As the Super Bowl continues to bring in record-breaking viewership numbers, every element, from the advertisements to the halftime show, is well thought out and planned. When it comes to the halftime show, the biggest musical performance of the year, anticipation continues to grow with the Super Bowl’s popularity. How long is the Super Bowl halftime show, when can you expect to see it, and is it something you can bet on?
How Long Is the Super Bowl Halftime?
The Super Bowl halftime show itself is usually between 12-14 minutes long. Now, this is just the actual performance part of the halftime. The break in its entirety can take between 20-30 minutes, depending on how long the stage takes to set up. With every year’s spectacle growing in complexity, the stage tends to take longer and longer to put together.
The break is significantly longer than during the regular season. That might seem insignificant for a casual fan, but the players and coaches actually prepare for a longer break.
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Back in 2012, head coach Bill Belichick stopped practice and made his players go back to the locker room for 30 minutes to prepare for halftime at the Super Bowl, adding in a pep talk to complete the training.
“It really gets into a whole restarting mentality,” Belichick said. “It’s not like taking a break and coming out in the second half. It’s like starting the game all over again. It’s like playing a game, stopping, and then playing a second game.”
Looking at some of the longer halftime show performances, Justin Timberlake went on for 14 minutes during his Super Bowl performance in 2018, Lady Gaga 13.5, and Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s show was a bit longer than 13 minutes.
How Long Is a Regular NFL Halftime?
For comparison’s sake, during a regular NFL game, halftime usually takes between 12-15 minutes. It is meant to simply give the players time to regroup, make adjustments for the second half, and get some water.
What Time Is the Halftime Show?
It is hard to say exactly when the Super Bowl halftime show will start. An NFL game is obviously fluid, with things like penalties and the amount of scoring impacting how long a quarter might take. The Super Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET.
However, there will likely be a ton of theatrics ahead of the official start of the game, so do not expect to see the opening kickoff at exactly 6:30. If the first half takes the average 90 minutes, we could see Rihanna take the stage around 8:00 p.m. ET. However, depending on the setup required, the NFL might need to take more time to prepare the stage. The halftime show can last anywhere from 20-30 minutes long.
Can You Bet on the Super Bowl Halftime Show?
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of prop bets to bet on for the Super Bowl. The halftime show is no different. As sports betting becomes more and more popular, sportsbooks take advantage to offer a plethora of fun halftime prop bets.
These novelty props include things like what color hair the artist will have and the duration of the performance. Other popular props include the set list or the song that will open the act. One year, you could even bet whether Snoop Dogg would smoke marijuana while on stage.
If you can watch it on television, chances are you can bet on it.