Sportsbooks face dilemma over botched national anthem

**The Buzz** · 9 February 2011, 12:29 pm

One of the most popular prop bets every Super Bowl is on the length of the national anthem. This year's version, sung by Christina Aguilera, was no different. Casino City's Aaron Todd even had that wager in his top-10 prop bets piece he wrote two weeks ago.

Well, if you've been living under a rock (or aren't American and don't care about the Super Bowl), Aguilera had an infamous performance on Sunday. She, in fact, botched the national anthem, which posed a dilemma for online sportsbooks that took wagers.

From the Casino City Times:

However, the singer went out and botched the Star Spangled Banner by skipping one lyric and combining two others. Her re-mix may have thrown off the length of the performance.

According to replays on YouTube.com, Aguilera finished the song at 1:53.5, although some could argue she finished the song in 1:53.

"People expect singers to grandstand and drag the anthem out at big events such as the Super Bowl," Sports Interaction oddsmaker Greg Sindall told covers.com. "The over is always an overwhelmingly popular selection and that was the case."

Because of the controversy over the flubbed lyrics, covers.com said many online sports books voided the wagers all together. Others were split as some paid the over bets and others paid the under.

**PremTips** · 9 February 2011, 4:21 pm

Haha - well done Ms Aguilera

**Renee** · 9 February 2011, 5:24 pm

National anthems are boring and most people don't even know the words to them anyway..

Listening to her singing that one actually made me want to listen to it.. Of course because I'm her biggest fan on the planet, but I thought it sounded great. Of course I had no idea she sung 1 line wrong, but to be honest and no offense intended, 90% of Americans probably didn't notice either until someone told them.

**davenewgates** · 9 February 2011, 6:42 pm

Aguillera messed up at the Super Bowl but everyone deserves a second chance. She's said to sing the US nat'l anthem again, this time at the game 7 of the NBA Finals.

**Renee** · 9 February 2011, 6:47 pm

Hopefully she wont stuff it up then this time...

I suppose I'm a little biased.. I do love her to death, and I know that there are probably only 10 Aussies who know the second verse of our national anthem (I'm one of them). I probably wouldn't be too upset if someone screwed ours up though. It would be a good laugh.

I'm probably just not as patriotic as I should be.

**best.hands** · 10 February 2011, 6:34 am

Originally Posted by Renee

90% of Americans probably didn't notice either until someone told them.

That's the point. Because somebody thought it was bad, now everybody is yanking what this celebrated Lady had done. I doubt if they could sing the American anthem well themselves.

But, I never thought that that mistake could cause some trouble to sports betting. It's singing, not gambling.

**DaftDog** · 10 February 2011, 7:33 am

You could hear the crowd boo her when she made the mistake. I suppose you would only have noticed if you were at the stadium singing along with her.

**GPWA Aaron** · 10 February 2011, 7:37 am

Maybe if the Australian national anthem was sung like this you'd be more keen on it, Renee?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TNCf0cwJsY

**Gabriel_LCP** · 10 February 2011, 11:59 am

Wow I hope she does sing in the NBA finals! I'd be paying more attention this time, even though I'm sure she would get it right that time

**wagerjunction** · 10 February 2011, 1:19 pm

Sorry to sound Numpty

but I have always been under the impression that people would at least know their own National Anthem. Seems I was wayyyy off the mark.

Personally I know mine, the French one (La Marseillaise) and the UK one (God Save the Queen).

**cassy** · 10 February 2011, 8:43 pm

Congrats to Aguillera for she did sing the anthem at her best. They should be proud about that although in the case of the lyrics remix it should be corrected. As what has been said, let us give second chance for Aguillera!

**JoeAdams** · 10 February 2011, 9:57 pm

Of course, both sportsbook and Christina Aguilera would probably face “dilemma” for this.. She better makes her second chance smooth and never let it get “dirty”. However, for sure, after this disreputable incident, still many of her fans would be in full support with her.

**Stephen F** · 13 February 2011, 4:53 pm

Originally Posted by snooptodd

Maybe if the Australian national anthem was sung like this you'd be more keen on it, Renee?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TNCf0cwJsY

That was great!

**Renee** · 13 February 2011, 6:07 pm

Originally Posted by snooptodd

Maybe if the Australian national anthem was sung like this you'd be more keen on it, Renee?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TNCf0cwJsY

LOL
Ive seen that before. I'm sure many people would know the words if it was sung like that.

Why are national anthems so boring music wise anyway? It's like they set out for people to hate them.

Amy - I'd be willing to bet that the immigrants in our country know our national anthem better than the Aussies.. As I said, most people don't know the second verse or that there is even a second verse, because it's never played.

I know the first line of the French national anthem, and I could hum the whole song to you... but that's because I learned it at school. I can't remember any of the other words :S

**Stephen F** · 13 February 2011, 6:16 pm

Originally Posted by Renee

LOL
Ive seen that before. I'm sure many people would know the words if it was sung like that.

Why are national anthems so boring music wise anyway? It's like they set out for people to hate them.

Amy - I'd be willing to bet that the immigrants in our country know our national anthem better than the Aussies.. As I said, most people don't know the second verse or that there is even a second verse, because it's never played.

I know the first line of the French national anthem, and I could hum the whole song to you... but that's because I learned it at school. I can't remember any of the other words :S

Kids learn the anthem at school Renee, also the second verse. They sing it at their assemblies, and they always teach the younger kids (at least they told me that at my kids' school).

Bet u they all forget it eventually though (the 2nd verse).

Stephen

**wagerjunction** · 14 February 2011, 1:19 pm

Originally Posted by Renee

LOL
Ive seen that before. I'm sure many people would know the words if it was sung like that.

Why are national anthems so boring music wise anyway? It's like they set out for people to hate them.

Amy - I'd be willing to bet that the immigrants in our country know our national anthem better than the Aussies.. As I said, most people don't know the second verse or that there is even a second verse, because it's never played.

I know the first line of the French national anthem, and I could hum the whole song to you... but that's because I learned it at school. I can't remember any of the other words :S

I've always wondered about that too actually. What is the majority of National Anthems boring?

**Renee** · 14 February 2011, 5:53 pm

Originally Posted by CommissionAccount

Kids learn the anthem at school Renee, also the second verse. They sing it at their assemblies, and they always teach the younger kids (at least they told me that at my kids' school).

Bet u they all forget it eventually though (the 2nd verse).

Stephen

That's where I learned both verses (and still remember the second verse) but I think because the anthem is so boring, that's why people forget, and they only remember the first verse because that's the only one played at sporting events etc.. I reckon if they started playing the second verse people would start remembering it.

Or they could just change the anthem to sound like the song above.

Just sayin..

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