The Super Bowl is the most popular sporting event of the year. Millions of people watch the Big Game on TV and plenty of people wager on it, legally and illegally. It is expected that Super Bowl betting this year will once again smash records as 33 states now have legal betting available. So how much money will be bet on the Super Bowl this year?
The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that a record 50.4 million people in the US will bet on Super Bowl 57. The number of people expected to wager on the Chiefs versus Eagles would be a 61 percent increase from last year’s Super Bowl.
“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 in a press release. “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.”
Betting on the Super Bowl around the US
More than half of American adults (57 percent, 146 million) now live in a legal, live sports betting market. This year, more states than ever will take legal sports wagers on the Super Bowl. In addition to gambling on the Super Bowl in Nevada, sports fans can legally wager on the Super Bowl in the following US states:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
And here is a state-by-state breakdown of if you can legally wager online and/or at a retail location.
| State | Online Sports Betting? | Retail Sports Betting? | Best Online Sportsbooks Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Arkansas | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Connecticut | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, FanDuel |
| Delaware | No | Yes | N/A |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Indiana | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Iowa | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars |
| Kansas | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Louisiana | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Mississippi | No | Yes | N/A |
| Montana | No | Yes | N/A |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | DraftKings |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| New Mexico | No | Yes | N/A |
| New York | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Ohio | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Oregon | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| South Dakota | No | Yes | N/A |
| Tennessee | Yes | No | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Washington, D.C. | Yes | Yes | BetMGM, Caesars |
| West Virginia | Yes | Yes | DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel |
| Wisconsin | No | Yes | N/A |
| Wyoming | Yes | No | DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel |
More money is legally wagered on the Super Bowl than ever before in the US and expansion outside of Nevada is still just getting started. Thirty-three states, plus Washington, D.C., have legalized sports betting so far, with Massachusetts just starting with retail and online to follow in March.
The AGA reports that 30 million adults plan to place a traditional sports bet online, at a retail sportsbook or with a bookie. That is up 66 percent from last year. In addition, 28 million people plan to bet casually with friends or as part of a pool or squares contest. That is up 50 percent from last year.
Wagering on the Big Game is likely to increase year-over-year as more and more states legalize sports gambling.
It’s all on the up and up
More and more, Americans are flocking toward legal sports betting options over oft-shady off-shore offerings and local bookies. Responsible gaming commercials from top sportsbooks seem to be paying off as the majority of traditional Super Bowl bettors reported to the AGA as having seen a responsible gaming message in the last year.
