulties. These include lights and sound issues.
- Surprise elements: This isn’t a common market, but it includes things like surprise guests (not singers) or special effects, that sort of thing.
- Headliners last song: Here you’re betting on the show’s finale. It’s usually the artists’ biggest hit, so there are not all that many to choose from for most.
- Length of the show: Sportsbooks will vary in how they promote this. Some will use an over/under line, and others will allow you to choose time brackets, such as 10-12 minutes, 12-14 minutes, etc.
- Political or social statements: A market that has only recently emerged for betting on the halftime show is whether the artist makes a political or social statement. This can be anything from a speech to a gesture to clothing.
Access the biggest range of halftime show betting markets at BetOnline.
Previous Halftime Shows
To get an idea of previous halftime shows at the Super Bowl, we’ve created a table that shows the most recent acts. We’ve also added the show length, whether any special guests appeared, and whether political statements were made. These should link to popular betting markets to see how often they occur.
| Year | Artist | Length of Show | Number of Songs | Special Guest Appearance | Political Statement Made |
| 2023 | Rihanna | ~14 mins | 12 | No | No |
| 2022 | Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar | ~14 mins | 8 | Yes (50 Cent, Anderson .Paak) | No |
| 2021 | The Weeknd | ~14 mins | 9 | No | No |
| 2020 | Shakira and Jennifer Lopez | ~14 mins | 15 | Yes (Bad Bunny, J Balvin) | Yes (Subtle) |
| 2019 | Maroon 5, Travis Scott, Big Boi | ~13 mins | 9 | Yes (SpongeBob SquarePants intro for “Sicko Mode”) | No |
| 2018 | Justin Timberlake | ~13 mins | 11 | Yes (Prince hologram/tribute, not a live guest) | No |
| 2017 | Lady Gaga | ~13 mins | 7 | No | Yes (Subtle) |
| 2016 | Coldplay, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars | ~13 mins | 13 | No (Mark Ronson, Gustavo Dudamel with Youth Orchestra LA considered part of main act) | No |
| 2015 | Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliott | ~12 mins | 8 | Yes (Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott) | No |
| 2014 | Bruno Mars, Red Hot Chili Peppers | ~13 mins | 10 | Yes (Red Hot Chili Peppers) | No |
Halftime Show Betting Tips and Strategies
Betting on the halftime show should be seen as a bit of fun for a market you can access once a year. However, just because it’s a novelty betting market doesn’t mean you can’t profit from it.
You can apply strategies and tips to profit from halftime show betting markets at the Super Bowl in multiple ways. We’ve outlined some of these below, and you can easily include them in your betting strategy for betting on the NFL or, indeed, the Super Bowl.
Pre-Show Research
The best place to start is to see what the artist has done at their own concerts of late. Try and see the types of sets they are running and if there are any standout special guests. Consider collaborations they have done with people on major songs they might include.
For example, in 2020, Shakira was very much the headline act, and it came as little surprise to see Jennifer Lopez’s support, given they have performed together when both have been doing their own tour.
You can also see how active they’ve been with things like political statements in the past. Lady Gaga is an artist who often speaks out about equality and landed with a short speech that included, “I believe in a passion for inclusion. I believe in the spirit of equality and the spirit of this country as one of love and compassion and kindness.”
Obviously, very little is usually announced publicly before these speeches in fear of being censored, but if they’ve spoken up previously, there’s a good chance they will do so again on the world’s biggest stage.
Use Social Media and Entertainment News
Sports media will have their eyes firmly on the game for the Super Bowl, so you need to look at social media and entertainment news platforms for how the show might go down. There may be hints on the NFL’s main social media page, such as set up of the stage and teasers, but you’re better off looking at the likes of TMZ and US Weekly for more updates.
The artist will have some information on their own socials, but for the most part, will be keen to keep the show a surprise. A great alternative to this is checking out fan Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook accounts, as they love to be the first with the inside scoop.
There’s almost always a sound check leak before the big day, and here, you can see what might go down. Check to see which celebs are in the city for gameday and whether they can be a possible guest on stage.
Follow Line Movement
Following line movements in sports betting is one of the oldest and most effective betting strategies. You’re looking to see if the odds have moved and, if so, in what direction. Then, you need to work out why.
The exact same process can be used to find value from betting on the halftime show. If the line moves, work out why and find news stories that might back this up.
For example, if you’re betting on what will happen first on stage and there’s a video of the soundcheck with a video message, then there’s a good chance this will happen in real life. The flip side is that, with social media, everyone sees this, so you need to react quickly to those lines moving.
We wouldn’t recommend fading the public based on line movement here. Betting sites are guessing for the most part, and even they aren’t talented enough to know the implied probability of whether the artist will be wearing a ball chain or box chain necklace.
In fact, we’d argue that it’s best to follow the public for these markets as the sportsbook is just as dark as we are.
Bankroll Management
Bankroll management is where the amount of money you have at your disposal for betting determines how much you bet. This should be a bankroll of cash set aside from your main checking account that you’re comfortable losing.
When we learn how to bet on the halftime show, we must understand that there are basic principles we can carry across from sports betting. This is one of them.
We highly recommend that you keep betting to a minimum on these markets, as they are unpredictable. They’re good fun, but use your money to bet on the game that’s backed with data instead of if someone is going to show a nipple on stage.
For most, betting less than 5% of your total bankroll is fine for halftime fun. It’s once a year, and you can maybe pick out a longshot winner from the list of potential collaborators or the type of clothing they will wear.
More on the Super Bowl
- How to bet on the Super Bowl
- Best Super Bowl commercials
- Super Bowl Gatorade color
- Super Bowl halftime shows ranked
- Super Bowl ticket prices
FAQs
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Resources
- https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/ (Gamblers Anonymous)
- https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/ (National Council on Problem Gambling)
- https://www.begambleaware.org/ (Gamble Aware)
- https://www.gamcare.org.uk/ (Gam Care)
- https://www.usa.gov/ (US Government)
