Super Bowl LIV betting to draw record turnout, billions in wagers
Sports betting legal in 20 states and District of Columbia
A record number of Americans are expected to place wagers on Super Bowl LIV as more states legalize sports betting, according to estimates released Tuesday by a casino industry trade group.
About 26 million Americans are expected to bet on the game through various means, including brick-and-mortar sportsbooks and online platforms, the American Gaming Association said. The record total marks a 15 percent increase compared to the estimated betting turnout from last year’s game, which drew wagers from approximately 22.7 million Americans.
The bets will be worth an estimated $6.8 billion, up from $6 billion last year. The projected total includes both legal betting venues, such as brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, and illegal methods, such as bookies and offshore mobile platforms.
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“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 American Gaming Association. “With increased visitation to legal sportsbooks, we are successfully drawing bettors away from the predatory illegal market.”
As of this month, 20 U.S. states have legalized sports betting in some form, with 14 states already offering regulated services. Six more states, as well as Washington D.C., plan to roll out legal betting in the coming months.
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The legalization push has moved quickly since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on sports betting in May 2018.
With the number of states with legal sports betting on the rise, more Americans appear to be turning to legal platforms rather than bookies or other illicit means of gambling. Nearly four million Americans will place a Super Bowl wager at a brick-and-mortar sportsbook this year, an increase of 25 percent compared to last year’s game.
The American Gaming Association based its findings on a survey of 2,200 adults on January 21 and 22.
Super Bowl LIV kicks off on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox.