Gambling and sports are now big business. Around three million Americans will wager approximately $6.8 billon on this Sunday’s Super Bowl game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, according to the American Gaming Association.
Gambling and the Super Bowl by the numbers
- More than one in 10 American adults plans to bet on Super Bowl LIV.
- Of the 26 million Americans who will wager on the Super Bowl, close to four million will place a bet in person at a brick-and-mortar sportsbook, a 25 percent increase from last year.
- Nearly five million will place a bet through an online or mobile platform, either through a licensed, legal operator or an illegal offshore book, a 19 percent increase from last year.
- Millions more will wager with a bookie, in a pool or squares contest, or casually with family or friends.
- Fifty-two percent say they will bet on the Chiefs, while 48 percent will bet on the 49ers.
“With 14 operational markets and another seven close behind, Americans have never before had so many opportunities to wager on the Super Bowl in a safe and legal manner, and clearly, they are getting in on the action,” said Bill Miller, president and CEO of the AGA. “With increased visitation to legal sportsbooks, we are successfully drawing bettors away from the predatory illegal market.”
Viewership for NFL games rose 5 percent in 2019, up another five points from the year before. This is yet another example of how the NFL will earn approximately $2.3 billion annually due to increased fan engagement from sports betting. Previous AGA research found that 75 percent of NFL bettors say they are more likely to watch a game they have bet on, and sports bettors are more interested in the NFL than any other professional sports league.
“I have absolute confidence that Americans didn’t start betting on sports when the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned,” Miller said. “What makes this year’s Super Bowl remarkable is that more fans than ever before will have the reassurance that the integrity of their bets on the big game will be preserved. The continued expansion of legal sports betting — to the detriment of the illegal market — truly benefits all stakeholders, from enhanced fan engagement for teams to added tax revenue for state and local economies.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice
