Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates with girlfriend Taylor Swift after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs’ Travis Kelce buys stake of aptly named race horse

Maybe Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce decided to buy a share of a race horse because of its name: Swift Delivery.

Kelce, who has won three Super Bowls, began dating music superstar Taylor Swift last summer.

Bloodhorse reported Tuesday that Kelce joined with the Zoldan Family — owners of Phantom Fireworks — to buy a “significant share” of interest in the 3-year-old gelding.

Per the report, Kelce attended the Kentucky Derby in May with the Zoldans.

Kelce’s financial stake in the horse is unknown, but he should be able to afford it. This week, he and his brother, recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, signed a three-year deal with Amazon’s Wondery for the rights to their popular podcast — “New Heights With Jason and Travis Kelce” — that reportedly is worth more than $100 million.

Swift Delivery has two wins this summer, including an allowance race July 19 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. Trained by Mark Casse, Swift Delivery is schedule to run his first stakes race on Saturday in the $125,000 Toronto Cup at Woodbine.

–Field Level Media

Jan. 29, 2023: Patrick Mahomes raises the Lamar Hunt Trophy while Travis Kelce celebrates after the Kansas City Chiefs' 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game at Arrowhead Stadium.

Travis Kelce weighs in on Harrison Butker commencement speech

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said he doesn’t agree with the “majority” of Harrison Butker’s recent controversial comments but noted that he will not judge his teammate for it.

Butker caused a stir during his 20-minute commencement address on May 11 at Benedictine College, which is a Catholic school in Atchison, Kan. He addressed the female graduates in attendance and spoke against the “diabolical lies” society places on women who emphasize their careers over motherhood.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said on Wednesday that he did not “necessarily agree with” Butker’s comments but noted he was going to “judge him by the character he shows every single day.”

Kelce had a similar take on the matter while speaking Friday on his “New Heights” podcast.

“He’s treated friends and family that I’ve introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness,” Kelce said of Butker. “And that’s how he treats everyone. When it comes down to his views and what he said (in his) commencement speech, those are his.

“I can’t say I agree with the majority of it or just about any of it outside of just him loving his family and his kids. And I don’t think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life, that’s just not who I am.”

Kelce did not address the part of Butker’s speech in which the kicker quoted a Taylor Swift lyric.

Butker said, “As my teammate’s girlfriend says, ‘familiarity breeds contempt’” — which references Swift’s song “Bejeweled.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 22, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Recording artist Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes cheer during the second half between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Sportsbooks: I Bet You Think About (Taylor Swift)

As Taylor Swift continues to introduce millions of new viewers to the NFL, via her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, the league sits back and smiles at the fresh passive-income revenue streams coming its way.

The phenomenon is no different in the world of sports betting, where bookmakers are cashing in on Taylor Swift-related Super Bowl prop bets.

In the United States, licensed sportsbooks are not able to offer Swift-specific props such as what outfit she will wear, how many times she’ll appear on the broadcast and whether she will cry at the game’s conclusion.

Regulations state that domestic prop wagers must involve on-field activity. But that’s not the case for offshore sportsbooks and those operators based in Ontario, Canada.

SWIFT-ONLY OFFERS

In addition to the options mentioned above are props having to do with what could happen on the field after the game.

Will Kelce propose to Swift?

Such a silly possibility? Not so fast. At BetUS, a Costa Rica-based operation and one of the offshore operators, the prop was listed as recently as last weekend at only 6-1 odds that it would happen.

That might be a reflection of the book managers balancing the action due to an influx of “yes” money from a legion of hopeful Swifties.

Swift’s lipstick color is another popular market, though an upset seems unlikely since “red” has been her hue of choice even before she burst onto the Chiefs’ scene. The other option: “any other color.”

The Swift props are not just window dressing for those books able to take action, however.

The BetUS public affairs director, Tim Williams, told the New York Times it’s a sound business decision.

“We expect to see as much interest, if not more interest, in all of these Taylor Swift bets compared to bets related to the halftime show,” Williams told the Times, “and that’s really unprecedented.”

A word of warning: Those unregulated sportsbooks may not be legal, depending on where in the U.S. a wager is made, and the Swift bets will frequently be limited to $100 or less.

