Super Bowl Betting to Attract Record 50.4M US Adults, $16B in Wagers

This Sunday’s Super Bowl LVII will be the most-bet game in NFL history, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA), the national trade group representing the US casino industry.

The AGA releases its Super Bowl betting forecast each February, and this year’s estimates are larger and richer than ever before. The lobbying firm believes a record 50.4 million US adults — or about 20% of the population — will place some sort of bet on the title match between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

The findings were based on a survey of 2,199 US adults. The review was conducted by the research agency Morning Consult.

Those 50.4 million Super Bowl bettors are expected to wager $16 billion — more than double last year’s estimates and also a new high. The numbers include wagering through legal and illegal channels.

“Every year, the Super Bowl serves to highlight the benefits of legal sports betting: bettors are transitioning to the protections of the regulated market, leagues and sports media are seeing increased engagement, and legal operators are driving needed tax revenue to states across the country,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.

Miller said the ongoing expansion of legal sports betting in the US is helping increase interest in the NFL. The AGA probe found that 34% of NFL fans said the expansion of legal sports betting has made watching the NFL more exciting.

More than half of all bettors — a projected 30 million US adults — plan to place a traditional sports wager online, at a retail casino sportsbook, or with a bookie. That’s up 66% from last year. The remaining 20.4 million Super Bowl bettors are expected to place a friendly wager between friends or participate in an office pool.

Legal Lobbying

It’s the AGA’s mission to encourage betters to only use regulated sportsbooks and not offshore online sports betting platforms or local bookies. Miller said regulated sportsbooks provide consumer protections, generate new federal, state, and local taxes, and don’t jeopardize the integrity of professional and collegiate sports.

As interest in legal sports betting continues to expand, the gaming industry remains committed to responsibly delivering world-class entertainment, educating consumers about how to bet responsibly, and combating illegal gambling as we work to build a safe, competitive and sustainable legal market for all,” Miller said.

There are currently 33 states and the District of Columbia that have legal sports betting operational. Three additional states have passed laws to govern sports gambling. But books haven’t yet taken their first legal wagers in those jurisdictions.

The AGA says more than half of the country today lives in a legal sports betting state.

Super Bowl Sportsbook

This year’s Super Bowl is being played in a legal sports betting state for the first time. State Farm Stadium, home to the Arizona Cardinals, also has an on-site sportsbook.

As for the game itself, the Eagles remain a slight 1.5-point favorite over the Chiefs. The over/under is at 50.5 points.

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