Avoid placing wagers against the Super Bowl.
The American Gaming Association, the main trade association for the U.S. casino sector, has released new data indicating that at least $1.39 billion will be legally wagered on the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LIX. According to consulting company Eilers & Krejcik, that would surpass the previous record of $1.25 billion set at the Super Bowl last year. According to the AGA, its official 2024 Super Bowl betting total is $1.25 billion.
The AGA’s chief executive, Bill Miller, told MarketWatch that “no single event unites sports fans like the Super Bowl, and that excitement extends to sports betting, with this year’s record legal handle reflecting its widespread appeal.” “This figure underscores the positive impact of the legal market – from protecting consumers to generating tax revenue that benefits communities across the country – while enhancing the game experience for all.”
As more states legalize sports betting, the overall amount of legal sports betting has increased year, reaching record highs. However, another betting milestone could be achieved: Nevada losing its position as the state with the greatest Super Bowl betting activity.
Nevada has traditionally maintained a commanding lead in Super Bowl betting activity among states, thanks to Las Vegas, which is known as the gambling capital of the United States. However, at least one analyst believes that will change this year.
This is due to the fact that New York and New Jersey have occasionally taken in more money from sports wagers than Nevada has since the Supreme Court overturned the country’s sports betting ban in 2018. And when it comes to Super Bowl betting this year, the Empire State might surpass Sin City’s home state.
According to Eric Ramsey of LegalSportsReport, which tracks gaming by state, “New York really should overtake Nevada for first place this time around,” MarketWatch reported. He pointed out that last year, the volume produced by the New York market was over three times that of Nevada.
Ramsey went on to say that had the Super Bowl not been held in Las Vegas, which increased tourism and buzz in the state and, consequently, the number of bets, New York most likely would have surpassed Nevada in Super Bowl betting last year.
New Orleans will host this year’s NFL championship game.
According to LegalSportsReport, Super Bowl LIX wagering in New York alone is expected to total $183 million this year, with Nevada and New Jersey following with $170 and $147 million, respectively.
With an estimated $1.5 billion in legal wagers on the game, the sportsbook also predicts a record-breaking Super Bowl handle overall, surpassing the $1.39 billion projection published by the American Gaming Association.
Super Bowl wagers have increased annually, rising from $300 million in 2020 to $1.3 billion last year, according to LegalSportsReport.
-- Year Legal Super Bowl bets (in billions)
-- 2020 | $0.3B
-- 2021 | $0.5B
-- 2022 | $0.914B
-- 2023 | $1.07B
-- 2024 | $1.3B
-- 2025 | $1.5B
What, then, is causing Super Bowl betting to increase?
More jurisdictions are legalizing sports betting. According to the American Gaming Association, 38 states and Washington, D.C., permit sports betting in one way or another, accounting for almost 70% of all American adults. Since the 2024 Super Bowl, both North Carolina and Missouri have made internet sports betting legal, and new states are drafting sports betting laws virtually annually. (The Chiefs’ home state of Missouri is said to have failed to allow online sports betting in time for the Super Bowl.)
Furthermore, for those who wish to have a stake in the outcome, regulated sports betting has made things much simpler. For instance, because the Super Bowl will be held in a state where internet sports betting is permitted for the third consecutive year, fans can now place bets while watching the game. In 2021, Louisiana made sports betting legal.
Apps for sportsbooks are also growing in popularity. During earnings reports, several large sportsbooks reported an increase in monthly active users, partly as a result of more states legalizing gambling. According to publicly available data released by areas where betting is permitted, U.S. sportsbooks, which include major operators like DraftKings (DKNG), FanDuel (FLUT), and Caesars (CZR), produced around $150 billion in handle, or total sum wagered, in 2024.
Since the above estimates only include legal bets made at regulated U.S. sportsbooks and exclude illegal bets made through offshore sportsbooks, local bookies, or office pool or squares contests, the total amount wagered on Super Bowl LIX will actually be significantly higher.
Including all of these various illegal gambling activities, the American Gaming Association believes that about 67.8 million Americans wagered on the Super Bowl last year, generating a staggering $23.1 billion in total betting activity.
Every year, the Super Bowl is still the most wagered on event in the United States. In contrast to the one battle on Super Bowl Sunday, March Madness features multiple games spread over three weeks, even though the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament has occasionally attracted a greater total-wagering figure.