BetOnline, another offshore book, has no fewer than 89 Swift props. It’s an intentional number, referencing Swift’s platinum-selling album “1989,” as well as the year she was born.

The restrictions found among U.S. sportsbooks on Swift bets are more relaxed in Ontario, Canada.

Bettors there wagering via theScore Bet can decide on whether Swift will be shown during Reba McEntire’s performance of the national anthem. The sportsbook believes it’s a strong possibility, placing the odds at -200.

Will Swift enjoy the halftime show? The sportsbook believes there’s a little less than a coin-flip chance that she’ll appear on TV during the halftime show (+120).

Their over/under for the total number of times Swift pops up on the Canadian TV broadcast is 5.5 occurrences (the “over” is +120).

It’s no surprise that with Swift’s presence, Super Bowl LVIII is widely expected to break betting records outside of the U.S.

SAMPLE OF SWIFT SELECTIONS

The entertainment publication Variety compiled a few of the more interesting Swift bets available at offshore sportsbooks.

Will Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift announce their first pregnancy at the Super Bowl? (Yes, +850/BetUs)

Will Taylor Swift be seen crying if Kansas City Chiefs lose Super Bowl LVIII? (Yes, +600/BetUS)

Will Taylor Swift be seen mouthing a curse word during the CBS Super Bowl telecast? (Yes, +300/BetUS)

Will Taylor Swift’s navel be shown on CBS? (Yes, +800; No, -2500/BetOnline)

Which will have more diamond carats? (Taylor Swift engagement ring, -10000; Chiefs Super Bowl ring, +1400/BetOnline)

A SWIFT LEAN ON POLITICS

There’s no questioning the Taylor Swift influence on pop culture, but waves of the population stand poised to see whether the superstar’s presence at the Super Bowl wades into U.S. political waters.

Former President Donald Trump is a frequent contributor to political narratives and has been included among the Swift Super Bowl props.

Trump is a 3-1 choice to reference Swift via his platform TruthSocial on Super Bowl Sunday. Both sides of the presidential race will be represented with 10-1 odds via BetUS that Swift endorses President Joe Biden after the game.

THE SWIFTY-SB COMBO

The primary licensed sportsbooks in the U.S., including DraftKings and ESPNBET, have their own spin on how to involve the 14-time Grammy winner.

The bets frequently come with their own names.

ESPNBET has the “Swift Action” prop that pays +1200 if a touchdown is scored within the game’s first two minutes as well as “MVP Swelce,” which is Kelce’s MVP odds (+1500).

DraftKings has a nod to Swift songs with “Mine,” a prop on Kelce’s receiving yards (87+ at +190) and “Anti-hero,” a prop on the opposing quarterback Brock Purdy’s passing performance (250+ yards and two TD passes at +200).

THE MVP BET

BetMGM’s Ontario, Canada, operation has an “MVP mentions Taylor Swift” prop. Early this week, the odds were +650 that the Super Bowl MVP refers to Swift in the postgame, on-field interview, while “no” comes in at -1200.

Pro tip: If you’re in a place to bet live on that prop and Kelce has 10 catches and a pair of first-half touchdowns, hammer that “yes” option before everyone gets on board.

Even Swift props couldn’t escape the sharp money, however. FanDuel Canada had +1060 that Kelce proposes to Swift on the field. The company reported the “no” option opened at -250 but was quickly bet up to -3000.

Is there no one who believes in romance anymore?

– Field Level Media

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Taylor Swift reacts after Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (not pictured) scores a touchdown in the 2024 AFC divisional round game between against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Roger Goodell all for relationship between Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has attended two Taylor Swift concerts with his two daughters and his wife, but chances are, he never thought his status as a “Swiftie” would bleed over into the workplace.

But it has.

Swift has taken the NFL world by storm due to her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and Goodell had nothing but good things to say on Monday about the couple’s impact on football.

“Having the ‘Taylor Swift effect’ is also a positive,” Goodell told reporters. “Both Travis and Taylor are wonderful young people, and they seem very happy. She knows great entertainment, and I think that’s why she loves NFL football.

“Obviously, it creates a buzz. It creates another group of young fans, particularly young women, that are interested in seeing why she is going to this game, why she is interested in this game. Besides (her relationship with) Travis, she is a football fan, and I think that’s great for us.”

