How Long Did The Last 5 Super Bowl Anthems Last?

Among the various pre-game bets that you can place for the Super Bowl, the length of the national anthem is always a popular thing to bet on. For example, you can bet on the “over” or the “under.”

Currently, BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review to learn more), one of our top offshore sportsbooks, has the over/under at 86.5 seconds with the “over” heavily juiced.

The best way to make an informed wager on the length of the national anthem is by using the past to predict the future.

So, we are going to look at the most recent Super Bowls, the last five, to consider the national anthem length of each one. We will then ask ourselves to what extent this recent history should influence our decision on whether to wager on the “over” or “under” in this upcoming Super Bowl.

For your best bets, I will recommend hitting the “over.”

Super Bowl LIII

Five years ago, Gladys Knight sung the national anthem at Super Bowl 53. The over/under for her performance settled at 107.5 seconds.

Her performance ended up lasting 121 seconds. So she blew past the posted total en route to an “over.”

Super Bowl LIV

Four years ago, Demi Lovato performed the national anthem at Super Bowl 54.

The over/under for her national anthem rendition was 115.5 seconds.

She took 109 seconds to sing the national anthem, so the “under” hit by a solid margin.

Super Bowl LV

Three years ago, Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church sang the national anthem at Super Bowl 55.

The over/under for their performance was 119.5 seconds. Their national anthem ended up taking 137 seconds. So, the “over” hit by a clear margin.

Super Bowl LVI

Two years ago, at Super Bowl 56, Mickey Guyton performed the national anthem.

Her over/under was much lower than the over/under for national anthem renditions of previous years. Guyton’s over/under was 95.5 seconds.

Guyton took 115 seconds to sing the national anthem. So, her performance went well “over.”

Super Bowl LVII

In last year’s Super Bowl, Chris Stapleton performed the national anthem. The over/under for his performance was 119.5 seconds.

His performance lasted 121 seconds. So, the “over” hit, but it ended up being a close call.

Takeaways

The national anthem length results tend not to be close. While last year’s performance was a close call, the previous four national anthem renditions were not close.

This suggests that there is a clear winner to find here. If we choose the right option, the “over” or the “under,” then we are likely to win our wager comfortably. Most recently, the “over” has been the right option.

We have three different performers in each of the last three Super Bowls, and all three of them went “over” the posted total.

What’s interesting here is that it’s not necessarily accurate to say that the “over” is hitting because the performers are taking a long time to sing the anthem.

Guyton’s anthem length was 1:55, which pales in comparison to that of Sullivan and Church. The correct takeaway is rather that oddsmakers are consistently underestimating how long each performer will sing.

Reba McEntire

The over/under for Reba McEntire’s national anthem performance in the upcoming Super Bowl is 86.5 seconds. As recent history shows, this total is unusually low.

Now, there is a case to be made for the “under,” although I don’t think it is a good one. The case is that she typically sings short anthems. If you look at her recent history, she demonstrates a proclivity for finishing the anthem quickly.

I don’t think this is a good argument because the Super Bowl is an entirely different event, and they’re going to give her instructions that are specific to this event.

National anthems in the Super Bowl are consistently being sung at around two minutes. Performers like to draw out notes because they enjoy the big stage. The Super Bowl is a uniquely big stage.

They are presumably also told to draw out the length of their performance in order to increase its emotional impact. Guyton, for example, was given a very low over/under by oddsmakers, and she blew past it.

I expect McEntire likewise to blow past her posted total. 86.5 seconds is just so short. Her older age – she is now 68 – provides a bonus consideration in favor of the “over.”

But the main consideration is this “over” trend in recent Super Bowls.

Best Bet: Over 86.5 Seconds (-145) at BetOnline