Super Bowl Halftime Show 2021: Odds, Predictions for The Weeknd’s Entertainment

Richard Shotwell/Associated Press

While longtime NFL fans will be thrilled by Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, casual fans may be more interested in the halftime performance. This year’s halftime entertainment will feature singer and songwriter Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd.

While past performances have featured multiple artists—last year’s halftime show was headlined by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira—fans may be getting a solo act in 2021. However, The Weeknd is looking to ensure that they’re still treated to a spectacle.

The Weeknd reportedly put up $7 million of his own money for the stage production.

“We’ve been really focusing on dialing in on the fans at home and making performances a cinematic experience, and we want to do that with the Super Bowl,” he said, per Katie Bain of Billboard.

Of course, The Weeknd is no stranger to performance art, often stunning fans with surprising costumes, stylized music videos and, recently, facial prosthetics. There’s literally no telling what he could have in store for the halftime show.

Fans, of course, will have the opportunity to wager on The Weeknd’s performance. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the more intriguing halftime prop bets found at Betonline.ag.

Will His 1st Song Be an Original (-400) or a Cover (+250)

With this particular prop, fans can bet on whether The Weeknd opens his set with one of his own songs (bet $400 to win $100) or with a cover of someone else’s (bet $100 to win $250). While it wouldn’t be a total shock to see him walk out and do a rendition of, say Prince or Johnny Cash, for the shock entertainment value, it feels like he’ll be more inclined to showcase his own artistry.

And The Weeknd doesn’t seem to care what anyone else thinks about it.

“Forget awards shows,” he said after being snubbed by the Grammys, per Bain.

If The Weeknd does a cover song, it’ll be because he wants to perform it. Our guess, though, is that he’ll kick things off with an original.

Prediction: Original

Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

Will The Weeknd Perform with Bandages on his Head?

This prop is a nod to The Weeknd’s performance at the 2020 American Music Awards, where he did indeed perform with bandages on his head.

That performance, though, was part of his performance art concept for “Blinding Lights” in November.

It wasn’t long after that performance that The Weeknd then appeared with facial prosthetics, which some mistook for the results of plastic surgery.

While The Weeknd may indeed appear with a shocking look of some sort on Sunday, he doesn’t seem like the sort to rehash a role that he has already seen through. Expect him to find a way to surprise fans—but not with a return to the bandaged look.

Prediction: No

Color of The Weeknd’s Jacket When First Seen

Black: +110

Red: +175

Blue: +300

White: +300

Purple: +500

This is a tricky one. There’s no guarantee that The Weeknd will even be wearing a jacket when first seen, and if he does, the color could reflect the song with which he decides to open his performance.

However, in a recent Pepsi Super Bowl teaser, The Weeknd is shown walking out of the tunnel and toward the Super Bowl field. In the ad, he’s wearing a black jacket.

The Weeknd appeared to be wearing the same black jacket in an earlier Pepsi Super Bowl teaser. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see The Weeknd walk out onto the field Sunday in the same outfit as if he literally stepped out of the television and onto the field.

The idea that The Weeknd has spent the past several weeks making his way to the halftime stage is an entertaining one, and our guess is that he does wear something similar to start the show.

Prediction: Black