According to the latest survey of the American Gaming Association (AGA), Super Bowl LVII will again be the sports thrill of the year as 50.4 million American adults (20%) are expected to wager on the winner of the NFL’s championship game. This intention sets a new betting record as this year’s number of expected wagers is 61 percent larger than the previous record hit in 2022. Americans will place an estimated $16 billion of bets on the 2023 super-duel between Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs to double the last year’s forecasts.

Rising interest in sports betting:

AGA informs that the expansion of legal sports betting results in the amount of traditional Super Bowl wagers expected to exceed casual betting for the first time ever. The survey showed that around 30 million American adults are likely to place their traditional bets online, which is a 66 percent increase over the last year, while around 28 million would rather go for casual wagers representing a 50 percent increase in comparison with 2022. These figures unambiguously show the rising interest in sports betting among American adults.

Expansion of regulated operations:

The reason for the increased utilization of sports wagering operator services and facilities may be closely connected with the expansion of regulated sports betting operations. Sports betting legalization drives additional interest in sports events, such as the premium NFL event to be held on February 12. More than 34 percent of NFL fans confirmed that the opportunity to place a bet with a legal operator provides security and makes watching the NFL championship game more exciting.

AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said: “Every year, the Super Bowl serves to highlight the benefits of legal sports betting: bettors are transitioning to the protections of the regulated market, leagues, and sports media are seeing increased engagement, and legal operators are driving needed tax revenue to states across the country.”

Responsible gaming message:

AGA is a national trade group representing the U.S. casino industry. It stands for legal and responsible gaming across diverse membership of commercial and tribal casino operators, sports betting, and iGaming companies and suppliers. AGA leads the $261 billion casino industry and supports 1.8 million jobs in the U.S. This strategy has continuously driven industry investments in responsible gaming to get the responsibility principle resonating with a broad audience across the country now.

As evidence of this strategy, AGA informed that 71% of traditional Super Bowl bettors saw the responsible gaming message last year. Even more importantly, the survey found that younger Americans (aged 35 or below) are more likely to become aware of the responsible gaming message, as well as claim the importance of exclusively legal wagering. The online survey was conducted on behalf of the AGA between Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, 2023, among a national sample of 2,199 adults.

Building a safe and sustainable market:

Miller also said: “As interest in legal sports betting continues to expand, the gaming industry remains committed to responsibly delivering world-class entertainment, educating consumers about how to bet responsibly, and combating illegal gambling as we work to build a safe, competitive, and sustainable legal market for all.”

Super Bowl LVII will host the two old rivals on Sunday. According to sports experts, their odds are equal. Bettors apparently think the same as they split their bets with 44 % each planning to wager on Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.