Kansas City beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 in the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 28, leading some fans to believe that the outcome was pre-planned in order to have Swift draw more viewers for the Super Bowl. The 14-time Grammy Award winner is expected to be in attendance when the Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, but Goodell made it clear that he is far from capable of cooking up such a storyline.

“I don’t think I’m that good of a scripter — or anybody on our staff,” Goodell said. “Listen, there is no way I could have scripted that one, let’s put it that way.”

Swift has been spotted at 12 of Kelce’s games this season, with Kansas City coming out on top in nine of them. She first attended the Chiefs’ 41-10 victory over the Chicago Bears back on Sept. 24.

Of course, there has been some backlash from the NFL’s focus on Swift over the past five months, but Goodell is hoping that she sticks around.

“I think anybody in this society, when they’re in a public position, (is) going to be subject to criticism,” Goodell said. “Taylor is obviously a dynamo. Everything she touches, there are people following. So we count ourselves fortunate and we welcome it.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 5, 2023; Frankfurt, Germany, ;  Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts to fans before an NFL International Series game against the Miami Dolphins at Deutsche Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Super Bowl novelty props range from anthem length to proposals

The Super Bowl’s attractive novelty prop betting market has found its perfect over-the-top match: Las Vegas.

The narratives are firmly in place long before kickoff Feb. 11, when the Kansas City Chiefs meet the San Francisco 49ers in Sin City’s first Super Bowl.

The props that stir sports-betting fans’ interest are those that have a perceived edge to be uncovered. It’s seen by some as an opportunity to play detective — maybe a team manager leaked his or her team’s choice for the color of Gatorade — and lock in a bet that has nothing to do with the football game.

As a disclaimer: Not all states with licensed sportsbooks allow all (or any) of the novelty prop bets discussed below.

The Gatorade bath

This one has its roots in the 1987 Super Bowl when New York Giants coach Bill Parcells was drenched following his team’s victory over the Denver Broncos. The tradition didn’t really stick until 2001, when it began a run of attention that remains today.

Last year’s Super Bowl, won by Kansas City, saw Chiefs coach Andy Reid doused with purple Gatorade — a long shot anywhere from +800 to +1900 at various sportsbooks.

This Super Bowl LVIII matchup features two teams with red as a primary color. But is red Gatorade the favorite? Nope. Sportsbooks have almost unanimously opened the betting with purple as the favorite to repeat.

A sample of odds shows purple at +225 (DraftKings) and +275 (BetMGM), with yellow/green second.

DraftKings then lists orange third and blue, red, clear/water and “no Gatorade shower” filling out the top seven options.

BetMGM believes in blue, a co-favorite with purple, followed by yellow/green and then a tie between red and orange, with clear and “no shower” rounding it out.

We’re still tempted to roll with red, a +500 outsider at both aforementioned sportsbooks.

National anthem time

If you love the pregame hype, entertainment and activity leading up to kickoff, surely you can be coaxed into predicting the length of a given singer’s version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Yes, the time it takes to sing the national anthem has become a conversation piece — and a bet whose outcome is predicated entirely on the whims of the singer.

This year’s performer, country legend Reba McEntire, has a track record of relatively quick national anthem performances, and the most common number sits at about a minute, 30 seconds.

According to research from TheLines.com, the longest McEntire anthem available via YouTube is only a minute and 23 seconds.

If you can find the prop at north of 1:30, it may be worth a little investment.

Words, words, words

A prop that gradually has gained more attention over the past few decades is the content of the postgame speech.

If these props were around in the 1960s, Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr, MVP of Super Bowls I and II, certainly would have hit one of these favorites in the immediate on-field aftermath.

Odds and markets such as these from BetMGM below (posted for use at BetMGM in Ontario, Canada, only) are available at many offshore sportsbooks, as well as from some licensed sportsbooks in North America.

Who will be mentioned first in MVP Speech?

God/Religious Figure -150
Teammates +250
Coach +1100
Team Organization +1400
Family +1800
Fans +2000

Another opportunity for the amateur detective. Anyone see the setlist for the halftime performance?

Here are the BetMGM odds (these specific numbers available only in Ontario) for “Halftime Show — Usher’s First Song Performed.”

