The American Gaming Association released its annual survey on betting habits ahead of the NFL season. As always, the survey demonstrates a thirst among the American public to bet on NFL games.
The topline numbers clearly indicate the popularity of betting and the NFL:
- Nearly 1-in-5 US adults will place a wager on NFL games this year.
- Some 23 million bettors (roughly 50% of all bettors) will place bets online.
- 6 million will bet at sportsbooks at casino properties.
One important caveat to the results is what people consider a bet.
Per the AGA, 68% of bettors (32 million) will place traditional sports bets either at a physical casino, online, or with a bookie. The missing 15 million bettors will place casual bets with friends, play fantasy sports, or through pools and squares.
Beyond the topline numbers, the AGA survey (and its previous iterations) provides a good look at the growth of the legal US sports betting market.
Legal Options Are Making A Dent In The Black Market
According to the AGA, just 13% of respondents plan to bet with a bookie. That number has steadily declined since 2020 when nearly 1-in-5 bettors (18%) planned to place a bet with a bookie. But don’t be fooled by the 13% number. That still represents 6 million bettors.
Further, as the AGA notes, bookies are a more viable option in states without legal betting options. Per the AGA, “The number of bettors who expect to use a bookie this season is 50% higher in states without legalized sports betting than in states with legal options.”
The General Public Is Definitely Aware Of Legal Sports Betting
One tidbit we can intuit from the AG survey is the US public is very aware of sports betting. Per the AGA, the number of NFL bettors has risen 104% since 2020. But the jump from 2021 to 2022 is only 18%, which can easily be chalked up to new states coming online rather than any considerable increase in consumer awareness.
Another piece of evidence hinting at US market penetration is the immediate success of sports betting launches. Beginning with Michigan in January 2021, states have been coming out of the gate at full sprints. That wasn’t always the case. In 2018, 2019, and even into 2020, sports betting launches were more of a slow burn.
One of the big reasons is the awareness of the average American that sports betting is legal in 30-something states. Because of the coverage, they also understand that if they live in a state devoid of legal betting options, black market sites are happy to accept them as customers.