NFL betting app downloads were down in Week 1 for nearly every sportsbook not named Fanatics or bet365, according to data from Citizens and Sensor Tower.
Excluding those challenger brands there were about 1.01 million first-time NFL betting app installs in the U.S. and Canada from Tuesday through Monday of Week 1, a 10% drop from last year. Including Fanatics and bet365, overall downloads were up just 4%.
This is the first NFL season in five years without a new state market launching ahead of kickoff and first time apps like FanDuel saw year-over-year declines in Week 1. App downloads aren’t a perfect proxy for betting growth, however. They serve more as a gauge of marketing push and product adoption, which does not necessarily translate to revenue.
