Justin Timberlake is set to be the first entertainer to ever headline a Super Bowl halftime show three times. Timberlake made his debut at Super Bowl XXXV as part of NSYNC, and he was invited back three years later to perform alongside an ensemble cast at Super Bowl XXXVIII. JT is set to return for his third crack at the Super Bowl, perhaps making his Super Bowl Halftime Show props easier to handicap than most halftime shows.
Justin Timberlake first appears in headware during halftime show
Yes -140
No +110
This is one of the tougher Super Bowl halftime show props to handicap. Timberlake has not been on tour since 2015, so we don’t have a consistent body of recent performances for precedent.
Timberlake no longer has the lovely locks that helped launch him to stardom in the late 1990s. Although he can still grow out the mane, he has preferred a shaved look lately. The last time we saw him in public his head was shaved, and that’s the look we will probably see from him during the show.
That makes him more likely to wear something on his head. If he had a nice head of hair, he would have wanted to show that off, but there is nothing to stop him from covering up a shaved head. JT has shown a propensity for fashionable outfits that include accompanying headware, and he could wear anything from a top hat to a fedora.
The key in this prop is how JT will first appear. It’s unlikely for him to use headware for all of the show, but this is a man that knows how to make an entrance. He has been considered chic and a trendsetter for more than a decade now, and headware is definitely fashionable. Additionally, there is also the chance that he comes out with a headset, just like he did when he was giving high energy concerts as the lead singer for NSYNC. Look for JT to come out with some headware and then ditch it during his first transition.
Will there be a wardrobe malfunction? (Must expose intimate part of body)
Yes +1500
No -4000
This is one of the mainstay Super Bowl halftime show props these days. Ever since Timberlake exposed Janet Jackson’s nipple to the world 14 years ago, we have wondered whether or not something like that will ever happen again.
The NFL heavily pulled back the reins after that stunt. No performer, or group, younger than 50 headlined the Super Bowl halftime for the next six years. Only recently have they allowed contemporary artists to run the show again, and it’s extremely unlikely that JT would do something like that after the fallout last time. There is probably something written into his contract that expressly forbids him from doing anything of that nature as well.
It’s a lot of juice to lay, but there is no chance that JT has or helps someone with a wardrobe malfunction. The only concern is whether or not a dancer, or some other performer, decides to disrobe in front of the nation.
Will Justin Timberlake say “Trump” during halftime show?
Yes +175
No -250
Donald Trump is one of the most unpopular presidents we have ever had, and Timberlake has been a critic of his administration. Like many in Hollywood, he has typically been apolitical, but Trump’s election changed the equation for him. His new album has a few veiled references towards Trump, and JT has spoken about his disapproval of Trump in a handful of interviews.
It’s very unlikely that Timberlake will go after Trump in his halftime show though, especially after the wardrobe malfunction incident 14 years ago. While the Super Bowl is the most watched event in America each year, it has never been the place for political statements. Additionally, JT is a performer who knows how to play to his audience. He knows that he will get serenaded by boo birds if he decides to go this route.
The only thing that might make a difference is if Trump actually shows up at the Super Bowl. No sitting US president has ever attended a Super Bowl, but Trump’s presidency has been all about bucking tradition. Still, the ‘No’ is the right play here.
Opening Odds Courtesy of BetDSI.eu. Odds subject to change. Click Here for up-to-date odds.
