Chiefs coach Reid bemused by Super Bowl conspiracy theory
AGA projects Americans to wager $23.1 billion
LAS VEGAS — Kansas City head coach Andy Reid’s no-nonsense countenance cracked for just a second on Tuesday when he was asked to address one of the wilder theories circulating Las Vegas in Super Bowl week.
There isn’t much the seasoned 65-year-old hasn’t encountered in a storied career, but he was almost lost for words when a German reporter asked him about theories being espoused that the National Football League (NFL) had somehow “scripted” the romance between Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift to allow the pop star to use the Super Bowl to bolster support for Joseph R. Biden in the presidential election.
“Hmmm,” Reid smiled, before suddenly shaking his head in bemusement. “That’s way out of my league. Very similar to me speaking German,” he guffawed.
“But listen, I appreciate the question. She’s been great,” he said of Ms. Swift’s support, before adding “We had a nice visit with President Biden last year, but that’s about as far as I can go with that.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had on Monday laughed off the claims as the run-up to Sunday’s Super Bowl between Kansas City and San Francisco has been dominated by stories surrounding the relationship between the world’s biggest pop star and the Chiefs player.
While Mr. Goodell said the “Taylor Swift effect” is positive for the league, the singer has become a target for allies of former President Donald Trump, with some spreading conspiracy theories that her relationship with Mr. Kelce was part of an NFL plan to get Mr. Biden back into the White House.
“I don’t think I’m that good of a scripter — or anybody on our staff,” laughed Mr. Goodell. “Listen, there is no way I could have scripted that one, let’s put it that way.”
Ms. Swift backed Mr. Biden in 2020 and while she has not announced support for any candidate ahead of this year’s election some Republican party supporters are convinced she will use the Super Bowl spotlight to call on her army of fans, known as “Swifties,” to vote Democrat.
Vivek Ramaswamy, who dropped out of the presidential race last month before throwing his support behind Mr. Trump, said in January on the social media platform X: “I wonder who’s going to win the Super Bowl next month.”
“And I wonder if there’s a major presidential endorsement coming from an artificially culturally propped-up couple this fall. Just some wild speculation over here, let’s see how it ages over the next 8 months.”
WAGER $23.1 BILLION
THE first Super Bowl at Las Vegas will see an estimated $23.1 billion wagered in the United States on Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA).
The AGA also estimates that 67.8 million American adults will have a financial stake in the game in some form, with the rise of online betting fueling a $16-billion increase in wagering from last year’s Super Bowl.
A total of $23.1 billion is expected to be on the line for Super Bowl LVII.
The group’s survey showed that 47 percent of will wager on the defending champion Chiefs, while 44 percent will have a wager on the 49ers.
According to DraftKings, as of Tuesday, the 49ers were twopoint favorites, with an over/under on total points at 47.5.
The most popular access point for wagering on Sunday’s game will be to bet online, with 46 percent of the 67.8 million participants taking that route. The number is equal to 26 percent of the United States population.
Casual wagering friends is listed at 36 percent, while a mere 11 percent will wager at a physical sportsbook.
Online wagering is expected to increase by 41 percent from last year’s Super Bowl, while casual wagering is projected to be up 32 percent.
Traditional wagering (online, sportsbook, bookie) is expected to be ahead of casual wagering (friends, pools, square contests) for the second consecutive year.
Messages about responsible wagering have reached the masses, with AGA reporting that 75 percent of traditional Super Bowl betters have reported seeing a message on responsible wagering in the past year.