A record 26 million Americans will wager on Super Bowl LIV

According to new data released Tuesday by the American Gaming Association (AGA), approximately 3 million more American adults say they will wager on this year’s Super Bowl than in 2019, which represents a 15 percent increase from last year’s NFL Championship. 

The AGA estimates Americans will wager approximately $6.8 billion on the NFL championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

Other key findings from the survey, conducted by Morning Consult, include:

• More than one-in-ten American adults plan to bet on Super Bowl LIV.
• Of the 26 million Americans who will wager on the Super Bowl, close to 4 million will place a bet in person at a brick-and-mortar sportsbook, a 25 percent increase from last year.
• Nearly 5 million will place a bet through an online or mobile platform, either through a licensed, legal operator or an illegal offshore book, a 19 percent increase from last year.
• Millions more will wager with a bookie, in a pool or squares contest, or casually with family or friends.
• 52 percent say they will bet on the Kansas City Chiefs, while 48 percent will bet on the San Francisco 49ers.

"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."

Viewership for NFL games rose five percent in 2019, up another five points from the year before. This is yet another example of how the NFL will earn approximately $2.3 billion annually due to increased fan engagement from sports betting. Previous AGA research found that 75 percent of NFL bettors say they are more likely to watch a game they have bet on, and sports bettors are more interested in the NFL than any other professional sports league.

"I have absolute confidence that Americans didn’t start betting on sports when the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned," continued Miller. "What makes this year’s Super Bowl remarkable is that more fans than ever before will have the reassurance that the integrity of their bets on the big game will be preserved. The continued expansion of legal sports betting—to the detriment of the illegal market—truly benefits all stakeholders, from enhanced fan engagement for teams to added tax revenue for state and local economies."

Background

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in May 2018, more than $17 billion has been legally wagered on sports.

Fourteen states now offer legal, regulated sports betting, with six more states and the District of Columbia poised to open legal markets in the coming months.

AGA research found that more than 38 million American adults planned to bet on the NFL’s 100th season.

Methodology

Morning Consult conducted the online survey on behalf of the American Gaming Association between Jan. 21-22, 2020, among a national sample of 2,200 adults. The data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment, and region. The margin of error is +/-2 percent and greater among subgroups. Bettors include those who expect to place a bet online, with a bookie, with a casino sportsbook, in a pool or squares contest, or casually with family or friends.