Super Bowl National Anthem 2015: Prop Odds List and Song Length Prediction

If we are speaking honestly, the Super Bowl is so much more than just a football game. The matchup and everything that happens on the field between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks is almost secondary to all of the noise around them, including before the game with the national anthem. 

One of the great traditions provided by the Super Bowl are the prop bets surrounding it. There are the usual wagers you can make on the game, but no other game is going to let you gamble on which songs the halftime performer will sing or how long the national anthem singer will take. 

This year's big game has one of the most famous singers in the world opening things up, as Idina Menzel takes center stage. She's best known for her voice role in the Disney movie Frozen, which produced the song that every kid loves and every parent has had burned into their brain, "Let It Go."

Here's a look at the list of odds fans can bet on for Menzel's version of the ”The Star-Spangled Banner“ at Super Bowl XLIX, as well as some analysis to help you make a decision. 

Category	Odds
Song Length	Over/Under at two minutes, one second
Forget or omit at least one word	Yes (4/1) or No (1/6)

Hardcore fans know that Menzel made her name on Broadway in the musicals Rent and Wicked, so we know she's got the pipes to belt out one of the most memorable renditions of the national anthem. But will she be able to break a record in the process?

Broadway singers have the proper training to draw out notes, so when Menzel gets to "...and the home of the brave," it shouldn't be a shock to see her keep that "a" in brave going for as long as she wants. 

When thinking of Super Bowl national anthem performances, Whitney Houston's rendition in 1991 has been the gold standard. It's not a surprise given how majestic her voice is, where the country was at during that particular moment and how she hit every emotional note perfectly. 

Menzel was asked about whether she looks at Houston's performance for inspiration in an interview with Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic:

"

Not really anymore, no. Yeah, I've listened to it a million times and I'm someone that does get inspired by other singers and likes to emulate and let that find its way into my own interpretation. I'm not afraid to listen to other people and learn from them because no matter how it turns out it's going to be original because it's me. You know, it's such a big gig, such a nerve-wracking gig. Everybody talks about it. But I enjoy singing it. I've been working on it with my voice teacher and it's really a beautiful song...

"

While that doesn't provide any hints about what Menzel is thinking of doing with her performance, it shows how much she wants to really get it right. 

Alicia Keys currently holds the record for the longest rendition in history at two minutes, 40 seconds in 2013. Since this year's odds are set at 121 seconds, the expectation certainly doesn't seem to be that Menzel will look to put her name in the record books. 

However, there is some precedent to look back on when trying to figure out how you want to bet. David Barron of the Houston Chronicle reminded everyone on Twitter that Menzel did this same song at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game seven months ago:

Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News took things a step further, calling this the surest thing of all the Super Bowl bets:

They say in sports that when everyone is telling you one thing will happen, it's best to start looking the other way. Upsets happen all the time, even when they are least expected, which is why we love these games so much. 

Yet, this is one case where it seems OK to go with the flow. Menzel didn't make her name by being a subtle singer, which isn't meant to sound like a knock on her vocal skills. I don't know a lot of her work, but I can't say that "Let It Go" doesn't pop up on my iPod from time to time. 

Menzel has some history singing the national anthem at a major sporting event and nearly broke the over/under for the Super Bowl at that time. When you consider how much bigger this particular stage is, she can go for a little extra bravado as the jets fly overhead to signal the start of America's biggest spectacle. 

Take the over time put on Menzel's national anthem and don't look back. It will be the one safe bet you have all game.