2023 Super Bowl half-time show: 3 things to know

(NEXSTAR) – When Super Bowl LVII airs Sunday night, some will tune in for the football, some will watch for the ads, and others will be there for one reason: Rihanna.

The nine-time Grammy winner and pop icon turned down the gig just a few years ago. Now, she will take the field halfway through the Chiefs-Eagles game in a highly anticipated return to performing since giving birth to her first child with partner A$AP Rocky.

“Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment,” said Jay-Z in a statement. His entertainment agency Roc Nation is one of the halftime performance’s executive producers.

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When does the halftime show start?

If you aren’t a football fan, saying the halftime show is at halftime may not really answer your question. So let’s break it down.

The NFL plays four 15-minute quarters – two before halftime and two after. At the end of the first and third quarters, there are two-minute breaks as each team changes ends of the field.

But this doesn’t include the play clock stopping, teams taking timeouts or commercial breaks. With all of this, the average NFL game takes about three hours and 12 minutes.

Super Bowl LVII kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET and is scheduled to last until about 10 p.m. ET, according to local TV listings. Subtracting the time allotted for the halftime show and commercial breaks, that leaves slightly more than three hours for the game.

By dividing that in two, the first half of the game should take about an hour and a half. So, if you’re planning to tune in just for the halftime show, you might expect it to begin between 8 and 8:30 p.m. ET.

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What songs will Rihanna perform?

The set list has not been officially revealed, but there are some songs more likely to make an appearance than others – at least according to betting odds.

As of Tuesday, the odds on several gambling sites had “Don’t Stop The Music” from Rihanna’s 2007 album “Good Girl Gone Bad” as the most likely first song during the halftime show. Gamblers are predicting she’ll end the performance with another hit from the same album, “Umbrella.”

Super Bowl halftime shows are usually around 15 minutes long. Last year’s performance by Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg included nine songs in its setlist. The year before that, the Weeknd also sang nine songs.

With so many hits over her career, Rihanna is likely to perform a medley of favorites. The other songs betters believe are most likely to be included somewhere in the performance are “We Found Love,” “Where Have You Been,” and “Rude Boy.”

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Will there be surprise guests?

The show’s producers and the NFL have been extremely tight-lipped about the details of the show –including any guest appearances or cameos – but there are betting odds here, too.

Perhaps because Roc Nation is listed as a producer of the halftime show, Jay-Z is the most likely guest star, according to bets placed by Tuesday.

Other suggested guests are longtime collaborators Calvin Harris and Drake. Some are betting partner A$AP Rocky will pop in, and some are even betting he’ll bring along their baby.

Rihanna also has songs with a few recent halftime performers, like Shakira and Eminem, so if she does choose to share the stage, there are lots of stars to choose from.