Legal Sports Betting Super Bowl LX is about to begin, with the Feb. 8 game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California expected to set a record of more than $1.7 billion in bets.
The American Gaming Association announced a $1.76 billion forecast Friday that includes wagers placed through state and tribal-regulated casinos and online sportsbooks. This is a 26.6% increase from last year’s legal amount of $1.39 billion.
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The AGA’s estimate does not include bets on prediction market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, which are federally rather than state regulated. Bloomberg Report. Legal sports betting has now expanded to 39 states and Washington, D.C., driving continued growth.
Other forecasts differ slightly. A joint analysis released earlier this week by the Sports Betting Alliance and Legal Sports Reports showed betting on the Super Bowl at $1.71 billion, while market researcher Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimated it at $1.6 billion, up 10% from last year but still a record.
“No single event brings fans together like the Super Bowl, and these record numbers demonstrate just how much Americans love sports betting as part of the experience,” AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said in a statement. “By choosing legal, regulated sports betting, fans can have fun while supporting a safe and responsible market.”
Legal betting is expected to top $1.7 billion ahead of Super Bowl 60 on February 8 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots (Getty Images)
AGA research also shows that 28% of prediction market users view their activity as investing rather than gambling, compared to just 9% of traditional sportsbook bettors.
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Other differences include 31% of prediction market users reporting exposure to trading investment information compared to 7% of sports betting users; 25% of bets coming from an investment budget compared to 9% of sports betting users.
There are also restrictions on the use of responsible gaming tools on prediction market platforms. Only 28% of users said such tools were easy to find, compared with 58% of sports betting users.
This year bettors are betting on more than just scores and player statistics. While most alternative prop betting is not available on regulated U.S. sports betting sites, some can be found in Ontario, Canada, or on offshore, unregulated platforms.
An example would be betting on non-football aspects related to the broadcast itself, such as which Bay Area landmark will be played on TV first – the Golden Gate Bridge or Alcatraz; or whether a famous song like “Sweet Caroline” will be played during the telecast.
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Other bizarre bets include the length of the national anthem performance, whether players or coaches cry during the anthem and throwing Gatorade colors on the winning coach after the game.
Even more unconventional bets (sometimes only available in online markets) cover odd on-field scenarios like whether there will be a safety, whether there is a two-point conversion attempt, or odd combinations like the “Octopus,” which involves a player simultaneously scoring and a subsequent two-point conversion.
