Fans have been wondering for days whether Taylor Swift will make it to the Super Bowl to cheer on boyfriend Travis Kelce and Kansas City – but they won't be allowed to place any bets or win any money regarding the outcome.
In the United States, where betting laws vary from state to state, the general rule is that wagering is limited to what happens on the field.
A handful of states allow bets to be placed on the colour of Gatorade dumped on the winning coach after the NFL decider – but even that type of wager is not allowed in Las Vegas, which is the home of this year's clash between the Chiefs and 49ers.
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Las Vegas, the longtime epicentre of sports betting in America, has some of the strictest rules regarding the kinds of wagers made and has continued to take a hard-line stance despite the increased interest in the A-list couple.
Swift's romance with Kelce became one of the prominent stories this season and she has attended several Chiefs games, including their victory in the AFC championship game against the Ravens, where she joined the team for its on-field celebration and greeted Kelce with a kiss.
However, the popstar will be performing in Japan on the same weekend as the Super Bowl, leading to speculation among fans surrounding her status for the match.
It would seem only natural that gamblers would be able to place bets on whether Swift makes an appearance, but according to BetMGM public relations manager John Ewing, the potential to win or lose money will be restricted to on-field action in the US.
"We don’t want any subjectivity in a prop (bet),” he said.
“We want it to be either it won or it didn’t win or went over or went under, and that’s the concern for regulators as well.
"That’s why typically we stick to if it’s in the box score, it can be posted."
The push for more relaxed sports gambling rules has been supported by Caesars Sportsbook assistant trading director Adam Pullen, who acknowledged it could still be a few years before such markets would be installed.
“We’ve come a long way, but some stuff like we’re talking about here or betting on elections, there still might be a few years before we get to that point,” he said.
“I like anything that drives action and gets people to bet … but we’re dependent on what the regulators in each particular state has to say.”
As for Australian gamblers, sports novelty bets have become more common over the years and the upcoming NFL blockbuster will be no different.
Agencies such as Sportsbet have installed a plethora of options for Swift and Kelce-related happenings at the Super Bowl, including whether or not the Kansas City superstar will propose post-game and how many times the "Love Story" singer will be shown on the television broadcast.
The showdown between the Chiefs and 49ers will kick off at 10.30am AEDT on Monday, February 12.
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