Chiefs, 49ers clash as Las Vegas eyes Super Bowl classic

LAS VEGAS – The biggest party in American sport is about to get even bigger on Sunday (Monday Manila time) when Las Vegas hosts the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in what promises to be a Super Bowl blockbuster for the ages.

The first-ever NFL championship finale to be staged in the glittering Nevada gambling metropolis was always going to be a money-spinning bonanza.

But the budding romance between pop superstar Taylor Swift and the Chiefs' charismatic Travis Kelce virtually guarantees this year's showpiece has already hit the jackpot.

The Swift-Kelce phenomenon has sent NFL viewing figures skyrocketing, and there is every chance Sunday's spectacular will eclipse the record 115.1 million who tuned in to watch last year's Super Bowl, when the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles.

Swift is expected to jet to 'Sin City' immediately after performing in Tokyo on Saturday night to cheer on her beau Kelce.

The singer will be among a crowd of celebrities, VIPs and high-rollers packed into the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium to see if Kelce and the Chiefs can clinch a third Super Bowl crown in five seasons.

Las Vegas — once shunned by the NFL but now an increasingly important US sporting hub — has been crackling with anticipation in the final days before Sunday's big game.

The Federal Aviation Administration estimates around 500 private jets will touch down in Las Vegas for the game, while city officials say they expect an influx of more than 300,000 visitors over the Super Bowl weekend.

The horde of tourists will flock to casinos, nightclubs and celebrity-hosted watch parties being laid on in addition to Las Vegas' regular array of concerts featuring stars such as U2, Adele, Christina Aguilera and Green Day.

Those lucky enough to have secured a ticket for Sunday's game, which includes a half-time show by R&B star Usher, will have paid handsomely for the privilege.

The cheapest seats available on ticketing website Stubhub weigh in at a hefty $5,542; the most expensive an eye-watering $56,700.

The American Gaming Association, meanwhile, expects a record 67.8 million Americans — around a quarter of the country's adult population — to place a bet on the Super