Americans are betting big on the big game this year. The American Gaming Association is expecting U.S. bettors to wager close to $8 billion on Super Bowl LVI, nearly double the current record of $4.3 billion from Super Bowl LV. That near $8 billion figure – which consists of both legal and illegal, online and in-person bets – is largely a byproduct of states legalizing sports gambling, according to CBS News.
A total of 19 states now offer sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law prohibiting it in 2018.
New York began offering online sports betting in January, and its residents wagered a record $1.6 billion the first month, according to the state’s gaming commission. This comes after New Jersey residents wagered a then-record $1.3 billion in September, the first time a state garnered $1 billion in bets.
PlayUSA, a sports gambling data company, is expecting New Yorkers to place $160 million on legal bets for Super Bowl LVI, just $15 million shy of Nevada. The American Gaming Association says over 31 million Americans plan to wager on the big game, which takes place Sunday when the Cincinnati Bengals play the Los Angeles Rams in SoFi Stadium.
That’s a 35% increase over the number of Super Bowl LV bettors. Legal bets made both online and in-person for Super Bowl LVI are expected to clear $1 billion, per PlayUSA.
