The Super Bowl is always the biggest show on the annual sports calendar, garnering a huge amount of interest from football fans and casual onlookers alike. The American Gaming Association (AGA) expects that a record 68 million adult Americans will bet on the outcome of Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
a 35% increase from last year’s estimate
This would be a 35% increase from last year’s estimate and the total sum of the wagers could surpass $23bn. The AGA forecasts that people will place about 46% of their wagers online, 36% will be casual bets among friends, and 24% as part of squares or pool competitions.
The expectation is that 14% of the bets will go through illegal bookies and 10% with retail sportsbooks. According to the online survey results, 47% of people plan to back the Chiefs and 44% are going with the 49ers.
Talking about the big game, AGA CEO and President Bill Miller noted that it will be the first time the Super Bowl is taking place in Las Vegas and that this year’s “record interest in wagering marks a full circle moment for the U.S. gaming industry.” He underscored that the priority remains to protect consumers by supporting the regulated market and investing in responsible gambling education and tools.