WASHINGTON, D.C.—A record 50.4 million American adults (20% of the population) are expected to bet on Super Bowl LVII, a 61 percent increase from the record set in 2022, according to a new American Gaming Association (AGA) survey. Bettors plan to wager an estimated $16 billion on this year’s championship game, more than double the money wagered last year.
The growth reflects both the popularity of the game and the growth in legalized betting in the U.S. More than half of American adults (57% or 146 million) now live in a live, legal sports betting market, with 33 states and Washington, D.C. currently featuring live, legal sports betting markets according to the AGA. Three additional legal markets are awaiting launch.
With the expansion of legal sports betting, traditional Super Bowl wagers are expected to pass casual wagers for the first time ever, the AGA reported. During this year’s Super Bowl, 30 million American adults plan to place a traditional sports wager online, at a retail sportsbook or with a bookie, up 66 percent from 2022 while 28 million plan to bet casually with friends or as part of a pool or squares contest, up 50 percent from 2022.
Sports betting legalization is also driving fan interest in the NFL, as more than a third (34%) of NFL fans say that the expansion of legal sports betting has made watching an NFL game more exciting.
The survey also found that bettors are evenly split on the outcome of the game with 44 percent each planning to bet on the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
“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.
The gaming industry association-backed survey also found that the industry's attempt to promote responsible betting is having some impact.
The majority of traditional Super Bowl bettors (71%) report seeing a responsible gaming message in the last year, the researchers reported. Importantly, younger Americans (under 35 years old) are more likely to recall seeing a responsible gaming message and younger bettors are more likely to say it is important to only wager legally, the AGA said.
