Even after 57 years, the Super Bowl can still provide firsts.
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles will be the first brothers to play against each other in a Super Bowl. It’s also the first time two Black quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, will start.
And according to a survey conducted by the American Gaming Association, it’s the first time more than 50 million Americans are expected to bet on the game scheduled for Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The AGA estimates that bettors will wager $16 billion on the game, more than twice as much as last year.
“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 statement. “Industry investments in responsible gaming continue to resonate.”
Of the 50 million expected to bet on Super Bowl LVII, 30 million will place wagers online, at a retail sportsbook, or with a bookie, up 66 percent from 2022. Another 28 million plan to bet casually with friends or through office pools or squares contests. And 8 million Americans plan to place both kinds of wagers.
According to the AGA, the growth of legal sports betting has increased interest in the NFL, with 34% of fans saying that wagering has made watching games more exciting.
Awareness of responsible gaming also is on the rise. The AGA says that 71% of bettors have seen a responsible gaming message in the last year, with the 35-and-under demographic more likely to remember seeing a RG message.
“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.
Who do bettors think is going to win? It’s a toss-up. The AGA’s survey was split, with 44% of bettors planning to wager on the Chiefs or Eagles.
Morning Consult conducted the survey of 2,199 adults who expect to place a bet online, with a bookie or a casino sportsbook, in a pool or squares contest, or casually with family or friends, for the AGA. Data was weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational level, and region. The margin of error is +/-2%, and greater among subgroups.