“Yeah!” +225
“My Way” +225
“DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” +500
“Love in This Club” +600
“OMG” +800
“Boyfriend” +1100
“Superstar” +1100
“Burn” +1200
“Good Good” +1800
“My Boo” +2000

More on the menu

Other options across the silly-bet landscape include whether NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be shown more than once on the CBS broadcast. Seems like better than even money, but it’s difficult to place real money on the whims of the TV production crew.

How about the Super Bowl commercials? A couple of iconic advertisers, Coors and BMW, are part of a prop market asking which will be the first ad to air.

We have the national anthem props, as well as what player will be shown first during Post Malone’s singing of “America the Beautiful,” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce or 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. (Kelce is favored anywhere from -200 to -300 at offshore sportsbooks.)

Finally, as everyone knows, there’s a certain celebrity who’s aiming to make it to the big game to support her boyfriend. The prop offers approximate -300 odds on “no” to the question of whether any player will propose to his girlfriend on the field after the game.

Kelce’s music superstar girlfriend, Taylor Swift, is expected to be in the building.

But a bet on “yes” at +210? Really? Not to be a wet blanket here, but even in the crazy world of Super Bowl novelty props, this seems highly unlikely.

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) takes the field prior to a game against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Travis Kelce: Taylor Swift relationship won’t take focus off football

Despite the increased paparazzi and exploding social media followership, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said he is not letting his connection with Taylor Swift distract himself from football.

Kelce’s budding relationship with the pop star has been one of the dominant storylines of the NFL season thus far.

“I’ve always been pretty good about compartmentalizing and being able to stay focused in this building,” Kelce said after Friday’s practice. “I think it’s always been that for me. No matter what’s going on in my life, good or bad, I think this is one place I can get away and just being locked in and focused and always check myself and my ego at the door and make sure that I come in with a clear mind.”

Kelce did say earlier this week that he believes the league is “overdoing it” with the amount of times Swift was shown on TV broadcasts when she attended the Chiefs’ last two games against the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.

“As all the attention comes, it feels like, you know, I was on top of the world after the Super Bowl and right now even more on top of the world, so it’s fun,” Kelce said Friday. “Everybody is having fun with it, you know, whether I think they’re overdoing it or not, you know, I’d know I brought this to myself or I’ve been fortunate enough to have fun with it, you know, and that’s where all that really matters is that it’s not pissing anybody off (in the Chiefs’ facility) at least.”

It was unclear whether Swift would attend the Chiefs’ game this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis. Her next scheduled tour dates are Oct. 18-20 in Miami Gardens, Fla.

“We’re learning with the paparazzi, just taking photos from all over the place,” he said. “But at the same time what comes with it, it comes with it. You’ve got a lot of people that care about Taylor and for good reason, so I’ve just got to keep living and learning and enjoying the moments.

“It’s worldwide, man. Everybody’s having fun with it.”

After missing the season opener due to a hyperextended knee, Kelce has played in the past three games — all Kansas City wins — and has caught 17 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;  Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) warms up before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Travis Kelce says he invited Taylor Swift to a Chiefs game

Try as he might, Travis Kelce has been unable to deflect conversation surrounding a rumored relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.

Some might say Kelce has been unable to “shake it off.”

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end decided to speak on the topic during his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Thursday on ESPN.

“I told her that I’ve seen you rock a stage in Arrowhead, so you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead. And see which one is a little more lit,” Kelce said with a smile. “We’ll see what happens in the near future.”

The (rumored) “Love Story” began in July when Kelce shared that he was upset that his opportunity to present Swift with a friendship bracelet — along with his phone number — went by the boards during her Kansas City stop of the “Eras Tour.”

The rumor mill began picking up steam throughout the summer about the potential power couple, albeit with unconfirmed reports.

Eagles center Jason Kelce was asked about his brother’s relationship situation Wednesday on 94.1 WIP in Philadelphia.

“I don’t really know what’s happening in Travis’ love life. I try to keep his business kind of his business and stay out of that world,” Jason Kelce said. “But having said that, I think he’s doing great and I think that it’s all 100 percent true.”

Jason Kelce was quick to note that he was joking.

Let’s hope all goes well for Travis Kelce, considering Swift is known for her breakup songs.

After all, it would be a shame if they “are never ever getting back together” — if they ever are together in the first place.

–Field Level Media–Field Level Media