It’s been nearly five years since Rihanna has performed live, so she might as well make her return playing the halftime show of Super Bowl LVII. No pressure.
The move ends her self-imposed five Bowl boycott of the big game, which she began in support of Colin Kaepernick in 2019.
The Barbadian singer/actress/fashion entrepreneur follows in the recent Super Bowl footsteps of Dr. Dre-Eminem-Snoop Dogg-Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar last year, The Weeknd in 2021 and Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in 2020.
Rihanna will perform at the Super Bowl on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Ariz., a state well-poised for sports betting sites in Arizona to embrace the biggest wagering event of the year, for straight football and prop bets alike.
Super Bowl Halftime Show Past
We certainly have come a long way from two college marching bands performing with trumpeter Al Hirt at Super Bowl I. Ella Fitzgerald and Carol Channing (again with Al Hirt) doing a salute to Louis Armstrong at Super Bowl VI, and Up With People at Super Bowl X in 1976, with their bicentennial-themed show. Super Bowl XXI brought a halftime show featuring George Burns and Mickey Rooney, saluting the 100th anniversary of Hollywood.
The halftime show demographics began to change in 1992 (Super Bowl XXV), when New Kids on the Block performed, followed the next year by Gloria Estefan, and then by Michael Jackson.
The mid-2000s saw a run of Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen and The Who. Then the big rock group shows morphed into shows by The Black Eyed Peas, Madonna, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Maroon 5.
Gone were the various themed salutes as the show became branded by Pepsi from 2013-2022. This year Pepsi has been replaced by Apple Music. Coincidentally, Rihanna will be making a documentary about preparations for her show for Apple TV. It’s all about synergy, folks.
Our Projected Prop Bets on Rihanna Show
So, what can we expect from a Rihanna halftime show?
You won’t be able to get in on this anywhere in Arizona NFL betting, but BetArizona.com knows fans already are clamoring over the prospects of prop bets. Because of that, here are some hypothetical odds about various prop bets for the Super Bowl 57 Halftime Show presented by Apple Music.
This website also has Super Bowl betting promos.
Odds of Rihanna’s First Song During Halftime Show
Odds of Total Songs During Halftime Show
Odds of Drake Appearing at Halftime Show
Odds of ASAP Rocky Appearing at Halftime Show
For the new mom, it must be big and it must be worth it. “If I’m going to leave my baby, I’m going to leave my baby for something special,” she told the Associated Press. Her son with ASAP Rocky was born May 19, 2022, and rumor is he will be at the Big Game, we hope with soundproof headphones.
As for songs, Rihanna likely will perform her most recent hit, “Lift Me Up,” from the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack. It’s her first solo single since 2016. And she’s got to do mega-hits like “Love on the Brain,” “Rude Boy,” “Only Girl (in the World),” and “Diamonds.” The questions revolve around the possibility of duets with Drake on “Work” or “What’s My Name?”, with Calvin Harris on “This Is What You Came For,” with Mikky Ekko on “Stay,” with Jay-Z on “Umbrella,” or with Eminem on “Love the Way You Lie” or “The Monster.”
You can be confident there will be multiple costume changes. Perhaps a Fenty lingerie sighting.
As for the number of songs, the Shakira/J.Lo show has the record with around 20. We’ll take Rihanna under.
