“I wanted to put an over/under on how many times we’re asked about them,” said Jay Kornegay, the executive vice president of race and sports operations at Westgate Resorts. “Customers and even some of our own executives are unaware we can’t do them. So we have to tell them, and they’re like, ‘Oh, really? That’s too bad.’”
A few casinos have gotten creative. One has a wager called “Shake It Off,” which involves betting on a player to score a touchdown after fumbling earlier in the game. But that is about as far as Las Vegas can go, since novelty bets are difficult to regulate. Some people, for example, will be apprised of Ms. Swift’s plans ahead of time and could conceivably make wagers. Gambling sites that do offer novelty belts tend to guard against bad actors by setting low limits — $100 to $250 in most cases.
“It’s more for fun,” Mr. Burns said. “We’re not trying to make a buck off this. Honestly, we’ll probably lose on a lot of these because it’s a real challenge for us to keep up with this stuff. Like, I don’t know what color lipstick she’ll wear.”
Sports betting typically comes with a host of disclaimers. Don’t bet where it’s illegal. Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose. And, as it pertains to Ms. Swift’s involvement in Super Bowl LVIII, don’t bet without seeking input from experts.
Want to throw a few bucks on Ms. Swift wearing a championship hat if Kansas City wins?
“It depends how cute the hat is,” said Julia Bennet, the president of the Taylor Swift Society at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla.
On a video conference call last week, Ms. Bennet and three other club leaders — Kathryn Brown, Kinsey Perkins and Mara Lytle — offered some insight. No, they don’t think Ms. Swift will cry if the Chiefs lose. (“She’s tough,” Ms. Brown said.) Yes, they think she will be in red at the game. (“I’m thinking red top, black bottoms,” Ms. Bennet said.) And no, they don’t think there will be an on-field proposal.
