Taylor Swift's Influence Extends to Sports Betting, Data Indicates
The NFL season has seen a buzz-worthy storyline so far: pop star Taylor Swift's growing relationship with Kansas City Chiefs' star Travis Kelce.
Celebrity news had everyone talking, fueling rumors of their romantic connection. To add more fuel to the fire, Swift, an accomplished artist with 12 Grammy Awards, attended the Chiefs game a few weeks back in Kansas City. The Chiefs secured a victory over the Chicago Bears with a score of 41-10.
Swift made a reappearance at the Chiefs' game this week when they faced the New York Jets in East Rutherford, NJ. The event was a hot topic among sports fans, as Swift wasn't the only notable figure in her suite. Joining her were Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Hugh Jackman, and Sabrina Carpenter.
Some football lovers aren't into the media's intensified focus on Swift's interest in the NFL. But, it seems as if her presence at the Chiefs games is positively impacting sportsbooks.
ramped-up wagering
Fans of Swift, commonly referred to as "Swifties," came into the spotlight in the late 2000s. The name has been embraced by Swift, and she even acknowledged its cuteness in 2012. She trademarked the term in March 2017.
A representative from Tipico Sportsbook confirmed their platform has experienced increased betting activity on the Chiefs and Kelce ever since Swift made her first appearance at a Kansas City game.
Tipico's data reveals a notable increase in wagers on the Chiefs from week three to week four, amounting to 27%. This might be a reflection of Swift's influence. What's more telling is the surge in Kelce player prop bets, shooting up by a whopping 115% during the same time frame.
Interestingly enough, bets on Kelce scoring a touchdown in week four spiked 122% over week three, potentially hinting that Swifties chose to bet on Kelce reaching the endzone or score a touchdown.
The performance of both the Chiefs and Kelce likely left many first-time sportsbook customers disappointed.
tepid results
The line on Kelce's receiving yards for the game against the Jets was set at 71.5 yards, but his six catches translated to a total of just 60 yards. The Chiefs were the undisputed favorites, with a spread of about 8.5 points. Despite the Kelce-led team's victory by a mere field goal (23-20), Kelce never found the endzone, making all wagers placed on him scoring a touchdown go to the books.
conclusion
With Swift at the helm, it appears there might be a correlation between the NFL and the deep pockets of Swift fans. According to the recent data from Tipico Sportsbook, it seems that interest in the sport has indeed been piqued.
The Chiefs-Jets matchup was the single most-bet game of week four on Tipico's platform, accounting for 23% of its total wagers.
