Lungs of life! Chris Stapleton sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, February 12, and his performance clocked in at two minutes, one second.

Betting on the length of the national anthem at the Super Bowl has become a tradition for many sports fans, in addition to more traditional wagers surrounding the game itself. Last year’s performer, Mickey Guyton, finished the patriotic piece in one minute and 51 seconds.

Earlier this month, sports podcaster Alex Kirshner pointed out the inherent challenge of guessing this year’s national anthem duration.

“We have a fascinating situation this year with the Super Bowl national anthem over/under. If there is a single video on the internet of Chris Stapleton singing this song, I haven’t seen it,” he wrote via Twitter. “Not an easy advanced scouting situation. Might have to go by feel. Dangerous place to be.”

Super Bowl renditions of “The Star-Spangled Banner” have trended longer in recent years, with Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church’s 2021 performance and Gladys Knight’s 2019 interpretation surpassing the two-minute mark.

After Stapleton, 44, landed the 2023 gig, Guyton, 39, offered her fellow country artist some words of wisdom.

“Singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl was a moment I will never forget and something I will be proud of for the rest of my life. @ChrisStapleton was made for this moment and I can’t wait to watch. Enjoy every minute and don’t forget to breathe,” the “Black Like Me” singer wrote via Twitter in January.

In addition to the “Tennessee Whiskey” singer, the 2023 Super Bowl boasts an “America The Beautiful” performance by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Rihanna’s much-anticipated halftime show. The “Umbrella” singer, 34, admitted in November 2022 that the career milestone was daunting for her.

“I can’t believe I even said yes. It was one of those things that even when I announced it, I was like, ‘OK, I can’t take it back. Now, it’s like final,'” Rihanna told Entertainment Tonight at the time. “The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, it’s an entertainer’s dream to be on a stage like that. But it’s nerve-wracking. You want to get it right. You know, everybody’s watching. And they’re rooting for you. And I want to get it right.”

Despite her reservations, the Fenty mogul’s boyfriend, A$AP Rocky — with whom she shares an 8-month-old son whose name has not been publicly revealed — knew she’d be up for the job.

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“I’m so glad that my lady’s back making music again and what not, and getting back out there,” he told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe in January. “The Super Bowl is huge, and her being the creative she is, she going to bring it, man. I’m excited. I’m more excited than everybody else, honestly.”

The musicians confirmed their romance in May 2021 after years of friendship and welcomed their son one year later.

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